Tip: Install Windows 10 Version 20H2 Right Now (Updated)
- Paul Thurrott
- Sep 20, 2020
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31
UPDATE: Microsoft fixed the WSL 2 issue noted below, so there’s no reason not to get this release early now. –Paul
Now that Microsoft has finalized Windows 10 version 20H2 you can easily install it ahead of its general release to the public.
Doing so is mostly non-problematic: Windows 10 version 20H2 is a minor upgrade over its predecessor with no major new features, and if you already installed that version of Windows, you can be done with this entire process in under 20 minutes. There is, however, one reason you might not want to install 20H2 yet: If you are using Windows Subsystem with Linux (WSL) 2.0, there is a bug in the current 20H2 build that prevents it from working at the time of this writing. So wait until it’s fixed if you need WSL 2.0.
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Here’s how to upgrade immediately.
Open Settings (WINKEY + I) and navigate to Update & Security > Windows Insider Program.
Click the Get Started button. As prompted, choose the Microsoft account to use.
Here, choose “Release Preview Channel” and then click Confirm. Then click Confirm again. And restart the PC as prompted.
When the PC reboots, navigate to Update & Security > Windows Update and click the Check for Updates button. You will see that the “feature update to Windows 10 version 20H2” is offered. Install any pending updates first. Then, click “Download and install.”
The feature update will download and install. If you are already using Windows 10 version 2004, this process will take just a few minutes. Click Restart now when prompted.
When the PC reboots, you will see that you are now using version 20H2. This can be seen in About Windows (winver) or in Settings > System > About.
Open Settings again and navigate to Update & Security > Windows Insider Program. Enable the option “Stop getting preview builds” to ensure that your PC automatically unenrolls from the Insider Program when this version of Windows is released to the public. You will continue to get serving updates on the normal schedule going forward regardless.
That’s it.