Windows 10 version 1909: Why this feature update should be a pleasant surprise Watch Now

With support for Windows 10 1803 now ended for Home and Pro, Microsoft says it will automatically update anyone on those editions to a new version. But users will have the ability to choose when that move will occur.

Microsoft delivered its final Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10 version 1803, the April 2018 Update, on November 12, the end date for version 1803 support.

Microsoft says Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update, "Keeping those devices supported and receiving the monthly updates that are critical to device security and ecosystem health".

SEE: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (free PDF)

The company doesn't say which version of Windows 10 it will bump users up to but for the past few months it has been pushing users to install the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, or version 1903.

Microsoft on Tuesday released Windows 10 version 1909, the November 2019 Update, but for the moment it is being offered to users only if they check for updates from Windows Update. Gradually, it will dial up distribution to devices that it assesses can handle the update successfully.

According to Windows 10-focused advertising network AdDuplex, at the end of October, Windows 10 version 1803 represented 13.6% of 90,000 Windows 10 PCs it surveyed. The May 2019 Update, version 1903, rose 11% to 56.6%, making it the most widely adopted version of Windows 10. The Windows 10 October 2018 Update, version 1809, accounted for a quarter of all devices.

Windows 10 version 1803 was Microsoft's fastest rollout of Windows 10 since it was first released in 2015. The company declared it ready for business just two months after rolling it out on April 30, 2018.

Following the troubles caused by Windows 10 version 1809 in the days after its initial release, Microsoft is now taking a more cautious approach to new feature releases and is trying to capture more reports about low-volume but high-impact bug reports through the Feedback Hub.

SEE: When will you get the next version of Windows 10? Here's how to take control

Microsoft introduced the ability to control when to install feature updates via an update it released in May 2019, which displayed feature updates in a separate module on the Windows Update page. These controls allow users to install security updates without necessarily installing the feature update immediately.

Version 1803 users should see a 'Download and Install now' option in Windows Update. After the feature update is downloaded, users are notified and then can choose when to finish the install process and reboot a machine.

More on Microsoft and Windows 10 updates