Windows 10 May 2020 Update rollout speeds up for those who want the upgrade

(Image credit: Future/Microsoft)

Windows 10 May 2020 Update will now be offered to more users who manually check for the upgrade, Microsoft has just announced.

In a status update, the software giant reminded us that the May 2020 Update is already available to some users, but only those running the May 2019 Update or November 2019 Update, and just those folks who manually check for it (who are known as ‘seekers’).

The difference now is that the number of devices which can be offered the May 2020 Update has been increased by Microsoft, so in other words, the upgrade gates are being opened more widely (but still only to those running the aforementioned May or November updates from last year).

Seekers who check for the May 2020 Update may still not be able to download and install it if their hardware suffers from a potential compatibility issue, and has thus been blocked for safety’s sake until that problem is resolved. But the point is a wider number of folks will now be allowed to upgrade, so if you’re keen and have been denied in recent times, now’s your chance to try again with a manual check.

To perform this, simply head to Windows Updates (under Settings – click the cog on the Start menu, then click ‘Update & Security’), and you’ll see the button to ‘Check for updates’.

Measured approach

Microsoft notes: “We are continuing our measured approach on initial availability, as we listen, learn, and adjust. Today [June 9] we are increasing the number of devices that will be offered the May Update.”

If you still can’t see the update, you’ll just have to sit tight and wait. While it is possible to force an install of the May 2020 Update via workarounds, we wouldn’t recommend it – there’s likely a good reason why the upgrade isn’t being offered to your Windows 10 PC, and you may run into serious trouble if you decide to ignore Microsoft’s block.

The latest May 2020 Update has a number of known issues, which Microsoft lists on the above linked status page, but fortunately we’ve got a troubleshooting guide covering how to fix the most common problems, for those who do run into gremlins in the works.

Via Windows Latest

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).