wum list

Lists available updates by default. It can also show installed updates, include hidden updates, query Microsoft Update, and emit JSON.

Synopsis

wum list [--security] [--critical] [--optional] [--drivers] [--definition]
         [--hidden] [--installed] [--microsoft-update|--mu]
         [--json] [--no-color] [--verbose|-v] [--refresh]

Filter options

Option	Detail
--security	Security updates only.
--critical	Critical updates only.
--optional	Optional updates only.
--drivers	Driver updates only.
--definition	Definition / Defender updates only.

Category filters are OR-combined. wum list --security --drivers shows security updates and drivers.

Scan options

Option	Detail
--hidden	Include hidden updates in the scan result.
--installed	Show installed updates instead of available updates.
--microsoft-update, --mu	Include Microsoft Update service for drivers and other Microsoft products.
--refresh	Request an explicit user-initiated Windows Update refresh before querying current updates.

Output options

Option	Detail
--json	Emits the filtered list as JSON.
--no-color	Disables ANSI colors for piping/log capture.
--verbose, -v	Shows full per-update details: KB, category, severity, size, status, reboot requirement, description, support URL.

Behavior

list is read-only and does not require Administrator. On supported builds, the default view reads the Settings-backed Windows Update orchestrator first and uses WUA for catalog enrichment; older builds use an online WUA scan. Both honor the operating system’s effective update source and policy. Only currently applicable, not-installed results appear. Active download/install progress, pending installation, failure, and restart attention are distinct; installed, superseded, or no-longer-applicable items do not remain available. Filtering happens after scan data is collected.

Examples

wum list
wum list --installed
wum list --security
wum list --drivers --mu
wum list --hidden
wum list -v
wum list --json
wum list --no-color
wum list --refresh

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