Although it seems most users are getting the big November update for Windows 10 that went out yesterday, some users are not. We have seen one of our Surfaces 'see' the update only to fail to get it and then never see the update again.
So what to do? The answer is super simple. Just use the Windows media creation tool.
Myth – But I don't want to wipe my drive and re-install my apps!
We hear the response a lot from users who would prefer just to use Windows Update. After all, why would you want to wipe your computer for an OS update?
However, this is just a misunderstanding. Although you could create an ISO from the media creation tool and you could wipe your PC and install Windows 10, that is not the default behavior. If you are running Windows 10 and you run the media installation tool, it assumes you want to upgrade your OS, which is exactly what we want.
1. Download
Grab the media creation tool from Microsoft: microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
2. Setup
Navigate to where you downloaded MediaCreationTool.exe and double-click it
3. Choose (or don't)
Once the installer has set up, you will be asked to either Upgrade this PC now or Create installation media for another PC. The default option is already upgrade so just hit Next. The app will download some files, process, check for updates and then check your PC. This process could take some time depending on your connection. Nothing has actually installed yet.
4. Accept
Choose Accept for the license terms. Or don't, it's your life.
5. More updates
The app really wants to make sure it is up to date so it will check again for the latest OS on Microsoft's servers. You can grab a coffee while it does its work.
6. Install
This screen is the one you all have been waiting for. As you can see, the installer is going to Keep personal files and apps and install Windows 10 Home (or Professional, it uses whatever is already installed).
To be clear, this is just updating your computer. Nothing is erased, and it looks exactly the same. Nothing is moved, your Start menu remains, etc. We use this tool all the time and can vouch for what it does.
From this point on, the app will just install the files, and you will have to reboot your PC. The computer will go through the setup (black screen) and the 'out of the box' experience with those nice fade in screens with various colors.
Afterward, you will boot back into your updated Windows 10, and that is it. You kept your PC as is and got the upgraded OS. Hopefully, you had no issues during this process, but overall, it is very similar to the Windows Update/OTA version.
Need more?
Check out our other articles for more info.
Windows 10 November Update - Features, changes, and improvements
How to prevent Windows 10 November update from getting stuck during installation