Latest Windows 10 versions blocked on some devices

Nov 25, 2019 12:52 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has confirmed that the latest versions of Windows 10 are blocked on a number of Qualcomm devices with certain Wi-Fi adapters due to a compatibility issue.

More specifically, the impacted devices are not allowed to upgrade to Windows 10 version 1909 (November 2019 Update), Windows 10 version 1903 (May 2019 Update), and Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update),

The process fails with the following error:

“The following things need your attention to continue the installation and keep your Windows settings, personal files, and apps. Qualcomm wifi driver. Your PC has a driver that isn’t ready for this version of Windows 10. A new version is available.”

Update your Wi-Fi drivers

Microsoft explains that this is an upgrade block that it has put in place on purpose, as it discovered compatibility issues that might break down Wi-Fi connections after installing the aforementioned Windows 10 versions.

“Microsoft has identified compatibility issues with some driver versions for certain Qualcomm Wi-Fi adapters. Devices with affected driver versions might experience loss of Wi-Fi connectivity after updating to a newer version of Windows 10,” the company says.

“To safeguard your upgrade experience, we have applied a hold on devices with affected Qualcomm driver from being offered Windows 10, version 1809, Windows 10, version 1903, or Windows 10, version 1909, until the updated driver is installed.”

Needless to say, the easiest way to lift the upgrade block is to update to the latest version of the Wi-Fi drivers.

Other than that, the upgrade block might be a little worrying for those running Windows 10 version 1803 (April 2018 Update), as this particular release no longer receives updates and security patches for Home and Pro SKUs.

Additional steps to resolve the bug can be found on Microsoft’s support page here.