Microsoft has introduced an replace for its suite of workplace and productiveness software program that may assist IT departments guarantee functions are at all times updated.

As defined in an organization weblog put up (opens in new tab), a brand new characteristic for Microsoft 365 now permits IT directors to push updates to enterprise laptops and PCs whereas they’re idle or locked down.

If an outdated utility is open, the characteristic will shut it down (when protected to take action), apply the replace and restore the occasion to its unique state. Apparently, this complete course of is performed in roughly 4 seconds.

Microsoft 365 updates

All year long, Microsoft rolls out a whole lot upon a whole lot of characteristic updates and safety patches throughout its workplace software program. The issue for companies is that workers will not often exit of their method to set up updates manually, whereas compelled replace fashions usually contain a degree of disruption.

The objective of the brand new “replace underneath lock” characteristic, Microsoft says, is to assist prospects guarantee their deployments are as safe and updated as potential, with out pulling workers out of their work mid-flow.

“Are you or your end-users aggravated with replace notifications? Do you battle to succeed in compliance?” requested the agency. “Effectively concern not, as a result of Microsoft has developed an optimization that applies a pending Microsoft 365 apps replace whereas a machine is in idle or locked mode, even when apps are operating.”

“Replace underneath lock helps you attain compliance inside your timeframes with out disrupting your inside customers, and doubtlessly reduces the necessity for abrupt compelled updates, making updates extra dependable by saving app state earlier than closing.”

Though collaboration platform Groups operates underneath a separate replace mannequin, the brand new characteristic applies to virtually all different Microsoft 365 functions apps (Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint, for instance) put in on Home windows units. TechRadar Professional has requested Microsoft whether or not the characteristic will come to macOS in future.

The optimization will roll out routinely to qualifying prospects, residing “underneath the hood to make your life simpler,” Microsoft defined.

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