Microsoft Force Upgrading Windows 10 1903 Devices To 1909

Microsoft will soon start force upgrading Windows 10 1903 to Windows 10 1909 to keep them protected from security threats after this Windows version reaches its end of service next month.

Microsoft stops offering technical support, bug and security fixes for newly discovered issues and vulnerabilities for all products that reach their end of service.

Clients who still use such software are recommended to upgrade as soon as possible to the latest product versions to keep their systems secure from attacks and bug-free.

“All editions of Windows 10, version 1903 and Windows 10 Server, version 1903 will reach end of service on December 8, 2020,” Microsoft explains on the Windows 10 Message Center.

After that date, computers running editions of Windows that are no longer serviced will no longer receive quality or security updates with protections from the latest security threats.

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The end of service message applies to these editions of Windows 10 released in May of 2019:

• Windows 10 Home, version 1903
• Windows 10 Pro, version 1903
• Windows 10 Pro Education, version 1903
• Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, version 1903
• Windows 10 Enterprise, version 1903
• Windows 10 Education, version 1903
• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, version 1903

“We recommend that you update these devices to a supported version as soon as possible to continue to receive monthly quality updates with security and non-security fixes,” the company added.

Home, Pro, Pro for Workstation, and IoT Core editions of Windows 10, version 1809 (aka the October 2018 Update) will also reach their end of service tomorrow.

Force upgraded to Windows 10 1909

Microsoft says on the Message Center and the Health Dashboard that devices running any edition of Windows 10, version 1903 version will be forced upgraded to Windows 10 1909.

To keep you protected and productive, we will soon begin updating devices running Windows 10, version 1903 to Windows 10, version 1909,” the company explains.

“This update will install like a monthly update, resulting in a far faster update experience.”

However, using this upgrade pathway, means that Microsoft’s customers will have to go through two forced OS upgrades within a year.

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More to the point, if Redmond updates all 1903 devices to 1909, they will once again need to be force upgraded to Windows 10 2004 five months later, in May 2021, when Windows 10 1909 reaches its end of support.

Windows 10 20H2 rolling out

Windows 10 1903 users can also upgrade their devices to Windows 10 20H2 (aka the October 2020 Update) manually by check for updates via the Windows Update.

However, the devices will need to have the Windows 10 2004 Servicing Stack Update and KB4579311 or later installed before upgrading.

It’s also important to mention that Microsoft has applied update blocks to prevent devices with Conexant and Synaptics or Conexant ISST audio drivers, with Thunderbolt NVMe SSDs, and that could experience LSASS crashes from updating to 20H2 due to compatibility issues.

Microsoft is also throttling Windows 10 20H2 availability to provide all users with a positive experience while upgrading their systems.

Update November 09, 14:13 EST: Updated title and story after Microsoft confirmed Windows 10 1909 forced upgrade.