Windows 10 Tip: Get the Creators Update as Quickly as Possible

With the Creators Update poised for release, enthusiasts may be curious how they can get these major Windows 10 upgrade as quickly as possible. Here are a few methods to consider.

Note: Some people, of course, may wish to hold off on this potentially disruptive upgrade. If so, please refer to Windows 10 Tip: Get the Creators Update on Your Own Schedule for more information.

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As I write this, Microsoft has not yet announced that the Windows 10 Creators Update is complete, nor has it said when it will begin rolling out this major upgrade to the public. But I understand the Creators Update to be complete; that is, that the most recent Windows 10 Insiders Preview release, build 15063, is in fact the “RTM” version of this upgrade. And I’ve long pointed to early April as the public release date. But no matter how you view the schedule, it’s clear that the Creators Update release is imminent.

So. How can you get the Windows 10 Creators Update as quickly as possible? Consider the following methods, which are listed in order of speed, with the quickest and most direct method listed first.

Today: Download the ISO. The Windows 10 Creators Update is now available for download in ISO format from the Microsoft website. For now, you’ll need to be a member of the Windows Insider program and sign-in with your Microsoft account. Then, under “Select edition,” choose “Windows 10 Insider Preview – Build 15063,” then your language, and then the 32-bit or 64-bit download.

Starting April 5: Use the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant. Those on Windows 10 version 1607—the currently shipping version of Windows 10—can download and run the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant (direct link) starting on April 5 and will receive the Creators Update.

Starting April 11: Windows Update. You can simply wait for your PC(s) to be cleared and offered this upgrade, starting April 11. As with previous major upgrades, that process could take months, depending on the reliability data Microsoft receives as it starts deploying it, and on your PC configuration. Also, once you are offered the update, you can delay its install as needed.

A few notes.

If you’re in the Windows Insider program, all you need to do is switch to the Fast ring and receive build 15063. You’re in.

If you do go with that first option, you can simply run the Setup application on the ISO by double-clicking the file and navigating into the now-mounted virtual disk. Or, you can use the instructions in Windows 10 Tip: Create Windows 10 Setup Media the Right Way to create Setup media that can be used on multiple PCs, for both upgrades and clean installs.

If build 15063 suffers from final catastrophic bug and/or isn’t the final Creators Update build, you’ll be fine. I don’t expect this, but you will be able to update to the Creators Update normally if so. And I do expect Microsoft to release various cumulative updates to 15063 (version 1703) before or soon after the public release regardless. We’re in a Windows as a Service world, folks.

Finally, I will update this post, if needed, if anything changes and/or new methods become available.

Enjoy!

 

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Conversation 64 comments

  • anchovylover

    28 March, 2017 - 6:17 am

    <p>Downloading now on my laptop. Must say though it's a slow download. My desktop will wait for the official release.</p>

  • araedy

    28 March, 2017 - 7:17 am

    <p>Using the Update Assistant – looks like the loophole has been closed for now – I get a message "Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10"</p><p><br></p><p>Please note however, I am using Enterprise so that might be why!</p>

    • RonH

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 9:20 am

      <blockquote><a href="#93544"><em>In reply to araedy:</em></a></blockquote><p>I am not using enterprise and received the same message.</p>

      • albatronas

        28 March, 2017 - 11:32 am

        <blockquote><a href="#93608"><em>In reply to RonH:</em></a>Yes I get the same :(</blockquote><p><br></p>

    • wolters

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 3:55 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#93544">In reply to araedy:</a></em></blockquote><p>Did you try this link that was posted earlier? <span style="background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245);">https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RW1t9R</span></p><p><br></p&gt;

      • actionthomas

        Premium Member
        28 March, 2017 - 4:15 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#93733"><em>In reply to wolters:</em></a></blockquote><p>It seems they pulled it</p><pre spellcheck="false">{"Code":"DocumentGone","Message":"StorageDocumentNotFoundException : Document with id 'RW1t9R', tenant 'am' is now gone (i.e. the document probably expired and thus no longer available).","Resource":null}
        </pre><p><br></p>

