Hi, everyone! Yesterday Yusuf Mehdi announced the availability of the Windows 10 Creators Update, the latest feature update to Windows 10. Today I’d like to share more information about our plans for rolling out the Creators Update.

The Creators Update will begin to roll out on April 11th. Like with the Anniversary Update we delivered last August, this update for Windows will proceed in phases. Based on our experience and feedback from our customers, we believe a phased approach provides the highest quality update experience to the broadest set of customers. The first phase will target newer devices, especially those we tested together with our OEM hardware partners. We will then expand the Creators Update release to additional devices based on the feedback we receive during the initial phase. We’ll iterate this process over a period of several months until all compatible devices running Windows 10 worldwide are offered the Creators Update. Windows Phone will follow the same phased approach, with rollout scheduled to begin April 25. Note that update availability may vary by manufacturer, model, country or region, mobile operator or service provider, specific installed software, hardware limitations and other factors such as feedback from customers.

As we announced previously, customers will be asked to make important privacy settings choices before the Creators Update is installed. When you see the privacy settings page, you will know that the Creators update isn’t far behind!

We also received a lot of feedback asking for more control over when Windows 10 installs updates. As I noted in my blog post from March 1, we’ve provided new ways for customers to control when the update will occur.

These include the ability to specify a time that is convenient for you, pause updates for a week, and expand the “active hours” time window during which you don’t want to be disturbed by an update. If you’re running a Windows 10 PC at work, check with your IT administrator for details regarding your organization’s rollout plans. For the those of you who are eager to get the Creators Update right away, you will be able to initiate the update manually, starting on April 5th, via Update Assistant. This option is intended for advanced users on devices running a licensed version of Windows 10.

We’ve been working hard to get the Creators Update ready for you, and a key aspect of that preparation is the tremendous level of engagement from the Windows Insider Program (WIP) community. Millions of Insiders have installed many different “test builds” and helped us refine the release with their feedback. We also worked closely with top ISVs on application compatibility, and our top hardware partners (including the Microsoft Surface team) to test the Creators Update with a set of the latest devices and peripherals.

Your feedback helps us shape Windows, so naturally, we’re anxious to hear about your experience with the Creators Update. The Feedback Hub app is a great way to provide feedback and is already installed on your Window 10 device. If you experience an issue and need assistance, the new Get Help app makes it easier to resolve issues yourself or be connected to an expert if needed. The app introduces Microsoft’s new virtual support agent, which uses your description of an issue to help find the best troubleshooter, instant answer, support article, or other solution available (initially available only in English in the US).

We hope you enjoy all the great new features in the Creators Update! In the coming weeks, I’ll be providing updates on what feedback we’re hearing and how the Creators Update rollout process is going.