Everyone has ignored carbon emissions, a problem that stays invisible but doesn’t seem to be working any more. Some companies, such as Microsoft, have begun to reduce their carbon footprint.
According to Windows Insider build 22567, the Windows team has made Windows Update more eco-friendly. Windows Update is committed to reducing carbon emissions.
The Windows Update program helps reduce carbon emissions
U.S. computer users’ carbon dioxide emissions have dropped by 12 percent since 2012, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Microsoft works to reduce carbon emissions through Windows Update, which provides automatic updates for eligible computers.
Installing updates at specific times of the day is done by scheduling them. The update will prioritize clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydro when available. While you are free to update whenever you like, Microsoft can use clean energy data to kickstart the update if information about clean energy sources is available in your location.
How does Microsoft determine when there is a cleaner energy source? The feature determines if regional carbon intensity data is available from our partners electricityMap or WattTime. If you are using a laptop, make sure it is plugged in in order to use the feature.
The Windows Team has also released improvements to Microsoft 365 subscription management in Settings, Device Setup (OOBE): Phone Linking, Smart App Control, and more. Make sure to check out the features if you’re on an insider build.
That said, Microsoft has not disclosed any data that points to out how much energy Windows update use, which could have given comparative data on the total impact. Another data that could have helped. Is Windows Update being rolled out when clean energy is more prevalent? It’s a complex question, but I’m curious.