  • Cuphat

    28 March, 2017 - 7:43 am

    <p>I was on 1607 and the Windows Upgrade Assistant did not offer me an upgrade. I chose to download the .iso to update. Thanks for the heads-up.</p>

    • RonH

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 9:19 am

      <blockquote><a href="#93547"><em>In reply to Cuphat:</em></a></blockquote><p>I was not offered the update either..</p>

    • Nicolas De Roo

      28 March, 2017 - 9:22 am
  • andrewtechhelp

    Premium Member
    28 March, 2017 - 7:48 am

    <p>You can also join the Slow Ring of the Windows Insider Program to get build 15063. Hopefully they'll release it to the Release Preview Ring this week, then I'll install it :D</p>

  • Lewk

    Premium Member
    28 March, 2017 - 7:51 am

    <p>Do you think the new Windows Defender is "baked" into the OS like Edge and can only be updated per Windows 10 "Upgrades" and not interim updates? As there's one giant issue with the new&nbsp;Windows Defender. It doesn't account for region formatting and displays text and dates in U.S. formatting only. As someone who lives in Australia and views dates with day/month/year, this is infuriating as seeing the definition and scan dates as month/day/year is very problematic.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 8:11 am

      <blockquote><a href="#93550"><em>In reply to Lewk:</em></a></blockquote><p>I'm not sure that Microsoft has ever (or would ever) reveal what the dividing line is there. If ther was a serious enough issue in Defender, I'd like to think they'd update it as needed.</p>

  • Tony Barrett

    28 March, 2017 - 8:00 am

    <p>I'm sure this also means there will be a giant day 1 patch for anyone installing the CU. Considering MS were working on RS2 before RS1 even shipped, so MS have had the best part of a year working on it, the CU looks and sounds like it will be a major disappointment if anyone is expecting something radically different or better.</p>

  • scotttech1

    28 March, 2017 - 9:47 am

    <p>I did the upgrade assistant from the link in your article and from the windows 10 website, no dice 🙁 I am running 1607</p>

    • Dan1986ist

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 10:07 am

      <blockquote><a href="#93624"><em>In reply to scotttech1:</em></a></blockquote><p>Same thing when trying the Upgrade Assistant on my Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056 running 1607. </p>

      • scotttech1

        28 March, 2017 - 11:35 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#93628">In reply to Dan1986ist:</a></em></blockquote><p>I was able to download the 64bit ISO linked in the article and upgrade that way in about 20 minutes</p>

  • irfaanwahid

    28 March, 2017 - 10:02 am

    <p>Paul, I tried your option of Windows Update Assistance, and this is what it tells me.</p><p><br></p><p>"Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10". That's it. No option to download.</p><p><img src=""><img src=""><img src=""></p>

  • Jim-Wilson

    Premium Member
    28 March, 2017 - 10:15 am

    <p>FWIW, I just attempted to update to Creator's Update on my Surface Book which is/has been running flawlessly for some time and is up to date on all the updates/Cumulative Updates.&nbsp; In the course of the multiple restarts in the course of the install at around 54% progress the black screen twice posted a message to the effect that it was "Attempting to Recover the Installation".&nbsp; Finally it said it was restoring the Original Windows Installation which is what I'm operating on now.</p><p><br></p><p>I had considered waiting and doing a clean install and now I am more prone to wait for the final bits and do a clean install in view of this botched update attempt.</p><p><br></p><p>Anyhow, just FWIW</p>

  • Delmont

    28 March, 2017 - 10:16 am

    <p>I used the <strong>Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant. Worked fine. 15 min total.</strong></p>

