Update Windows and other essential apps from one place with Patch My PC

Update Windows and other essential apps from one place with Patch My PC:

Software updates through the internet are very convenient, but with the increasing number of programs on your machine they could become quite a time consuming or distracting affair. Which is precisely why this program can be so useful: Patch My PC is a free software that can manage the updates for a range of software that most users will want to make sure they update in a single, convenient interface. These include Windows updates, Adobe software (Flash/Air/Reader), Java, iTunes and Quicktime, and a number of others.

Some notes on this program:

• Color coded: programs shown in green font are updated, and those in red font have an available update


• Common vs. optional software: common apps are in the main interface and include JAVA/Flash/Adobe Air/Reader/iTunes/Skype/Silverlight etc. Alternately, your can check or uncheck individual titles in the The “optional software” section in the left sidebar, which include a handful of common mostly freeware titles such as Chrome, CCleaner, ImgBurn, Dropbox, Picasa, etc.


• Portable: just download and run.

The verdict: this program works remarkably well and might well become one of the first things I install on a new machine. It is especially useful if you would like to turn off Windows’ auto updates (in case you want to manage your bandwidth or for any other reason), it can be a very nice alternative that keeps you in control.

I did find myself wishing that the interface was a bit more streamlined or professional looking, but that is bit of a nonissue for a program like this. One drawback that was reported by reader Morely Dotes, who discovered that “it replaces individual Chrome installs with the global/all users ‘administrator’ install. Good if you’re doing a first-time setup, a nasty surprise if you’ve been tuning your Chrome install to exactly your own tastes for a while”.

Still, Patch My PC is a terrific piece of software that can be very useful. Recommended.

[Thanks go to readers Morely Dotes for emailing us about this program].

Version tested: 2.0.5

Compatibility: WinAll

Go to the program home page to download the latest version (approx 328K).