How to fix Windows 10 Anniversary Update download and installation problems

The Anniversary Update is the next major update that Microsoft is releasing for Windows 10. The new update includes a slew of changes and features that aim to improve the experience of the operating system in a number of areas.

The new update includes a redesigned Start menu, Taskbar badge notifications for apps, and an improved version of Cortana that now works even above the Lock screen. In addition, the new Windows Ink experience brings greater support for active pen, and it’ll get you access to the new Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, and Sketch Screen. And the Settings app gets overhaul with a lot of changes and new features as well.

As you can see there is a lot going on. It’s like a brand new version of the operating system. There are so many great changes that many users will be eager to download and install the moment Microsoft makes it available on August 2nd.

However, not everyone will be getting the update the same day, and those who receive the update may come across some issues during installation.

In this guide, you’ll learn how the Windows 10 version 1607 will roll out, and a number of troubleshooting tips to make sure the new version doesn’t get stuck during download or fails during installation.

Is my PC getting the Anniversary Update on August 2nd?

Microsoft is officially releasing the new update Tuesday, August 2, 2016. However, like with any other release, the company is rolling out the Windows 10 Anniversary Update gradually. This means that no everyone will get the update at the same time. It could take days, even weeks, before every device is upgraded to the Anniversary Update.

One of the main reasons for the slow roll out are possible problems. While the software giant works toward delivering a flawless version of its operating system, nothing is never perfect. There are many factors that can cause the Anniversary Update to get stuck during download or install. Unknown bugs can also be the cause of Windows 10 to fail during installation, devices drivers may cause Blue Screen of Death (BSoD), and the list can go on.

Releasing the update gradually helps Microsoft to reduce the number of affected users. In some cases, the company can quickly pull out the update until the problem is fixed.

Although, not everyone will be getting the update the same day, starting on August 2nd, hundreds of thousands of devices will be downloading and installing the new update.

Another common problem that could be blocking your PC from downloading Windows 10 version 1607 is server overload. It’s expected that during the first couple of days a lot of devices around the world will be hitting Microsoft’s servers requesting the download. This could cause your device to queue up until resources are available. When the day comes, keep this in mind and be calm, you’ll eventually get the new version of Windows 10 installed in your device.

What devices are getting the Windows 10 Anniversary Update?

Microsoft is making available the new version of the operating system for every platform that runs Windows 10. However, the rollout of version 1607 begins with PC and Mobile followed by other devices, such as Xbox One, HoloLens, and so on.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update failed to download; how do I fix this problem?

If your computer can see the new update, but it fails to download, there are a number of possible solutions.

Stop deferring Windows 10 features upgrade

Make sure that you didn’t configure your system to defer Windows 10 updates and upgrades. In the past, you may have thought on staying with the current version of the operating system for a long time, you probably configured Windows 10 to defer feature updates.

If this is your case, you can go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options, and make sure to clear the Defer upgrades option.

Defer Windows 10 Upgrades options on the Settings app

In the case you used the Group Policy editor to defer upgrades, you also want to make sure to undo any changes.

Disable metered connection

Windows 10 also offers a feature to set your network connection as metered. If you have your Wi-Fi settings configured to metered connection, updates may not appear, and surely they won’t download. Make sure to go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced options, and turn off the Set as metered connection option.

Set as metered connection option on Windows 10

You can use this prevent downloading the Windows 10 Anniversary Update guide to undo any changes that could be blocking the update from downloading.

Reset Windows Update

There is a chance that Windows Update may not be working correctly on your computer. You can try to reset the Windows Update components to fix stuck updates trying to download and install.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update failed to install; how do I fix this problem?

If your computer downloaded the new version of the operating system, but it fails to install, there are a number of things that can be happening.

No enough hard drive space

One of the most common problems is no enough available space in the hard drive. This is always a problem on low-cost devices with limited capacity, and older machines that came to the market before we started seeing those terabytes hard drives. Make sure your computer has at least 20GB of free space available for the download and installation.

You can also use this Windows 10 guide to reclaim hard drive space to install the Anniversary Update.

Disable security software

A security software could be causing a conflict that isn’t letting the operating system to proceed with the installation. If you’re running an antivirus other than Windows Defender, make sure to disable or uninstall your antivirus during the upgrade process.

For more information, you want to check the support website for your antivirus vendor.

Compatibility issues

Sometimes the installation problem can be caused by a peripheral that is not compatible, as such to avoid any issues, you want to disconnect all unnecessary peripherals, such as printers, webcams, any storage media connected to your computer — just use the essentials: network adapter to connect to the internet, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Error messages

In the case of an error message during installation your best bet is to use your favorite search engine to research the error. You may be able to find if the error is a common issue with a simple fix. Or you could find out that is a problem Microsoft is working to resolve.

Get support

You can also leave the details of your problems in the comments below, as someone may just be able to help. Additionally, you can contact Microsoft on Twitter (@WindowsSupport) to get quick help, you can contact the company directly, or you can take your computer to a Microsoft Store to see if anyone can help you.

If nothing works, you can install the Windows 10 Anniversary Update manually

If you already went through all the information and troubleshooting tips to download and install the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and nothing worked, there is an alternative way to upgrade your system. You can download the installation files to do an in-place upgrade or a clean install of the new operating system.

This is perhaps your best option to update your system to Windows 10 version 1607. However, you will only be able to upgrade your computer when Microsoft makes the ISO files available for download.

Download the Windows 10 Anniversary Update ISO file

It’s possible that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update ISO file becomes available the same day the update rolls out to the masses, but it may take a few days. During launch, Microsoft always tests the deployment and usually doesn’t release the ISO files so you first have to try to upgrade using Windows Update.

If the company releases the ISO files for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you can use this guide to download the files. You can also follow these instructions to create a Windows 10 USB installation drive using the Media Creation Tool.

Important: You will be making changes to your computer, and there is always a chance that things can go wrong. It’s recommended to make a full backup of your computer before proceeding.

Install the Windows 10 Anniversary Update manually

Once you have a bootable media, you can use this guide to do a clean install with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

If you prefer to do an in-place upgrade of the new version to keep your files, settings, and apps, you can use the Media Creation Tool to do the upgrade.

Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft.
Double-click the MediaCrationTool.exe file to launch the tool.
Select the Upgrade this PC now option.
Click Accept to agree to the licensing terms and to proceed.
Make sure the setup is configured to keep your files and apps, and click Next. You can alternatively choose Nothing, which is a better option to avoid many issues. However, you’ll need restore files from backup, apply settings, and reinstall apps.
Click Install to complete the process.

Now the setup wizard will take over, and it’ll proceed updating your system. It’s important to note that through this process, nothing will be erased, your computer will be kept intact with all your settings, apps, and files.

Your computer will reboot several times, then you may need to go through the Out-of-Box Experience to finish the installation. If everything went as expected, your computer now should be updated to Windows 10 version 1607.

Alternatively, you can also force the download of the new update in 4 different ways.

Wrapping things up

While everyone eager to get the Anniversary Update wants to simply click the Check for updates button on August 2nd to download and install the new version of Windows 10, the update will no roll out to everyone the same day, it will be a gradual upgrade process.

In addition, there are a lot of things that can go wrong that can cause the update to get stuck or fail to install, but this guide covers all the information and basics you need to know for a successful upgrade to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

If you want to wait a little longer, you can use the following guides to prevent or uninstall the update from installing in your computer:

Do you have something else to add to this guide? Tell us in the comments below.