    • scotttech1

      28 March, 2017 - 11:38 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#93633">In reply to Delmont:</a></em></blockquote><p>I wonder what is different in your situation than ours, lots of us not getting the option from the upgrade tool</p><p><br></p><p>I have a new Dell XPS 13 running Windows 10 Pro 1607 in Canada (prior to just installing the ISO for 1703 a few minutes ago)</p>

      • Delmont

        28 March, 2017 - 1:55 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#93671"><em>In reply to scotttech1:</em></a></blockquote><p>Make sure you're running the current upgrade tool and not the one from the Anniversary Update. Hope this helps.</p>

  • Thomas Parkison

    28 March, 2017 - 1:07 pm

    <p>I changed one of my machines to the Fast Ring today and didn't get offered the upgrade. What's going on?</p>

    • DaddyBrownJr

      28 March, 2017 - 1:48 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#93689">In reply to Thomas Parkison:</a></em></blockquote><p>It can take up to 24 hours for the change to register with MS.</p>

  • remco8264

    28 March, 2017 - 2:05 pm

    <p>Paul, the direct ISO links are temporary, which means they expire 24 hours after creation (like all links from the MS software download site).</p><p><br></p><p>As the official download page has not been updated yet, you'll need to use a third party site to generate new download links: https://tb.rg-adguard.net/</p&gt;

    • JacobTheDev

      Premium Member
      29 March, 2017 - 9:21 am

      <blockquote><a href="#93705"><em>In reply to remco8264:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I just tried that site you linked, it's giving the same 403 error. And I'm not getting this build after registering for Insider Preview builds either -_-</p>

  • MixedFarmer75

    Premium Member
    28 March, 2017 - 2:19 pm

    <p>Just gonna let this update happen naturally, and see how it goes. Since Windows 8, I have been excited to get next version. The only thing I was looking forward to was the People bar. That looked interesting. I won't be actively delaying it, but a little disappointed there were not many new features. I am sure the spit and polish will be nice a nice addition, though.</p>

    • waverunning.geek

      31 March, 2017 - 4:10 pm

      <p>Good strategy.&nbsp; I work in IT so the last thing I want to do is have to tech support my own gear when I get home.&nbsp; Let someone else be the guinea pig and find the bugs that will lead to the inevitable x.1 update.</p><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote><a href="#93707"><em>In reply to MixedFarmer75:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • nightmare99

    28 March, 2017 - 3:15 pm

    <p>I just used the upgrade assistant on a 1607 Windows 10 Home en-GB machine and it offered and installed version 10563 no problem only a couple of hours ago.&nbsp; I'm not going to use those ISOs as it will convert the systems to en-US with Gb lang pack rather than keep them pure en-GB.</p>

  • jelv

    28 March, 2017 - 3:38 pm

    <p>I've downloaded the Upgrade Assistant from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=799445 and it doesn't work. When run it immediately gives "Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10"</p>

  • wolters

    Premium Member
    28 March, 2017 - 3:54 pm

    <p>Worked for me…but now waiting for the Remote Administrative Tools for build 1703…if anyone spots it, let me know…</p>

    • wolters

      Premium Member
      28 March, 2017 - 5:46 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#93732">In reply to wolters:</a></em></blockquote><p>Update…the Admin tools for the last update will still work with 1703</p>

  • Thomas Parkison

    28 March, 2017 - 6:35 pm

    <p>And it looks like Microsoft locked out the downloads because it's giving an HTTP Forbidden error.</p>

    • Aldey Wahyu Putra

      28 March, 2017 - 7:23 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#93767">In reply to Thomas Parkison:</a></em></blockquote><p>Links are down, just find someone on the internet that have downloaded the ISO or, torrent.</p>

      • Delmont

        29 March, 2017 - 9:09 am

        <blockquote><a href="#93790"><em>In reply to Aldey Wahyu Putra:</em></a></blockquote><p>Torrent? Gesh</p>

