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

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

Today’s the day: The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is now available. Here’s how you can get it immediately.

Note: Some people may actually want to hold off on this potentially disruptive upgrade. I’ll be writing up a tip for you soon as well.

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Here’s how you can get the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update—or, more accurately, Windows 10 version 1709—as soon as possible. I recommend trying these in order.

Windows Update. Starting today, Microsoft is making the Fall Creators Update available via Windows Update. Navigate to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update to see if it’s available. Chances are, it isn’t, as Microsoft is, of course, rolling out the update in a phased manner over time.

Upgrade Assistant. You can manually upgrade in-place by visiting the Microsoft Software Download website. If you see a headline titled “Windows 10 Fall Creators Update now available,” you can click the “Update now” button to download and launch the Upgrade Assistant and upgrade that way.

Media Creation Tool. On that same website, Microsoft offers a Media Creation Tool download (under “Create Windows 10 installation media”) that will let you create ISO or USB-based install media. Please refer to Windows 10 Tip: Create Windows 10 Setup Media the Right Way for more information about using the ISO.

Happy Fall Creators Update Day!

Note: As I write this, the ISO is still the previous Windows 10 version. Microsoft should update that sometime today. —Paul

 

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  • Engineerasaurus

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2017 - 9:36 am

  • Skolvikings

    17 October, 2017 - 9:36 am

    <p>Creators Update is also already available for download on the VLSC.</p>

  • Ames

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2017 - 9:39 am

    <p>Don't see it on MSDN downloads yet. Back in the day it always seemed to hit there first.</p>

  • Jacob Klein

    17 October, 2017 - 9:42 am

    <p>The Media Creaton Tool has a version number. If it says 15063, then it's the old Creators Update, and can skip trying to download an ISO, until the tool itself is updated.</p>

    • neumarke

      17 October, 2017 - 12:59 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#207920"><em>In reply to Jacob Klein:</em></a></blockquote><p>The download tool has been updated. It reports version 10.0.16299.15 now.</p><p><br></p>

  • rlcronin

    17 October, 2017 - 9:44 am

    <p>fwiw the ISO that I just downloaded is 10.0.15063, the Spring Creator's Update.</p>

    • kshsystems

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2017 - 10:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#207921"><em>In reply to rlcronin:</em></a></blockquote><p>How do you tell which ISO was downloaded? </p>

      • Siv

        17 October, 2017 - 12:35 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#207947"><em>In reply to kshsystems:</em></a></blockquote><p>I looked at the files inside the iso (annoyingly after I had burnt to a DVD) and they are all dated 18/03/2017 which matches what I already have on DVD when I downloaded the 1703 version.</p><p>If you right-click an ISO file in Windows Explorer and select "Open with &gt; Windows Explorer" it will mount the ISO as if it's a DVD drive and then you can view its contents. I looked in the "Sources" folder and that's where I could see from the dates they were not updated in October. You can also right click the Setup.exe and select "Properties" and then go to the "Details" tab and you will see there that the product version is 10.0.15063.0 which is the 1703 version.</p>

      • rlcronin

        17 October, 2017 - 12:59 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#207947"><em>In reply to kshsystems:</em></a></blockquote><p>Google "windows 10 iso version check". Basically you mount the ISO (open it with Windows Explorer) and run a dism command that looks inside the sources file and displays the version information.</p>

    • Siv

      17 October, 2017 - 11:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#207921"><em>In reply to rlcronin:</em></a></blockquote><p>I did as well and came to the same conclusion this is still 1703 ISO files.</p><p>Also I checked MSDN subscriber downloads and they are still only showing up to 1703.</p><p><br></p><p>So just wasted 2 blank DVDs!!</p><p><br></p><p>Paul, any update on when the ISOs are really available??</p><p><br></p><p>Siv</p>

  • goodbar

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2017 - 9:50 am

    <p>The "Upgrade Assistant" just says "Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10". Looks like it is not upgrading yet.</p>

    • rth314

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2017 - 12:29 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#207926"><em>In reply to goodbar:</em></a></blockquote><p>That's exactly what's happening to me. Just a "thanks" and an Exit button. I guess the catch here is that it still says "Creators Update" on the download page. I didn't catch that at first since "Fall Creators Update" sounds a lot like "Creators Update". Paul did say "Changes are it isn't (available)".</p>

      • rth314

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2017 - 1:39 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#208004"><em>In reply to rth314:</em></a></blockquote><p>It's there now.</p>

  • Stooks

    17 October, 2017 - 11:17 am

    <p>So NO files on demand for me on OneDrive. After the update Edge was up with a "What is new with the Fall Creators Update" with a link to files on demand.</p><p><br></p><p>Go to my one drive settings and the option to click is NOT there. Great job Microsoft!!!!!</p>

