Updates
Integrate updates, service packs, and language packs into images.
This page integrates updates to an image, or installs updates to the currently installed system, depending on what was loaded as the target on the Source page.
On the right is a list of existing packages in the target; these can be Updates, Language packs, and Features. Make sure to use the Analyze option from the toolbar after queuing all the updates, for any known missing dependencies or compatibility issues.
For EXE installers like .NET Framework or C++, use the Automate → Post-Setup page instead. The Updates page is just for truly integrate-able packages with extensions like MSU or CAB. Some EXE exceptions are Win7 SP1, WUAgent, and IE11; those are supported by the Updates page.
Add Options
Latest Online Updates
Download Windows updates directly from Microsoft Update Catalog with automatic latest version detection. Supports cumulative, security, and .NET updates with local offline caching per image version.
.NET Framework 3.5 Template
In order to offline integrate .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows 10/11 images, use the Add → Templates → .NET Framework 3.5 option. It automatically pulls the needed package from the loaded image.
Language Packs
Language packs can be integrated as CAB files. See the Features On Demand section under Configure → Features for display language integration details.
Optimize Updates
A toolbar option that removes superseded update components and compresses retained versions to reduce store size. Helps fit an image under the FAT32 4 GB limit or simply shrinks the installation. Installed updates can still be uninstalled after the operation.
The mode combo offers five choices:
- None - No cleanup performed.
- Normal - DISM-based superseded component cleanup performed during apply. Maximum compatibility, least chance of breaking future package installation. Can be slow and environment-sensitive. Not supported on Windows 7.
- ResetBase (Deferred) - ResetBase queued for first-boot servicing instead of running during apply. See Deferred below. Requires an offline image on Windows 10 v1607 or later.
- ResetBase - Resets the base of superseded components, further reducing store size. Installed updates can no longer be uninstalled.
- Custom (premium)- NTLite's custom engine. Useful when DISM does not support the target, e.g. very lite images. Retains update compatibility in almost all cases. Report any issues and update via Host Refresh if stuck.
Deferred
ResetBase (Deferred) skips the purge during apply and registers a Windows servicing scheduled task that runs on the target machine after install. Result: faster apply and a bigger image; the deployed system shrinks itself on first servicing pass while idle. Microsoft only allows the deferred path paired with ResetBase, so no equivalent exists for the plain Normal mode.
The non-deferred modes run the component purge during apply: slower build, but the resulting image is already at its final size.
Clean Apps
A toolbar option that removes older versions of provisioned AppX/MSIX packages, keeping only the newest version of each app or framework/runtime. Also handles unregistered packages that are not tracked by Windows or DISM, freeing space DISM-only cleanup leaves behind.
Update Extraction
Two independent toolbar toggles control extraction performance, choose based on CPU cores, available disk space, and how often you reuse the same updates:
- Parallel extraction - Extracts as many pending updates in parallel as CPU cores available. Uses more CPU and disk space temporarily, but faster than one-by-one. Extracted files are reused within the session and deleted on close unless Smart cache is on.
- Smart cache- Stores extracted files in the Update extraction cache (File → Settings) so the same updates are reused across sessions. Cache auto-maintained: entries not accessed in 7 days are deleted on close.
Feature Upgrades
Windows images are designed such that existing image upgrades are only possible within a shared base build family. Newest paths first:
- Windows 11: 24H2 (build 26100) → 25H2 (build 26200)
- Windows 11: 22H2 (build 22621) → 23H2 (build 22631)
- Windows 10: 2004 (build 19041) → 20H2 (build 19042) → 21H1 (build 19043) → 21H2 (build 19044) → 22H2 (build 19045)
- Windows 10: 1903 (build 18362) → 1909 (build 18363)
Cross-base upgrades (e.g., Win11 21H2 to 22H2, 23H2 to 24H2, or Win10 1909 to 20H2) are not possible with update packages alone. Get the matching ISO for such upgrades.