  • JC

    28 March, 2017 - 7:55 pm
  • Manuth Chek

    28 March, 2017 - 9:19 pm

    <p>I used the upgrade assistant and it took about 30mn to download on a 15Mbps connection, and almost another 1 hour to install. </p>

  • Darekmeridian

    28 March, 2017 - 9:34 pm

    <p>I got it to work as well and decided to have it build the ISO so I could install it on other machines and also have a DVD backup one weird thing was it required a dual layer DVD. I think that's the first time for that.</p><p><br></p>

  • edboyhan

    28 March, 2017 - 10:25 pm

    <p>15063 is also now in the slow ring. One other way to be first (or near first in line :grin) is to join the insiders program in the release preview ring. Based on my experience with 1607, you will get the 1703 release via Windows update about 1-2 weeks before general availability. Also, if some late appearing show stopper bug requires another build beyond 15063, the those in the release preview ring will be assured of early availability no matter what the final build turns out to be.</p>

  • Thayios

    29 March, 2017 - 6:48 am

    <p>I managed to get the ISO yesterday for 64 bit, but it seems they pulled the links (or the session expired that the link was attached to)</p>

  • mmcpher

    Premium Member
    29 March, 2017 - 10:27 am

    <p>I keep certain PCs outside of the Windows Insider program and upon PT's recommendation, I wanted to bring them over to the CU.&nbsp; I was able to download and install the ISO from Neowin on my SP3 yesterday and it is working fine.&nbsp; This morning I tried to do the same for another desktop, and no go Neowin!&nbsp; I went to the PCs Windows Update page and there was the new notice to follow a link&nbsp;if you wanted to get CU right away!&nbsp; I figured Microsoft would direct me to an official download page for the CU ISO but of course not, when they can instead send a mixed message.&nbsp; So the page contains a link to an invitation to join the Windows Insider Program.&nbsp; Wanting the completed RTM version of the CU is NOT the same thing as wanting to be a Windows Insider continually installing very definitely unfinished OS updates and Microsoft knows it.&nbsp; We all know Microsoft is the Master of Mixed Messaging.&nbsp; But why would they muddle the announcement of an important global update like CU, just to. . . . what?&nbsp; Who knows?&nbsp; Are they looking to troll-in more Insiders?&nbsp; </p>

  • Jim Lewis

    29 March, 2017 - 7:59 pm
  • Jim Lewis

    29 March, 2017 - 8:09 pm

    <p>I tried to update my previous Comment and (unless it's awaiting moderation), the Update Comment button appears to have erased my previous Comment. I am referring to my previous Comment (which appears BLANK to me) made 6 minutes ago. I saw a previous poster with a blank comment so maybe there is a problem with the site logic (or the browser used?). I'm using Microsoft Edge in the Creators Update (build 15063, vers. 1703).</p>

    • Jeremy Radwan

      30 March, 2017 - 5:46 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#94188">In reply to Jim Lewis:</a></em></blockquote><p>Same thing happened to me.</p>

  • Jim Lewis

    29 March, 2017 - 8:22 pm

    <p> The first Comment that I submitted that went blank when I tried to update it said ~the following. </p><p><br></p><p>It's easy to get the Creators Update build 15063, vers. 1703, by TEMPORARILY joining the Windows Insider Program in the Update &amp; Security section of Settings. After joining, it took about a 40 min wait until Windows Update speedily downloaded 15063. After installing the Creators Update, if you go back to the Windows Insider Program section, you will be given the option to opt out of the Insider Program. The last option on the list of ways to opt out reads: "Keep giving me builds until the next Windows release. Once the next release is public, you'll be opted out of any future updates." If you choose this option, a fast reboot is required. Then if you go back to the Windows Insider Program section you'll see that contrary to the language of the option you chose, you are no longer a member of the Insider Program. If you want to continue on, you'd have to opt in again.</p><p><br></p><p>I've done this on 2 PC's and 2 Windows Phones (950 XL, 1520) with the same results. The phones were already snappy with Win10 Mobile vers. 1607 but my 2 PC's definitely seem a lot snappier with build 15063 than with 14393.693.</p><p><br></p><p>As other posters have noted, neither the ISO download links nor the Windows Upgrade Assistant currently work. But if you're hungry to get build 15063, give temporarily joining the Windows Insider Program a try. It has worked pretty well for me. A complete PC backup is always a good idea and if nothing else, there is always the Backup &amp; Restore (Windows 7) applet in the old Control Panel (accessible by typing "Control" in the Cortana Search box, even in build 15063!). I used Acronis True Image 2016 beforehand and verified the backup.</p>

