Windows 10 May 2019 update: Microsoft is going to address a big problem with new release

With Windows 10 May 2019 update, Microsoft will finally give users more control on installing and pausing updates.

Microsoft Windows 10. Photo: AFP (AFP)

Windows users have long complained about not having control on updates Microsoft rolls out to their devices. The company has long contended that updates are important for devices health, but recent cases of bug-infested releases have been off-putting. Microsoft is now finally going to fix this problem.

As it prepares to roll out Windows 10 May 2019 update, Microsoft has announced it will add new features to empower users with greater control on updates. The company has also promised to deliver more transparency when updates are installed on your devices. Going forward, Windows 10 users can choose between "check for updates" or simply pause updates for next (up to) 35 days.

"We are taking further steps to be confident in the quality of the May 2019 Update. We will increase the amount of time that the May 2019 Update spends in the Release Preview phase, and we will work closely with ecosystem partners during this phase to proactively obtain more early feedback about this release," said the company in a blog post.

"This will give us additional signals to detect issues before broader deployment. We are also continuing to make significant new investments in machine learning (ML) technology to both detect high-impact issues efficiently at scale and further evolve how we intelligently select devices that will have a smooth update experience," it added.

Microsoft's new features will give you greater control on updates (Microsoft)

Microsoft's new features will give you greater control on updates (Microsoft)

The Windows 10 2019 update will come with a new "download and install now option" in order to give users more control on initiating an update. While users can still "check for updates" to install monthly and security patches, Windows will notify you when a new feature update is available or the software version is nearing its end. The new update option will be available to all top Windows 10 versions including 1803 and 1809 starting next month.

Highlight of the Windows 10 May 2019 update is going to be the ability to pause updates. Microsoft said it will now allow users to pause both feature and monthly updates for up to 35 days. Post expiry of the pause limit, you will need to update the device before being able to further pause.