Skip to main content

The next major Windows 10 update is about to launch. Here’s how to get it now

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft is getting the next update for Windows 10 ready for release. One of the final Windows 10 May 2021 Update test builds is now out for Windows Insider beta testers, meaning the general public could get the release on their PCs in a little as a few weeks.

Recommended Videos

Although the overall experience could still be improved between now and a final public release, Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel can choose to install this update now by downloading Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.928. This build can also be downloaded as an ISO file for a clean installation on any new PC, with the caveat that the computer will be enrolled in the Insider Program.

Unlike previous releases, there are not any major new features coming to Windows 10 with the Windows 10 May 2021 Update — so it might not be worth the early download. This is because the theme of major Windows 10 updates over the past two years has shifted.

Microsoft now wants to start the year by patching up bugs and security issues in Windows 10 in the spring, then end the year by adding new features with a subsequent fall update. This means that, as Microsoft last noted, the Windows 10 May 2021 Update will come with only a scoped set of features improving security, remote access, and the overall quality of Windows. Multicamera support for Windows Hello and performance improvements for Windows Defender Application Guard are just a few things that are new.

For anyone hoping for major design changes to Windows 10, you’ll have to wait until the fall. There is a leading rumor that this fall’s update, code-named Sun Valley, could rejuvenate the operating system with a new Start menu and design elements. Code for this was recently spotted and hidden away in a Dev Channel Windows Insider build. It’s also rumored that the May 2021 Update has some of the necessary code built in for these changes.

If you’re eager to try out the May 2021 Update, the best way is to opt your PC into the Release Preview Windows Insider program and then download it via Windows Update by clicking Check for Updates. This is the safest branch of the program, and doing so poses little risk to your PC.

Microsoft, though, is only offering the update to “seekers” in the Release Preview channel, or those who want to manually download it early. You’ll see a message in Windows Update mentioning Feature Update to Windows 10, 21H1 if this applies to you, and you can download the update by clicking Download and Install.

Otherwise, you’ll need to wait a few more weeks until Microsoft pushes it out to everyone who isn’t a beta tester. The update will install just as last year’s October 2020 release did, as a routine security patch that doesn’t require you to be away from your PC for a prolonged period of time. It’s likely to come on May 11, known as “Patch Tuesday,” a day reserved for regular Windows 10 updates.

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…
Microsoft is forced to halt the Windows 11 24H2 update on some PCs
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft’s recent Windows 11 24H2 update is off to a bumpy start. According to a report by Bleeping Computer, users are facing compatibility issues across various hardware and software configurations, prompting the company to temporarily block the update for some devices.

The affected systems include specific Asus laptop models and configurations involving software like Voicemeeter, Safe Exam Browser, and older versions of Easy Anti-Cheat, commonly used in gaming.

Read more
A forced Windows update is coming next month
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

Windows 11 version 22H2 will reach its end of servicing next month, and Microsoft has announced a forced update to 23H2 for October 8. This means machines running 22H2 (Home and Pro editions) will stop receiving updates after next month, leaving them vulnerable to security threats. Enterprise, Education, and Internet of Things (IoT) Enterprise editions running version 21H2 will also receive the automatic update.

In a post on the Windows Message Center, Microsoft urges users to update before October 8 or participate in the automatic update to keep themselves "protected and productive" since the monthly Patch Tuesday updates are "critical to security and ecosystem health."

Read more
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