Some Windows 10 users are about to be upgraded – even if they don't want to

Windows 10
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Windows 10 users who are still on the May 2019 Update should be aware that they are about to be forced to upgrade by Microsoft whether they like it or not, because support is soon set to run out for that version of the desktop OS.

The first update of 2019 arrived on May 22, and earlier in 2020, Microsoft let us know that the final cumulative update for the May 2019 Update would arrive on December 8 – and that afterwards, this version would no longer be supported.

That being the case, those who are still using this version are being automatically upgraded to a more recent supported feature update with no choice in the matter, as mentioned.

As Windows Latest reports, Microsoft is now informing users of the necessary imminent upgrade, and over the course of the next month before support expires, May 2019 Update users will be upgraded in waves.

These users will be moved onto the new October 2020 Update or the May 2020 Update, assuming there are no compatibility blocks in place with their particular hardware or software configuration. If there are such blocks, then they will be upgraded to the November 2019 Update instead (which is still supported until May 2021).

Pro tip

As we’ve said, it’s not possible for Windows 10 users to dodge this mandatory upgrade, unless you’re using Windows 10 Pro, in which case you can get around this forced upgrade by tinkering with Group Policy settings. Those with Windows 10 Home don’t have this option.

Windows 10 May 2020 Update was the major upgrade of the last three Microsoft has pushed out, although it hasn’t been massively popular, with reports of quite a number of bugs with this version unlikely to have helped its cause.

According to the latest stats we’ve seen, just over 20% of Windows 10 users remain on the May 2019 Update, so that’s a fair few folks who are going to be upgraded.

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).