Windows 10 May 2019 Update

Microsoft is issuing an automatic update to Windows 10 May 2019 Update for anyone still using version 1803 of the operating system.

The Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 April 2018 Update have now reached end of service, and Microsoft is keen for users to upgrade to a more recent version so they can continue to receive security updates.

Microsoft rolls out two feature updates a year for Windows 10, although this year the second of the updates -- the November 2019 Update -- is actually more of a service pack.

The trouble with this twice-yearly update schedule is most people don’t upgrade to the new version right away. In fact, due to compatibility issues, most people don’t even get offered it for months after its initial rollout. As a result, the majority end up running an older version of Windows 10.

Microsoft has released a series of problematic updates in recent months. The company seems to be playing catch-up, pushing out patches for bugs caused by the last update, in turn introducing new problems.

With the newly released KB4522355 update, Microsoft says that it has fixed a number of issues -- including problems with the Start menu, the Cortana Search bar, Tray icons and Microsoft Edge -- that were caused by other recent updates.

The recent news about Windows 10 has been focused primarily on a series of faulty updates that caused a range of problems for users. But now something new has come to light that will take attention away from Microsoft's shoddy quality control -- the fact that it is starting to practically force users into using an online Microsoft account rather than a local, offline one.

The change was noted in the Home edition of Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update). During the installation of the operating system, users are presented with the option to "Sign in with Microsoft", with no mention of alternatives. So, what's going on?

Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update) has been designated "ready for broad deployment". This means that all Windows 10 users can now download the update from Windows Update.

Despite the change in status, there are still a handful of issues with the release, some of which are still being investigated, and others which have only been mitigated against rather than fixed.

There's no denying that recent updates for Windows 10 have caused more problems than usual. In the last few weeks, updates have led variously to issues with the Start menu, screenshots, high CPU usage and more.

Gamers found that the KB4515384 update for Windows 10 version 1903 was causing problems with in-game audio. The company was fairly swift to suggest some workarounds, but it is only now that a proper fix has been released to address the issue.

AdDuplex monitors the state of adoption for the various Windows 10 versions. Its figures for June showed the October 2018 Update (1809) was only on 30 percent of systems (down from 31.3 percent in May), while the May 2019 Update (1903) was to be found on 6.3 percent of devices in the same time frame.

The monitoring firm has just released its figures for July and they show that the May 2019 Update has made its way on to more systems, but at a very cautious pace.

Having just removed some of the blocks that were preventing people from installing Windows 10 May 2019 Update (Windows 10 version 1903), the company has now introduced a couple more obstacles -- including for its own devices.

One of the new blocks prevents Surface Book 2 owners from installing the update, while another affects systems with Intel 4 series chipset integrated GPUs.

Installation rates for Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) remain low, and this is at least in part because Microsoft has blocked updates for many people because of a series of problems with hardware and software compatibility.

Now installation numbers may start to increase as Microsoft has removed some of these blocks -- although the company warns that it could take a little while for the update to  appear to those who were previously unable to install it.

Some Mac users -- who, thanks to Boot Camp, are running Windows 10 on their Apple machine -- are encountering a problem upgrading to Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903).

A compatibility issue with the Mac HAL Driver (machaldriver.sys) is blocking the installation. The problem remains more than two months after the May 2019 Update was released, and Microsoft is still working away on a solution.

The latest Windows 10 feature release, the May 2019 Update, is slowly making its way to users, but after the mess that was the October 2018 Update, Microsoft is keeping a close eye on proceedings.

As a result, it means the rollout is happening at an incredibly glacial pace. In fact, it's occurring at roughly the same rate as its predecessor, which isn't good news.

Codenamed 19H1, the Windows 10 May 2019 Update is Microsoft’s first major update for the operating system this year. It is also the seventh version of the OS after its initial release. The tech company took the update as an opportunity to provide a fresh set of enhancements and features that will improve Windows 10’s security and performance.

Microsoft was supposed to release the update inApril. However, it delayed the rollout to ensure that the final version will be more stable and reliable. The tech giant began limited release on May 21, 2019. On June 6, 2019, Microsoft made the update available for the general public. Now, you may be dying to know what’s new in the Windows 10 May 2019 Update. Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to show you the important things that have changed and improved in the Windows 10 operating system.

Microsoft has released another big feature update for Windows 10. The May 2019 Update is rolling out to compatible systems now, although you can force the update if required.

Of course, a big update like this requires a big download, and the files that Microsoft places on your system don’t get removed immediately afterwards. In other words, the May 2019 Update -- Windows 10 1903 -- could be responsible for taking up tens of gigabytes on your hard drive. Fortunately it’s easy enough to reclaim this.

The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is currently rolling out to users. If you install it and encounter major problems, as some users doubtless will, you might want to go back to your previous version, and wait until the update is a bit less buggy.

The process is straightforward enough, although there are some downsides to be aware of.

Microsoft’s original grand plan for Windows 10 was an operating system that was always up-to-date. Updates were intended to be mandatory, and while you could delay them a bit, you couldn’t opt out of them entirely. And the software giant was committed to rolling out two major feature updates a year.

Fast forward to now, and things are very different. You can delay, or avoid, most updates, including feature updates -- assuming you’re even offered them in the first place.