14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft isn’t only getting ready to introduce a new Windows 10 feature update but also to retire an old one, with both moments likely projected to take place on November 12.
First of all, Microsoft will debut Windows 10 November 2019 Update, also known as version 1909 or 19H2, in the coming weeks. Microsoft has already confirmed that the final build is ready, and right now, the company’s only further polishing it with cumulative updates occasionally released to Windows insiders in the Release Preview ring.
But at the same time, Microsoft is also paving the way for the demise of Windows 10 April 2018 Update, or version 1803, which will be retired on November 12.
The next Patch Tuesday will be the last for version 1803, according to Microsoft’s release schedule. And because so many devices still run this version at this point, here are the three most important things that you need to know about the November 12 milestone.
Only Home and Pro SKUs will be retired
Microsoft will only discontinue the Home and Pro SKUs of Windows 10 version 1803, with the Enterprise and Education editions to be serviced for one more year.
So while Windows 10 version 1803 Home and Pro (and Pro for Workstations) will go dark on November 12 this year, devices running Enterprise and Education versions will receive updates until November 10, 2020.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should move to one of these two editions to continue getting updates, as you are recommended to upgrade the device to the latest Windows 10 feature update.
Right now, this latest update is Windows 10 version 1903, but as I said earlier, Microsoft will also debut version 1909 in just a few weeks.
Update notifications are real
While some users complain of forced upgrades from Windows 10 version 1803 to Windows 10 version 1903, there’s a chance this happens only on very rare occasions.
However, Microsoft does display upgrade notifications on devices running Windows 10 version 1803. These notifications are powered by the Update Assistant and emphasize that you are not running the latest version of Windows 10.
Microsoft acknowledged this behavior in a tech support document and explains the following:
“If you're currently running Windows 10 version 1507, version 1511, version 1607, version 1703, version 1709, or version 1803, you can expect to receive a notification that states that your device must have the latest security updates installed and then offers to update your device.”
There’s no reason not to upgrade
There’s really no good reason not to upgrade to a newer Windows 10 version, as compatibility issues shouldn’t be a concern.
Previously, the majority of users decided to stick with Windows 10 version 1803 mostly because its successor, Windows 10 October 2019 Update, proved to be rather buggy, with several critical issues discovered by those who installed it. The most important bug even triggered the removal of the update for more than a month after Microsoft discovered that the upgrade could lead to the removal of user files stored in libraries on some devices.
Windows 10 version 1903, on the other hand, proves to be a lot more reliable, and the number of bugs in this released has been reduced substantially.
Moreover, given that the upcoming November 2019 Update is more of a service pack and not a feature update per se, it comes with even more refinements under the hood, thus further enhance performance and reliability.
Of course, the upgrade to a newer Windows 10 version is completely free of charge as long as you’re already running Windows 10 on your device.