Windows 10 version 20H2 has been finalized, and Microsoft is making it available early to allow commercial customers to test and validate the feature update before its official release later in fall 2020.
The 20H2 update is the second semi-annual feature update that comes after version 2004, and since the company will be using the same “major” and “minor” schedule like the updates released in 2019, the Windows 10 20H2 update will be available as a quick minor update using an enablement package for devices already running the May 2020 Update (with the June 2020 cumulative update).
On devices without the May 2020 Update, the new release will be available as a feature update that will require full reinstallation of the operating system and it’ll take longer to install.
If you’re a network administrator, you can access the 20H2 update for commercial devices right now through the all standard deployment channels, including Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), and Azure Marketplace as a virtual machine, or you can even download an ISO file from the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page. It’s also available for commercial devices enrolled in the Beta Channel or Release Preview Channel of the Windows Insider Program.
A commercial device is a computer that it’s not running Windows 10 Home, it’s managed by a network administrator using Microsoft Endpoint Manager or a third-party MDM tool, or the machine is joined to a domain, it has a volume license key, or CommercialID. This means that the Windows 10 version 20H2 is currently not available for regular devices running Windows 10 Pro or Home.
However, if you want early access to the second semi-annual update, you can enroll your device in the Beta Channel on the Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program. Alternatively, you can enroll your device in the Release Preview Channel, but it might take some time to get it, or you can download the Windows 10 20H2 ISO to perform an in-place upgrade or clean installation.
If you already have version 2004 with the latest cumulative updates, you technically already have version 20H2. According to Microsoft, version 2004 and 20H2 share a common core operating system, and the features have been already deployed through out the year with cumulative updates in an inactive state. When the 20H2 officially releases, the “enablement package” will simply activate the new changes making the update super quick.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].