If you have a Windows 10 or Windows 11-powered PC in your home, then you'd be wise to check the settings without delay. Microsoft has just pushed out a major update as part of its Patch Tuesday programme and it's not something you want to ignore. In fact, this latest upgrade from the Redmond firm fixes a total of 72 flaws within its popular operating systems.

If that wasn't bad enough, it's been confirmed that six of the bugs have been deemed 'critical' and given the dreaded 'zero-day' rating.

For those not in the know, 'zero-day' basically means hackers are aware of the gremlins and are actively exploiting them in the wild.

That's why Microsoft has rushed so quickly to fix the problems in a bid to keep people safe.

The bugs include Privilege Vulnerabilities, Bypass Vulnerabilities and Spoofing Vulnerabilities, and it's not vital that you check your PC is running the very latest version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 without delay.

Explaining more, the security team at Action1 said: “Attackers exploiting these vulnerabilities can escalate privileges to system level, granting them full control to run arbitrary code, install malware, modify data or disable security protections.

“With low complexity and minimal privileges needed, these flaws pose a serious risk, especially given the confirmed in-the-wild."

To check your PC is up to date, head to Settings, navigate to Update & Security, then Windows Update, and select "Check for updates"

This new patch offers a glimpse into why Windows 10 users should consider switching to Windows 11.

From October, free updates like the one released this week will no longer be available, and that will put Windows 10 users at much higher risk of issues and cyber attacks.

"Starting Oct. 14, 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates," explained Yusuf Mehdi, Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer.

"As security threats evolve and adapt, so must our operating systems and hardware. Because of this, we designed Windows 11 to be the most secure version of Windows ever — by default and design — to help you stay ahead of those risks."