Windows and Mac Software Update Best Practices

To ensure an optimal user experience in Blue Border, Venn recommends the following software update best practices for Windows and Mac computers:

  • Install minor OS updates automatically, or manually install them as soon as they are made generally available.
  • Delay installing major OS upgrades (e.g., macOS 15 Sequoia or Windows 11 24H2) until Venn has announced Blue Border support for the new operating system.
  • Disable "Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available" in Windows Settings, and do not opt in to get early access or preview versions of Windows or macOS unless necessary. 
If you enable automatic installation in your Windows Update Settings or Mac Software Update Settings, only minor OS updates will be automatically installed. You will be notified when new major upgrades are available and given the option to install them.

Minor OS Updates

Microsoft and Apple release updates to their operating systems frequently. For example, minor OS updates would include going from Windows 11 24H2 Build 26100.3915 to Build 26100.3909 or from macOS 15.3.2 to macOS 15.4. 

Venn recommends installing minor OS updates as they are made generally available to ensure that your operating system is up-to-date. There is no need to wait for notification from Venn before installing these updates.

You can ensure that your operating system is up-to-date by enabling automatic installation in your Windows Update Settings or Mac Software Update Settings.

Major OS Upgrades

Microsoft and Apple put out new major OS upgrades infrequently—typically once a year. For Windows, major OS upgrades include the release of entirely new operating systems (e.g., Windows 11 in 2021) and significant version updates within an existing operating systems (e.g., Windows 11 version 24H2 in 2024). For macOS, major OS upgrades are always new named versions of macOS (e.g., macOS 15, Sequoia in 2024).

Any time Microsoft or Apple releases a new major OS upgrade, the Venn team thoroughly tests it and makes any necessary adjustments to the Blue Border product to ensure a seamless user experience.

Venn recommends waiting to install new major OS upgrades systems until Venn has announced Blue Border support for it. Support for new versions will be announced in Venn's Release Notes.

Even if you enable automatic installation in your Windows Update Settings or Mac Software Update Settings, new major OS upgrades will not be automatically installed as soon as they are available; you will be notified and given the option to install them.

"Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available" in Windows Settings, the Windows Insider Program, and the Apple Developer Program

If you enable Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available in Windows Update Settings, join the Windows Insider Program, or join the Apple Developer Program, your operating system will receive the latest updates while they are still in preview. These updates have not yet completed full testing and may not be as stable as generally available releases.

In most cases, Venn recommends keeping these options disabled. Preview updates may introduce compatibility issues with Blue Border, and they can cause problems for your use of other applications on your Windows or Mac computer.

There are specific situations where early access to updates may be necessary. For example, IT professionals or software developers may need to test new versions before their general release. If you require early access to Windows or Mac updates on the device where you use Blue Border, we recommend contacting support to request early access to Venn updates as well.

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