  • bbold

    30 March, 2017 - 1:43 am
  • bbold

    30 March, 2017 - 10:07 am
  • Jeremy Radwan

    30 March, 2017 - 5:46 pm

    <p>I tried three times to use the Upgrade Assistant to install the Creators Update on my Surface Pro 4.</p><p><br></p><p>Each time, it correctly identified there was an update (15063) and then took the time to download and install it. Then I went through the multiple reboot sequences and the "Hi, we've installed an update" color screens. But each time I was still on 14393. In fact, it DOWNGRADED me to 14393.0 so now I'm re-installing the cumulative updates to get back to 14393.953. </p>

  • Dan1986ist

    Premium Member
    30 March, 2017 - 9:48 pm

    <p>Looks like Release Preview Ring Insiders can now get 15063 to test the upgrade path from Version 1607. Also, anyone else with a Dell Venue 10 Pro 5056 tablet running Version 1607 get an Unexpected Store Exception bugcheck after switching from Current Branch to Windows Insider Release Preview? </p>

  • Jim Lewis

    31 March, 2017 - 12:47 am

    <p>Just upgraded a third computer to 15063 by temporarily joining Windows Insider Program as described by my post a day ago. This time around with a Surface Pro 2, neither joining the Fast or the Slow Ring would get 15063 but joining the Release Preview Ring did the trick. The install was a little bumpy compared to my previous 2 computers. Took several attempts at RESTART before the install reboot would actually start. Then when I finally booted to my desktop, I got a black screen with only a mouse cursor visible. I waited a few minutes and since Sarkar had said in some similar situation that a Power Off and Reboot would rescue the computer, I tried that &amp; it worked. Went back to Settings, Update &amp; Security, picked the option to exit Insider Program when next version is released, and rebooted and as noted in my previous post, am back to standard production ring, apparently, except for any 15063.x cumulative updates before official release day.</p>

  • Joel Montalvo

    Premium Member
    31 March, 2017 - 1:41 pm

    <p>Been running Insider Release Preview on Surface Pro 2 for since the Ring was available since it's my more used PC and just got the bits last night. So far so good! Running Slow Ring on an older Acer TimelineX and it didn't have the capability to beam stream but seems the Pro2 does so I'll be experimenting with that!</p>

  • Jim Lewis

    31 March, 2017 - 7:24 pm

    <p>After temporarily joining either the Fast Insider or the Release Preview Ring to get build 15063 upgraded onto several PC's (see posts below), I picked the option to leave the Insider Program with the official release of 15063. But today I did get Cumulative Update KB4016250, which fixes a BT/Hibernate issue and McAfee Enterprise AV problems, so the part of the deal I made on leaving the Insider Program that I will continue to get (cumulative) Insider Builds until I totally leave the Insider Program with the official release of 15063 is working well.</p><p><br></p><p>What's not working so well in the Thurrott.com website, though, is posting comments with Microsoft Edge (15063 vers). Besides getting posts that I already made obliterated if I try to use the UPDATE COMMENT editing button, when I tried to select text in this post early on to cut it with a right mouse click, the web page froze and I got warnings several times from Edge about needing to recover the web page. Hope the web folks behind Thurrott.com will make it work well with MS Edge. Otherwise you have the oxymoron of a site for Windows enthusiasts but please don't use MS Edge! (I know that's Paul's view: it's not usable, etc., but I happen to rather like it as a Windows enthusiast). Maybe Thurrott.com could drum up some business if this were the site to visit to find out how to customize Edge and make it jump through hoops?!</p>

