Microsoft's Windows 10 November 2019 Update Hits Release Preview Ring, Download Now
Microsoft is conducting some last minute tests for its Windows 10 19H2 update, now officially known as the November 2019 Update. It is available to download through its Windows Insider program, and barring a few tweaks between now and when it gets pushed out to the public at large next month, this is the final release.
"We are now getting the Windows 10 November 2019 Update (19H2) ready for release. We believe that Build 18363.418 is the final build and we will continue to improve the overall experience of 19H2 on customers’ PCs as part of our normal servicing cadence," Microsoft stated in a blog post.
As such, Windows Insiders who subscribe to the Slow ring are being migrated over to Windows 10 20H1 testing, which will be the first of two planned major upgrades to Windows 10 to arrive next year.
In the meantime, the November 2019 Update is the second (and last) major upgrade of this year, following the previous May 2019 Update. Compared to other updates, this one is widely viewed as being akin to a Service Pack in the days of old.
"The next feature update for Windows 10 (known in the Windows Insider Program as 19H2) will be a scoped set of features for select performance improvements, enterprise features, and quality enhancements. To deliver these updates in a less disruptive fashion, we will deliver this feature update in a new way, using servicing technology (like the monthly update process) for customers running the May 2019 Update who choose to update to the new release," Microsoft explains in a separate document.
In addition to what promises to be a smoother update experience, the November 2019 Update will introduce some new features. For example, users will be able to create events straight from the Calendar flyout on the Taskbar, and the navigation pane on the Start menu will expand when hovering over it with the mouse.
Hopefully the November 2019 Update will arrive without much trouble. Microsoft has caught some flak for its updates causing issues on PCs, both the major feature upgrades and the monthly cumulative roll outs. The October 2018 Update was particularly troublesome, prompting Microsoft to yank it offline for a period of time to sort through some launch bugs.
As always, it's a good idea to back up your data before applying a major Windows update. And really, it's good practice to get in the habit of frequently backing up your data, whether an upgrade looms or not.
