Skip to main content

Official Windows 10 Creators Update disk image now available for Insiders

1211916 autosave v1 windows 10 upgrade compatprob
Image used with permission by copyright holder
After months of hype, the Windows 10 Creators Update is drawing near, and over the last few weeks Microsoft has been busy making the final preparations for its release. Now, the company has officially released the disk image files necessary to install the update to members of the Windows Insider program.

Earlier this month, it emerged that build 15063 of Windows 10 would be the version of the operating system that’s rolled out to all users as the Creators Update. Members of the Insider program have had access to this build for over a week, but until now it’s only been distributed via the Windows Update utility.

Recommended Videos

However, now it’s possible to adopt the pre-release version of the Creators Update by downloading a disk image and starting the process manually. If you’re enrolled in the Insider program, the necessary ISO files are available via Microsoft’s Software Download website.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Disk images or the standard, Enterprise, Education, Home Single Language, and Home China versions of Windows 10 are being offered up, according to a report from MS Power User. 32-bit and 64-bit versions of each ISO have been made available.

Given that these disk images are still considered to be pre-release versions of the Creators Update, there may be some minor bugs and other issues present. As a result, it’s not recommended to use the ISO files to install the build on your primary system — as is the case with all pre-release builds offered through the Insider program.

Soon, Microsoft will release official ISO files to the public, allowing all PC users to perform a clean install of the Creators Update if they want to. It’s expected that distribution of the update will be staggered, so not all users will be prompted to make the upgrade on day one, but the rollout process is scheduled to start on April 11.

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
I really hope this potential change to Windows updates is true
Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Windows updates have always required a restart to your PC, which is a hassle. However, Microsoft may use hot-patching to make it easier for PCs with Windows 11 24H2 to apply updates without having to reboot their computers.

A support page mentioning the change was first spotted by PhantomOcean 3 in a post on X (formerly Twitter) before the software giant took down the page.

Read more
Microsoft backs off on pressuring Windows 10 users to upgrade
Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating system logos are displayed on laptop screens.

Microsoft has announced that it will ease up the aggressive add tactic to get Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 after receiving negative backlash from users, as Windows Latest reports. There is no official word on whether stopping the full-screen multipage popups is permanent, but a plan to “share a new timeline in the coming months” was mentioned.

Windows 10 Home users saw these ads, but some Pro and Business users also saw them after rebooting their computers. Regardless of who saw them, the ads’ pause comes as the Windows 10 end-of-life date, October 14, 2025, approaches.

Read more
This Windows Update exploit is downright terrifying
Windows Update running on a laptop.

Windows Update may occasionally backfire with faulty patches, but for the most part, it's meant to keep us safe from the latest threats. Microsoft regularly pushes new patches that address potential vulnerabilities. But what if there were a tool that could undo every Windows Update and leave your PC exposed to all the threats Microsoft thought it had already fixed? Bad news: Such a tool now exists, and it's called Windows Downdate.

Don't worry, though. You're safe from Windows Downdate -- at least for now. The tool was developed as a proof-of-concept by SafeBreach researcher Alon Leviev, and although its potential is nothing short of terrifying, it was made in good faith as an example of something called "white-hat hacking," where researchers try to find vulnerabilities before malicious threat actors can do it first.

Read more