Unless you have changed the default settings of Windows Update or disabled Windows Update, Windows 10 usually downloads and installs updates without requiring your attention.
But that seems to have changed now. Many Windows 10 PC users are getting “Your device is at risk because it’s out of date and missing important security and quality updates. Let’s get you back on track so Windows can run more securely. Select this button to get going” message in the Windows Update page of Settings app.
Why are you getting “Your device is at risk” message?
The “Your device is at risk because it’s out date” warning message is new to Windows 10 users. The interesting part is that the message is showing up on PCs running the recently released Windows 10 Creators Update build. Apparently, the message shows up if you have not installed recently released security updates.
PC users would expect “Your device is at risk” kind of messages when running a 15 years old operating system like Windows XP.
When new updates are available for your Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 usually automatically downloads and install the same without showing any notifications. This new warning message is quite surprising since it’s appearing on PCs running a recently released Windows 10 build. Instead of this lengthy and scary message, Microsoft could have used better words to let users know that new security updates are available for Windows 10.
To check if you are also getting this warning message, navigate to Settings app > Update & security > Windows Update. In the Update status section, the warning message will appear. If the warning message is showing up there, simply click the Check for updates button to check if new updates are available and automatically install new updates, if available.
In short, if you are getting “Your device is at risk because it’s out of date” message, it simply means that you have not installed recently released security updates for Windows 10. Click the Check for updates button to check for available updates and install them. The message should vanish once the updates are installed.
Did you know that you can postpone Windows updates and pause Windows updates?
Bob says
I decided to reinstall Windows 10 yesterday 9-10-2018, I got the same message and error. Windows Defender icon had the red x over it. When I went to check for updates it did nothing but give me the same message.
What fixed this issue for me was I went into control panel, typed “Troubleshooting” in the search bar, then I selected “Troubleshooting”, at the next screen on the left selected “View All”, from that menu I selected at the bottom “Windows Update”, I selected advanced to make sure “Apply repairs automatically” was checked.
After running the Windows Update troubleshooting and letting it apply the fixes I went back to manually check for Windows updates, this time it showed that there were Windows Defender security updates that needed to be downloaded and install. So I installed those updates. At this time the red x was still showing on Windows Defender. So I rebooted and after doing so the Red X was gone and Windows update is working properly.
This is what worked for me, it may not work for everyone but I thought this might help someone so I thought I would mention it.
James says
I have been getting this message since September 2017 (now Feb 2018), and when I try to install updates and restart computer, I get a message that says ~windows failed to finish installing updates~.
I have gone through Microsoft support 6x to no avail (clearly), and have checked/repaired/rebuiltBcd… ect. Pretty much everything short of wiping my boot drive, and reinstalling windows entirely.
I tried to do that the easy way (keep my files), fail. I have everything backed up to 2x redundancy, but I don’t want to have to go through the process of putting my programs in place again, it’s a pain.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, but I’m assuming there will be nothing, this fix seems to be non existent on the internet at this moment in time.
Thanks for you time.
dan says
I get the message but when I click on the CHECK FOR UPDATES button, no new updates are to be found ?!?
David Bonifant says
Can confirm post by Bill Hughes. Manually updating KB4022725 (https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4022725) will update your version from 15063.332 to 15063.413. After a reboot, message is gone. On one machine, I just kept clicking the “Check for Updates” button and after about the 10th try, it finally kicked in. Manual is much better.
David Bonifant says
Same thing here. Dell XPS 8900, i7, 16GB, 1TB HDD, Win10Pro 1703. No matter how many time I click or how many reboots, nothing changes.
Side note, A Lenovo T510 with a 1TB SSD? Impressive. Those babies have been around a while. We just got T570’s in with 256GB SSD. Trying the stretch the crap out of that lifecycle, huh? Well played.
Bill James says
Unfortunately, it appears you can click on the Update button until the cows come home and it does not change a thing. Lenovo T510 laptop, 1T SSD, 8 gig, Win Pro EN 64bit
Bill Hughes says
My installs were at CU version 1703 build 15063.332. On one system I have manually downloaded (KB4022725) to update to build 15063.413. After the reboot, the Windows Update GUI lists the installed patch, and now when I check for updates it says I’m up to date.
So, that may be the fix to the “your device is at risk” message… update the build.
Bill Hughes says
Same as Steve and Irv and Anonymous. Two different machines, both at the latest build, seemingly unable to find new updates to install but the message returns. Windows 10 is beginning to become more trouble than it is worth.
anon says
The same that happened to Steve and Irv Spalten is happening to me.
Oh well.
admin says
@ Steve
That’s strange. Did it install any update after clicking Check for updates button? The message should disappear after updates are installed.
@ Irv spalten
Reboot and then click Check for updates button again.
Irv Spalten says
I am getting the message, am on 1703 release. However when I go to UPDATE, it spins, and eventually comes back with the SAME message? History shows last update on 5/26/17 and no errors???
Confused here?
Steve says
Unfortunately, this message is shown again, even after clicking the ‘Check for updated’ button (WIN 10 PRO EN 64bit).