    • Christian Dams

      17 October, 2017 - 3:31 pm

      <p><a href="#207972"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a> Yep, same here. No Option to activate files on demand in Ondrives Settings. And of course not the slightest hint or communication from Microsoft as to why not.</p><p><br></p><p>Oh Microsoft, you really make it hard to like you… :(</p>

      • Stooks

        17 October, 2017 - 5:14 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#208111"><em>In reply to cgdams:</em></a></blockquote><p>"Oh Microsoft, you really make it hard to like you… :("</p><p><br></p><p>Lately I would agree. My Office 365 sub runs out in late November. </p><p><br></p><p>I am seriously considering moving to Google Drive with their new backup client. Just leave my files in their default folders and let Google Drive back it up. With the photos and video's not counting towards my drive usage I could easily live with their 100gig plan for $24 a year for just my documents and email.</p>

    • ChrisKe

      17 October, 2017 - 3:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#207972"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a></blockquote><p>Looks like you need OneDrive sync client version 17.3.7046.1005 to get On-Demand which appears only available to Insiders</p><p><br></p><p>Checking the version I have installed on my Win10 1709 system I'm seeing 17.3.6998.0830 which is the current "Production" version.</p><p><br></p><p>Hmm, not happy!</p>

      • Stooks

        17 October, 2017 - 5:09 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#208119"><em>In reply to ChrisKe:</em></a></blockquote><p>Thanks for the feed back. Apparently this was a problem in the beta builds and there was a registry hack but info around the added registry key said to remove before RTM.</p>

        • ChrisKe

          17 October, 2017 - 6:40 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#208168"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a></blockquote><p>For some reason, Files On-Demand has suddenly started working without a change to the OneDrive client… Go figure!</p>

          • Stooks

            17 October, 2017 - 8:52 pm

            <blockquote><a href="#208189"><em>In reply to ChrisKe:</em></a></blockquote><p>Neowin has a blog post on this. Complete with a Link to the latest version of the One Drive client, which fixes the issue after the install. Some people are getting it and some are not, so a manual download is required.</p><p><br></p><p>Neowin is my new Go-To site for Windows news. I would link that post here and the link to the updated client but Paul does not allow links.</p>

            • ChrisKe

              17 October, 2017 - 11:57 pm

              <blockquote><a href="#208227"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a></blockquote><p>Thanks for that!</p>

  • Oasis

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2017 - 11:45 am

    <p>10AM Pacific Time </p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2017 - 12:04 pm

    <p>Any idea if the Recovery Images for the SP4 have been updated yet?</p>

  • rlcronin

    17 October, 2017 - 1:01 pm

    <p>FWIW the new media creation tool seems to be there now (version 10.0.16299.15).</p>

  • rlcronin

    17 October, 2017 - 1:06 pm

    <p>The new media creation tool is there now.</p>

    • CompUser

      18 October, 2017 - 5:45 pm

      <p><a href="#208027"><em>In reply to rlcronin:</em></a><em> Just a quick comment about the Media Creation Tool (at least from my experience just now). When I tried to create Windows 10 1709 installation media on my 4 GB USB thumb drive, the creation tool said it requires a minimum 8 GB drive, and the process stopped. I thought this was odd because I've had installation media for every version of Windows 8 and 10 (both public and Insider) on 4 GB drives. So then I tried ISOtoUSB, using my usual 4 GB thumb drive. It created the media from the ISO, and I did a clean install of 1709 from it on my laptop without issue.</em></p>

  • HeebieGB

    17 October, 2017 - 4:56 pm

    <p>How do you like that, it showed up in Windows Update on my SP4. 1709, here I come. </p>

  • Alex Taylor

    17 October, 2017 - 5:51 pm

    <p>I've just kicked off an ISO/USB install, and I love the fact that all of the installer dialogs are Win7 Aero styled.</p><p>Probably a good signal of how much consistency to expect once it finishes and boots.</p>

  • Win74ever

    17 October, 2017 - 7:02 pm

    <p>But why would I do that? Windows 10 Anniversary is working just fine. I'm not a "creator" in any way, I don't need that.</p>

  • Winner

    18 October, 2017 - 2:22 am

    <p>What major new feature(s) am I likely to find important and useful?</p><p>I ask because nothing I've heard from Microsoft for the last two major updates sounds like anything important to me.</p>

