Windows 10 Creators Update: Software expected to take months to arrive despite April launch

Last year's Anniversary Update rollout was much more drawn-out than Microsoft intended it to be: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
Last year's Anniversary Update rollout was much more drawn-out than Microsoft intended it to be: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Microsoft looks set to launch the Windows 10 Creators Update in a matter of weeks, but data suggests users will have to wait months to download it.

The major software update will introduce a raft of new features, including Paint 3D, new accessibility features and a multitude of performance enhancements.

However, the pace of last year’s Anniversary Update suggests the Creators Update could take a long time to arrive.

Data released by ad network AdDuplex and spotted by PC World shows that the Anniversary Update took four months to reach 80% of the Windows users eligible for the upgrade.

Microsoft did tell customers that it would roll out the update gradually, but had intended to complete the process in “up to” three months.

Two months after its 2 August launch, just 35% of Windows 10 machines had the Anniversary Update, and after seven months it hit the 90% mark.

Microsoft is likely to stagger the Creators Update too, in order to keep on top of bugs and avoid overwhelming its servers.

However, there is a way for impatient users to get their hands on the Creators Update before it officially becomes available.

Microsoft’s Windows 10 Insider Program lets users test and provide feedback on new features before everyone else, though it doesn’t come without risks.