Introduction
See every pending and installed update for a specific device, install updates manually, and review which automations are handling patch management. The Updates tab gives you a full picture of a single device's patch status without jumping to the global view.
The tab adapts to the device's operating system:
Windows — Windows Updates across all categories (Definition, Security, Feature, etc.)
macOS — macOS system and application updates from Apple Software Update
Linux — package manager updates on apt, yum, and pacman distributions
For a cross-device picture, see Updates (the global view).
⚙️ PREREQUISITES
Level agent installed and device online
Technician has permissions for the device's group
Available Updates
The Available tab lists every update Level has detected on the device that hasn't been installed yet. The badge on the Updates sidebar item and on the tab itself shows the count.
Columns visible by default: Name, Category, Published on, Managed by, Status. You can customize what's shown.
Installing an Update
You can install any available update directly from this tab. Level routes the install through the appropriate mechanism on the device: Windows Update on Windows, Software Update on macOS, or the system package manager (apt, yum, or pacman) on Linux.
Select one or more updates using the checkboxes.
Click Download and install.
To install a single update without selecting it first, click Download and install in that row's Status column.
Alternatively, open the row's context menu (the three-dot icon at the far right) to see Download and install or Hide.
💡 TIP: If your patch management is already handled by an automation (check the Automations tab), you probably won't need to install updates manually very often. Manual installs are useful for urgent one-off patches or testing.
Hiding an Update
Hiding an update removes it from the Available list and suppresses it in Windows. It also removes any negative impact on the device's security score.
Select the update you want to hide.
Click Hide, or choose Hide from the row's context menu.
🖥️ PLATFORM NOTE: Hide is Windows-only. macOS and Linux update mechanisms don't have an equivalent suppression flag, so the option doesn't appear on those devices. To exclude specific updates on macOS or Linux, manage them through your patching automation's category configuration or skip them with a conditional action.
Hidden updates can be unhidden later if needed.
⚠️ WARNING: Hiding an update suppresses it at the OS level, not just in Level. Windows will stop offering it until it's unhidden.
Checking for Updates
To trigger an immediate check rather than waiting for the next scheduled sync, click Check for updates in the top-right corner of the Available tab.
Filtering and Columns
Click Filters to narrow the list by Category (e.g., Definition Updates, Security Updates). Click Columns to show or hide additional fields.
Available columns: Name, Description, Category, Version, Size, Published on, Managed by, Status.
Automations
The Automations tab shows every automation currently assigned to this device that includes an update-related action. You'll typically see your patching automations here.
Each row shows:
Automation — the automation name
Trigger — what initiates the run (e.g., a schedule)
Action — what it does (e.g., Install Windows Updates)
Last ran — timestamp of the most recent run
This tab is read-only. To modify an automation, go to Automations in the main sidebar. For details on building patching automations, see Automations → Actions.
Logs
The Logs tab records every update install session Level has initiated on this device, whether triggered by an automation or installed manually.
Each row shows:
Source — the automation name, or "Manual Install"
Install date — when the session ran
Size — total data downloaded
Status — Success or an error count badge
Click the expand arrow on any row to see the raw install log, including download progress and per-update install results. Log content reflects the underlying update mechanism on the device: Windows Update output on Windows, softwareupdate output on macOS, and package manager output (apt, yum, or pacman) on Linux.
You can copy the log text or download it using the icons on the expanded row.
💡 TIP: If a session shows an error, expand the row and read the log output for the failed update. On Windows, look for install-ended lines, which usually include the KB number and an error code. On Linux, the package manager surfaces the failed package name and a stderr message you can use to diagnose the issue.
History
The History tab shows the full Windows Update history for this device, including updates installed outside of Level.
🖥️ PLATFORM NOTE:
Windows: Pulls from Windows Update history. Reflects everything installed on the device regardless of source (Level, Windows Update, WSUS, Intune, etc.).
macOS: Pulls from the macOS software update log.
Linux: Pulls from the device's package manager history (
apt,yum, orpacman).
Use Filters and Columns to narrow or adjust the view. Search by update name or KB number using the search bar.
FAQ
How do I install updates on all my devices at once? The Updates tab on device details is scoped to a single device. To install updates across your fleet, use the global Updates view under Global Views, or set up a patching automation and assign it to the relevant device groups. See Automations → Actions for setup details.
Does this tab work on macOS and Linux devices? Yes. The tab adapts to the device's OS. On macOS it shows pending Apple Software Update items. On Linux it shows pending updates from the device's package manager (apt, yum, or pacman). Install actions work the same way regardless of platform.
Which Linux distributions are covered? Anything running apt, yum/dnf, or pacman. That covers Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Raspbian, RHEL, CentOS, Rocky, AlmaLinux, Fedora, and Arch. See Supported Platforms for the full list.
Who can install updates on a device? Any technician with permissions for the device's group can install updates manually. If an automation is handling updates, it runs under the organization's automation permissions regardless of individual technician access.
What's the difference between Logs and History? Logs shows Level-initiated install sessions (from automations or manual installs in Level) with detailed output. History shows the full Windows Update history, including installs from any source. If Windows Update ran outside of Level, it'll appear in History but not in Logs.
An update keeps reappearing in Available after I install it. Why? If an update reappears, the install may have failed silently or Windows may have rolled the update back. Check the Logs tab and expand the most recent session for that update. Look for error codes in the log output. You can also click Check for updates to force a fresh sync.
Can I undo a hidden update? Yes, hidden updates can be unhidden. This applies to Windows only since Hide isn't available on macOS or Linux.
What does "Managed by" mean in the Available tab? The Managed by column shows which automation is responsible for installing a given update. If a patching automation is assigned to this device and targets that update type, it'll appear here. Updates without an assigned automation show blank.