    • Eric Dunbar

      31 October, 2017 - 7:28 am

      <blockquote><a href="#208277"><em>In reply to Winner:</em></a></blockquote><p>"What major new feature(s) am I likely to find important and useful?"</p><p><br></p><p>None. I can honestly not point to anything new in the CU or the FCU. If you have newer hardware/touch hardware you'll likely find that the most recent CU offers some bug fixes over earlier releases of Windows. As for the FCU, stay far, far, far away from it until the bugs are ironed out. So far I've seen a whole lot of flakiness (more, I think than with the migration to the CU… which actually fixed some problems for me on my Dell 5378).</p>

  • JerryH

    Premium Member
    18 October, 2017 - 7:27 am

    <p>I was planning to have to go the manual route, but it showed up in Windows Update on my Surface Laptop. I've been waiting for Files on Demand in OneDrive for that machine; of course my older Surface Pro 3 is in Fast Ring and has had FoD for months but now I have it on the new machine too. It is interesting – I'll expect an article with some stats in a month or so. Previously Microsoft hardware didn't always seem to get these release first; sometimes they lagged quite a bit. </p>

  • Scott Kramer

    18 October, 2017 - 10:41 am

    <p>Now waiting for Win10 "Spring Destroyers Update" should be good :)</p>

  • adeboy2k

    18 October, 2017 - 2:30 pm

    <p>Please tell me the split touch keyboard hasn't been removed from 'fall creator's update'. I just upgrade and i canno longer find the split keyboard! That's the only touch keyboard mode i use on my SP4. ?</p>

    • robincapper

      27 October, 2017 - 1:10 am

      <blockquote><a href="#208433"><em>In reply to adeboy2k:</em></a></blockquote><p>It may be, I just got a Surface Studio to test (with fall update on it) and there is no split keyboard option. There is a tiny phone sized one which appears a bit silly on a massive Studio Screen but is actually pretty useful. Reminded me how much I miss Windows Phone!</p>

      • Eric Dunbar

        31 October, 2017 - 7:25 am

        <blockquote><a href="#210887"><em>In reply to robincapper:</em></a></blockquote><p>I immediately noticed the loss of the split keyboard as well on an Elitepad 1000 G2! And, the swipe replacement keyboard promptly stopped working after a few tries. You can trace your finger over the keys but no words are sent to the applications.</p><p><br></p><p>And, those were but a few of the examples of flakiness. Luckily the device I installed the FCU is only used as a glorified e-reader so it doesn't matter how well Windows runs, as long as it can display PDFs and ePubs.</p><p><br></p><p>The FCU is a big FCU to Microsoft's users ;).</p>

  • chaad_losan

    19 October, 2017 - 2:36 am

    <p>I used the upgrade assistant. Worked great. Started it when I left for work. When I came home it was all done and rebooted waiting my login. No human intervention needed after I started the process. Works great.</p>

  • timothyhuber

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2017 - 9:23 am

    <p>Our kitchen computer is an old HP all-in-one that I upgraded with an SSD a few years ago to extend its life. I was very surprised that the update showed up in Windows Update yesterday morning. With previous updates I always have had to manually force the update.</p>

  • pesos

    Premium Member
    21 October, 2017 - 9:53 pm

    <p>Don't do it if you use the Surface Dock. What a mess – gonna revert to 1703 for now I guess. Looks like I'm not alone:</p><p><br></p><p>https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/def92959-2e66-4f1a-886b-e01222a3eee6/poor-performance-on-new-surface-pro-after-fall-creators-update-1709?forum=win10itprohardware</p><p><br></p><p>Update: I manually downloaded and ran the Surface Dock Updater and that seems to have cleared up most of the issues</p>

  • JimP

    22 October, 2017 - 8:44 am

    <p>I downloaded it the other day and I'm underwhelmed. The feature I was most looking forward to was My People. Unfortunately, it doesn't let you text anyone from it, which basically renders it useless. How does Microsoft spend an entire half-year on Windows without coming up with a single useful feature? </p>

  • rickski

    25 October, 2017 - 8:51 pm

    <p>Have run the Microsoft MediaCreationTool on four PCs with a variety of Windows 10 version numbers and a Windows 7 Pro machine. Get same error…</p><p><br></p><p>There was a problem running this tool</p><p>We're not sure what happened, but we're unable to run this tool on your PC.</p><p>Error code 0x80072F76 – 0x20017</p><p><br></p><p>Does anyone know how to get this tool to run so I can download an ISO???</p><p><br></p>

    • Martin Sjöholm

      07 November, 2017 - 12:21 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#210515"><em>In reply to rickski:</em></a></blockquote><p>Same problem here. It seems to be impossible to install. I have had such issues with Windows Update on several machines lately, and it seems as if I need to do clean installs. Standard machines with standard, non-trial vesions. This is not stellar, Microsoft.</p>

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