Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

How to install the Windows 10 October 2018 Update right now

Add as a preferred source on Google
This story is part of our complete Microsoft Events coverage

After months of testing with Windows Insiders, Microsoft has finally pushed out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to the general public. This update comes packed with plenty of cool new features, and you might not want to miss out.

There are more than a few ways to download the update today. Be it Windows Update, the Update Assistant, or the Windows Insider Program, here’s how you can grab latest and greatest version of Windows.

Recommended Videos

Windows Update

The best way to grab the Windows 10 October 2018 Update right now is to wait for it to automatically appear in Windows Update. Microsoft pushes out these large featured Windows 10 update out in phases, so not everyone will be seeing it right away. This method ensures maximum compatibility with millions of Windows PCs and ensures you won’t lose files or have hard drive or program trouble when you’re installing.

Step 1: First in this process is to first head to your Start menu, click on the settings cog and then click Update and Security. That should load up Windows Update.

Step 2: Click on “Check for Updates” to see if the Windows 10 October 2018 Update is ready for you.

Microsoft

Step 3: If ready, the download will automatically initiate, but take a while since the file is large.

Step 4: Once downloaded, you’ll get a pop-up prompt to restart your PC. Once you agree, your PC will then reboot several times as part of the update process. This can take anywhere between 10-15 minutes, depending on the age of your PC and processor, so please be patient!

Update Assistant

If you’re not seeing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update in Windows Update, another way to proceed is to use Microsoft’s Update Assistant tool. It might take a while for the Microsoft website to show the new version of the tool, but once live, you can grab it by checking here. From that website, click on the “Update Now” button, and then save the downloaded file.

Next, find the location of the file, double click to run, and then press Update Now. Your device will do some checks, and then download the update, verify and install it. This takes a while, and your PC will restart several times, so grab a cup of coffee and relax. Keep in mind you have an automatic 30-minute buffer period to install the update, and you always can choose “Restart now” to install right away. Also, bear in mind you won’t lose any files as part of the update process.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Windows Insider Program

Worst comes to worst, you might not be able to download the Windows 10 October 2018 Update at all with the methods above. If that’s the case, you can opt your PC into the safest “slow ring” of the Windows Insider Program to proceed. Please be aware this method involves installing beta versions of Windows 10, so you might want to be careful.

To do this, head to Windows 10 Settings, and click on “Update and Security.” You can then “opt” into the Insider Program by clicking on the Windows Insider Program icon. After that, you can click the “Get Started” button and choose your Microsoft Account. Be sure to select “Just fixes, apps, and drivers” to ensure you’re in the Slow ring.

Your computer will then restart, and you can then revisit Windows Update and Press “Check for Updates” to have the Insider build to install on your PC. Again, keep in mind that these builds are very unstable and are beta, so you might not want to take the risk.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
This cheap Steam Machine clone sounds too good to be true because it probably is
A Chinese Steam Machine clone claims impossible hardware at an impossible price
A Chinese rip-off of the Steam Machine

Valve’s new Steam Machine has already caused plenty of sticker shock. So it's no surprise that a flood of cheaper alternatives is hitting the online market. Valve is currently charging over $1,000 for its tiny-living-room SteamOS PC, and of course, people are trying to offer the same feel for less money,

One listing from China is a great example, but it looks a little too suspicious. According to VideoCardz, a Steam Machine-style mini PC listing shared on Reddit claims to offer a compact SteamOS system with a 2TB SSD, AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor, Radeon RX 6750 GRE 10GB graphics, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a price of 4,680 RMB, or roughly $688. This sounds incredible... if it were true.

Read more
A YouTuber 3D printed an entire outfit, but the comfort and cost are more complicated than you’d think
The 3D-printed outfit is real. Whether it's practical is a different conversation entirely.
Adult, Male, Man

YouTuber Matthew Trahan has made a career out of 3D printing increasingly unusual things. He has printed musical instruments, bedroom furniture, and, in one particularly memorable video, himself.

His latest project is a full outfit, from shirt to shoes, belt to glasses, because apparently nobody told him 3D printers are for creating engineering prototypes or structures that aren’t otherwise feasible, not for fashion week.

Read more
The memory crisis isn’t going to ease, and you will pay the price for it, says a research firm
Forty to 50% higher this quarter, 30 to 40% more next quarter, and no real relief until 2028. Plan accordingly.
RAM memory chips

If you were hoping the memory crisis was about to ease up, I have some bad news for you. It comes directly from Wall Street.

Your next smartphone, laptop, or tablet could cost even more, regardless of whether it has recently been subject to a price hike.

Read more