The next big update for Windows 10 has started rolling out, here’s how to get it

Microsoft has started pushing out its May 2019 update for Windows 10, the first of two major upgrades scheduled for this year, and the first since the problematic October 2018 update arrived. To ensure a smoother roll out, Microsoft is taking a "measured and throttled approach." If you are both eager and daring, however, you can nab the update right now.

First things first—now is a good time (nay, great time) to back up your data. This doesn't have to be everything that resides on your PC, but I highly suggest backing up anything that is considered mission critical (work documents, for example) or too precious to lose, like family photos and the such. It's good practice to regularly back up your data anyway, but it's especially wise when getting ready to apply a major Windows update.

I also recommend making sure your GPU drivers are up to date. The latest driver releases from Nvidia and AMD support the May 2019 update.

Housekeeping out of the way, applying the May 2019 update could be as easy as heading to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and selecting Check for updates. However, not everyone will see the May 2019 update right away.

"You may not see Download and install now on your device as we are slowly throttling up this availability, while we carefully monitor data and feedback," Microsoft explains.

If you are not seeing it but still want to make the leap, you can grab the update from Microsoft's Windows 10 installation media page. Just click the Update now button, and then run the installer.

A more cautious approach would be to wait a bit to see if any issues crop up. There were several bugs that accompanied the October 2018 update last year, including reports of missing files after upgrading, and Microsoft even ended up yanking it offline for a bit to squish the more troublesome ones. Downloads resumed in November, and by the start of December it still was not widely available.

Here's hoping that the May 2019 update enjoys a smoother release. If you've downloaded it, let us know in the comments section how your experience went.

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).