  • Jim Lewis

    02 April, 2017 - 7:10 pm

    <p>Sorry to be the lone person blabbing here. I'm up to computer #5 on the upgrade to build 15063 by temporarily switching to the Windows Insider Program. The last two 15063 builds have come as version 15063.11 with the cumulative update already built in.</p><p>Although Paul and others have remarked that the Creators Update seems like a small update, there's definitely a lot of things improved under the hood, making it an extremely worthwhile upgrade you may want ASAP. My Asus VivoTab Note 8 pen digitizer was flaky under previous Win10 versions, needing frequent driver reinstalls. Under ALL previous Win versions from Win7, 8, 8.1 through Win10, my 2009 Dell XPS-1340 (a lovely computer Dell didn't bother updating after Win7) would have disk thrashing unless I replaced the nVidia nForce SATA controller with the 2008 Vista-era version from Dell. And my Surface Pro 2 would always run a little too hot for my liking. All these things seem to be fixed with the Creators Update. Asus digitizer is now reliable, no disk thrashing with latest nVidia driver for XPS, and Surface Pro 2 seems to be running cooler than ever. As someone remarked, the Creators Update may be best version of Windows ever and that's no small accomplishment – the range of computers I've updated has been from 2009 thru 2014 vintage with most&nbsp;built before 2011. They are all running great with the Creators Update!</p>

  • mruszczyk

    03 April, 2017 - 11:41 am

    <p>Do we know when the release ISO will be out in the media creation tool?</p>

    • CompUser

      06 April, 2017 - 5:35 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#95112"><em>In reply to mruszczyk:</em></a>: It's out. I just&nbsp;downloaded the ISO, created an installation thumb drive, and then used it to complete a clean install on my laptop.&nbsp;The laptop is now at Version 1703 (Build 15063), and it automatically registered. (A weird thing that happened is that everything from the old installation is gone, as expected, except&nbsp;the desktop wallpaper was retained.)</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • Omega Ra

    Premium Member
    05 April, 2017 - 9:43 am

    <p>Looks like the Upgrade Assistant is not live on Creators yet, I just tried it on my work comp (1607) and it says I am up to date.</p>

  • JimP

    05 April, 2017 - 10:45 am

    <p>As of this typing (April 5th), "Starting April 5: Use the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant" doesn't work.</p>

    • JimP

      06 April, 2017 - 11:30 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#95695">In reply to JimP:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>OK, it seems to be working now.</p>

  • dhearne123

    05 April, 2017 - 12:06 pm

    <p>As per JimP's post, the Upgrade Assistant is not yet offering the CU. 4/05/17&nbsp; 11:00 am Central time US.&nbsp;</p>

  • mruszczyk

    05 April, 2017 - 4:44 pm

    <p>As of now the Upgrade tool is offering me the update.</p>

  • jlmerrill

    12 April, 2017 - 11:39 am

    <p>I upgraded my HP Spectre 360 with Win10 Home through get it now/upgrade assistant and it took 2 hours. Works fine so far.</p>

  • Bossy573

    17 April, 2017 - 9:21 pm

    <p>Update borked my Dell Inspiron 7559 laptop. Constant crashes to the Windows 10 version of the BSOD. </p>

  • feinburg

    21 April, 2017 - 10:41 pm

    <p class="ql-indent-4"><br></p>

  • JimP

    26 April, 2017 - 4:46 am

    <p>What about Windows Phone? The Creators Update was supposed to have been released yesterday. But Windows Update says that there aren't any new versions. I have a 950XL, I'm in the US on ATT.</p>

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