New Windows for the Fall Season

When Windows Update shows it is downloading “Feature update to Windows 10, version 1709,” Microsoft’s new Windows 10 Fall Creators Update has arrived on your computer or tablet.

Q. I see there’s yet another Windows 10 update out now. I get notifications about patches all the time, so how do I know when this notice is for a system upgrade? Can I tell if it already installed itself?

A. Microsoft began rolling out its Windows 10 Fall Creators Update last Tuesday using the Windows Update utility on compatible computers and devices. When you are checking the available updates, look for the one labeled “Feature update to Windows 10, version 1709” in the list of security patches and other listed software fixes in Windows Update.

You can manually check to see if the software is ready for you. Just click or tap the Start button on the Windows 10 desktop, and select Settings; as a keyboard shortcut to the Settings box, you can also press the Windows and I keys. In the Settings window, select the Update & Security icon, and on the next screen choose Windows Update on the left side of the window. Next, click or tap the “Check for updates” button on the right side of the window. You should see a list of available updates for your computer or tablet.
To see if the update has been installed already — especially if other people use the computer and may have taken care of it — open the Windows 10 Settings box and choose System and then About. Look to see if “Windows 10, version 1709” is listed there.
Microsoft has a list of new features included with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update on its site. A blog post on the company site also has a 30-minute video tour and a highlighted list of changes to the system, like the ability to annotate PDF files and e-books in Microsoft Edge, use new voice commands with Cortana and protect your PC against ransomware.