Microsoft has decided to postpone the release of all optional Windows 10 updates. The company says the postponement will start in May, which Windows 10 Version 2004 (May 2020 Update) won’t launch on schedule. The company took the decision to help ease demands on users amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Tens of millions of people around the world are now working from home following the COVID-19 pandemic forced nations to go into lockdown. During this time, it’s important Windows 10 functions at its best.
When the platform moves through a major update like Windows 10 version 2004, there are often teething problems. Microsoft is avoiding those issues by postponing updates.
“We have been evaluating the public health situation, and we understand this is impacting our customers. In response to these challenges we are prioritizing our focus on security updates,” said Microsoft. The postponement is across supported versions of Windows and Windows Server products.
Starting in May 2020, we are pausing all optional non-security releases (C and D updates) for all supported versions of Windows client and server products to prioritize security and keep customers protected and productive. More information here: https://t.co/G5NcWtIiEQ.
— Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) March 24, 2020
Patch Tuesday
However, the company says it will continue to send out monthly Patch Tuesday updates. These are cumulative updates Microsoft releases to fix bugs across its services.
While it is clear why Microsoft wants to keep dealing with bugs through Patch Tuesday rollups, recently the company’s patches have been causing problems. The latest issue seems to cause Windows Defender to miss files during system scans.
Microsoft patches are fixing one issue but causing others. We have seen this recently with a fix for Windows Search that has left users unable to boot their PCs.
It is also interesting that Microsoft won’t star the postponement until May, which is six weeks away. The eye of the COVID-19 storm is now. Sure, it may get worse by May but it also could get better. It’s unclear why Microsoft is not making the postponement effective immediately.
On a slightly more amusing note, does this postponement mean Microsoft is admitting it rolls out broken Windows updates?
