It's here!

The first major update to Windows 10, the Anniversary Update, has started rolling out to users around the globe. It's full of new tricks and subtle changes, which you can read all about from here, with the most notable new feature being Windows Ink. However, even though the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is out, it won't start rolling out to mobile phones for a few more weeks.

Also, it will arrive for newer Windows machines first. And you don’t have to do anything to get the update; it should automatically come to you through the Windows Update mechanism - if you’ve chosen to have updates installed automatically on your device (here's how to do that). But there is a workaround so you can manually get the update right now for your PC.

This is everything you need to know.

What is the Anniversary Update?

Just eight months after Microsoft released Windows 10, it announced an "Anniversary Update" to the software that would rollout this summer. Windows 10 boasts over 300 millions users and has over 500 different device designs, and soon, it'll get loads of new features, Microsoft said at the time, thanks to the new update, which was originally code-named Redstone.

The update, which finally began rolling out 2 August, brings new features that focus on Windows Ink and improving stylus-use. It also brings extensions to Edge and upgrades to Hello and Cortona, among other things.

How can you get the Anniversary Update?

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Microsoft

Manually

  1. Go to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update
  2. In Windows Update, click Check for Updates.
  3. The update will appear as "Feature update to Windows 10, version 1607".
  4. Click update, and the update will begin downloading and installing.

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Download the ISO

According to Microsoft, another way for you to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is to click “Learn more” just below the “Looking for info on the latest updates?" in Windows Update. From there you’ll be taken to a support page on Microsoft.com that will allow you to download the ISO file to your PC. After downloading the ISO, you can set it up onto a flash drive DCD, or you can use the Installation Media tool.

Note: This method is for techies only.

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Microsoft

Become a Windows Insider

If you’re a Windows Insider, you'll have access to the public Anniversary Update build. We recommend just waiting for the update to arrive or that you try to get it manually, but if you're super impatient, go to Microsoft’s Windows Insider website, sign into your Microsoft account, and click Get Started to become a Windows Insider. It's free to join the beta-testing program.

Then, on your Windows PC, open the Settings app, click Update & Security, and then click Windows Update. From there, select Advanced Options. Under the Get Insider Preview builds section, click select Get started. And that's it.

Want to know more?

Check out Microsoft's announcement blog post.