14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has started the rollout of the latest feature update for Windows 10 to devices across the world.
Just like it happened in the case of the previous versions, including here the April 2018 Update and the October 2018 Update, Microsoft uses a release in waves for the May 2019 Update.
This means that not everyone gets the update at once, but gradually, as Microsoft wants to discover potential issues before they hit a substantial number of devices.
So while the rollout of the May 2019 Update has already started, the chances are that it’s not available for download on your device just yet. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t get it right now.
Note: Microsoft hasn’t started the automatic rollout of Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903).
This means that the update won’t just show up in Windows Update on your device, and only users who manually check for updates will be offered the download. However, Microsoft is embracing a gradual release in this case as well, so on some devices, checking for updates won’t serve you the update to version 1903.
At this point, there are three ways to install Windows 10 May 2019 Update on home devices.
Via Windows Update [AVAILABILITY: Select devices]
As I said earlier, Microsoft started the rollout of Windows 10 version 1903 on Windows Update, but the first wave of devices getting the update includes only a few seats.
“We will be taking a measured and throttled approach, allowing us to study device health data as we increase availability via Windows Update,” John Cable, Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, said earlier today.
To check if Windows 10 May 2019 Update is available on Windows Update, follow this path:
Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates
Using Media Creation Tool [AVAILABILITY: All devices]
If Windows 10 May 2019 Update isn’t yet available on Windows Update on your device, you can manually install it using the Media Creation Tool.
Supposed to let you create Windows 10 installation media, the Media Creation Tool also allows users to upgrade the local PC.
The whole process was developed as a wizard, so you just have to follow a few steps to complete the upgrade. Media Creation Tool downloads a Windows 10 system image, unpacks the necessary files, and then reboots the device to complete the update.
When it’s done, you can boot back to the desktop, just like you’d perform the update via Windows Update.
NOTE: Using this method lets you bypass certain upgrade blocks that would otherwise prevent the update through Windows Update. This means that forcing the update with the Media Creation Tool could lead to certain issues that might affect the performance of Windows 10 or your device.
Using Windows 10 ISO images [AVAILABILITY: All devices]
Microsoft has also released the official ISO images of Windows 10 May 2019 Update, technically letting you create your own installation media without the need for the aforementioned Media Creation Tool.
Windows 10 ISOs can be used to clean-install the operating system, so you can start from scratch and deploy the May 2019 Update on your device even if it’s not available on Windows Update.
The process, however, isn’t as straightforward as the others, so you need to manually create the installation media and then boot using it. I recommend you to use Rufus to build a bootable USB drive with Windows 10 May 2019 Update.
NOTE: Installing Windows 10 May 2019 Update using these ISO images also lets you bypass certain upgrade blocks, so you could end up with bugs that might otherwise be avoided if you wait for the update to become available in Windows Update.