Installing the Update
THE FALL CREATORS UPDATE SHOULD MAKE YOUR WINDOWS 10 PC BETTER THAN EVER — HERE ARE THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE FOR A HAPPY AND HASSLE-FREE UPGRADE.
ONE OF THE most pleasing results of Microsoft’s determination to make Windows 10 the ultimate version of its operating system is that you get a constantly evolving OS that’s continually getting new features for free — rather than having to pay for a new iteration every five years. It also means you don’t need to worry about compatibility — if your PC or device is able to run Windows 10, you’ll be able to install and run the Fall Creators Update as well.
As with previous major updates to Windows 10, such as the Anniversary Update, Microsoft will be rolling out the Fall Creators Update as an automatic update in waves. This means that, for many people, you won’t need to do anything to get the Fall Creators Update — Windows 10 will quietly download it when you’re doing something else, then will inform you when the update is ready to be installed.
By releasing the update in waves, it does mean you may have to wait for the update to appear. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since it means Microsoft’s servers aren’t being hammered by millions of users wanting to get the update right away. It also enables Microsoft to monitor the success of the software, and catch any bugs or issues. If some arise, Microsoft can get to work fixing those while the update rolls out.
If you are eager to try out the Fall Creators Update and don’t want to wait for the rollout to reach your device, we don’t blame you, and thankfully, there is an easy way to download and install the update yourself. Check out our step-by-step guide on the following page that will take you through the process.
PREPARING FOR THE UPDATE
Whether you wait for the update to reach you via Microsoft’s rollout, or you manually
download and install the Fall Creators Update, you should make sure that your device, and the important files and documents you store on it, are backed up and ready for the update. After all, this is a major update to your device’s operating system, and while it’s unlikely that anything will go wrong, you don’t want to put your irreplaceable files at risk unnecessarily. So the first thing you should do is make sure you have copies of any documents or photos you do not want to lose. This can be done by either copying the files to an external hard drive or USB flash drive, or by making sure the files are also stored on a cloud service, such as OneDrive, which is built into Windows 10, or the likes of Dropbox or Google Drive.
You’ll also want to make sure that your hard drive has enough space to download and install the Fall Creators Update. Microsoft recommends at least 16GB of space for the 32-bit version, and 20GB for the 64-bit version. Before installing the Fall Creators Update, you’ll need to know which version you’ll need. This is determined by whether or not your device has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor. As a general rule, most modern devices will have a 64-bit processor, but you can double-check to be sure by typing “System” into the Search box on the Taskbar (next to the Start menu button).
In the window that appears, there should be a setting labelled System. From there, you’ll see ‘System type’ and it is here that Windows 10 will state whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. Once you know which version you’re using, you can follow the guide below for installing the Fall Creators Update.
AFTER INSTALLING THE UPDATE
Once you’ve downloaded and successfully installed the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you can quickly check to make sure you’re running the update correctly by opening the Start Menu and clicking on the Settings button (the icon which looks like a cog). Click System, then About at the bottom of the left-hand menu. Under where it says ‘Windows specifications’, there will be a number next to where it says Version. The Fall Creators Update is version 1709, so if that number, or one higher than that, is displayed, then the Fall Creators Update has been successfully installed on your PC or other Windows device. As with any major update to an operating system, there may be a few bugs or issues that need to be ironed out early in its life. In the Search box on the Taskbar, type in “Windows Update” and then select ‘Check for updates’. If there are any further updates available, install them, since they may contain fixes for any problems you’re experiencing or could encounter — another reason to back up your PC!