What you need to know
- The Windows 10 November 2019 Update is now available.
- Microsoft began the rollout alongside November's Patch Tuesday updates.
- Users can opt to install it via the "optional updates" area in Windows Update.
Microsoft began rolling out the Windows 10 November 2019 Update today, bringing to completion months of testing for the latest feature update. Developed under the 19H2 codename, the November 2019 Update starts its throttled rollout as Microsoft turns its attention to getting the next feature update, dubbed 20H1, ready for release in the first half of 2020.
With the November 2019 Update, Microsoft has taken a different tact than previous feature updates. Rather than bombarding Windows 10 users with a ton of new features, the November 2019 Update largely focuses on performance improvements and fixes. While it's a much more cautious update than its predecessors, the November 2019 Update still packs its fair share of new goodies, though.
Most notably, this release adds the option for third-party digital assistants, like Amazon's Alexa, to work with voice activation from the lock screen. New events can now be created from the Calendar flyout on the taskbar, and there are new notification settings. The search box in File Explorer is now powered by Windows Search as well, which means you can see your online OneDrive content alongside traditional search results.
Windows 10 19H2: What is it, and what's included?
The update is available now for those who wish to install it straight away, but just like the May 2019 Update, this will be offered an an optional install until the version of Windows 10 you're currently running hits end of support, then the latest version of Windows 10 will be automatically installed. This means if you're on version 1803, the version 1909 update will be pushed to you automatically soon.
The November 2019 Update is available now via Windows Update as Windows 10 version 1909. Also out today are Microsoft's usual Patch Tuesday updates for other supported versions of Windows.
