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Microsoft Previews Improved Windows Update Options
Microsoft has a lot to prove with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update. Many recent Windows updates haven't gone as smoothly as planned, whether it was the saga of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update debuting months behind schedule or cumulative updates causing performance issues, so it's important for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update to show that it's actually going to be okay to keep up with the most recent versions of the operating system.
The company seems to have realized that, and it announced in April that it planned to improve the rollout of its next major update. Part of that promised improvement was changing the way that Windows updates work in general by giving people more control over the process. This has been a sticking point for Windows 10 users since the operating system debuted; fixing it with the Windows 10 May 2019 Update could lead to some good will.
Now we've gotten a peek at how Microsoft has changed Windows Update in the next major release. (Seriously, how many different variations of "Windows" and "update" does the company have going on? We've counted three so far: the Windows 10 May 2019 Update itself, Windows updates in general, and Windows Update the program. Sheesh.) Some of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update's early testers have shared images of the changes.
Bearing in mind that this is a pre-release version of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update--which we're just as sick of typing out as you are of reading--the new "Download and install now" button almost seems like it's meant to be hidden from view. It's pretty darned hard to spot on a dark background, and unlike several of the other update options, it appears as a simple link rather than an easily distinguishable button. Maybe this is accidental; maybe not.
If it's not an accident, the option's covert nature could be a way to encourage people to wait before they install updates. That might help avoid recent problems by making sure people get updates on a somewhat timely basis without assuming the build is stable enough to push to everyone. That also meshes with what Microsoft said in April, which was that people could hold off on updates until their version of Windows neared the end of support status.
If it is an accident, well, hopefully, Microsoft improves Windows Update in time for Windows users to update to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update. (We had to.) The company said this release would improve the rollout process, and giving people more control over when their systems update is an important part of that process. It shouldn't be half-assed, and nor should it give the impression that even Microsoft thinks updating should be delayed.
