How to Use the Windows 10 Update Assistant to Upgrade Windows 10

The Windows 10 Update Assistant is Microsoft’s manual feature-update tool for Windows 10. Microsoft’s current Windows 10 download page still offers it for the Windows 10 2022 Update, version 22H2. That distinction matters now: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so the assistant is not a way to get a newer Windows 10 feature release, and it does not upgrade you to Windows 11.

If your PC is on an older Windows 10 release and you need to bring it to 22H2, the steps below show the supported route. If you are already on 22H2 and your PC supports Windows 11, use Windows Update or Microsoft’s separate Windows 11 Installation Assistant instead.

Before you use the Windows 10 Update Assistant

Save your work and back up important files before starting an operating-system upgrade. Keep a laptop connected to power, use a stable internet connection, and make sure the system drive has enough free space for the download and temporary installation files.

You can check your current Windows release by pressing Windows + R, typing winver, and pressing Enter. Microsoft also notes that Windows Update Assistant does not run on ARM-based PCs; it is intended for x86/x64 systems. See Microsoft’s Windows Update Assistant documentation for the current limitations.

How to use the Windows 10 Update Assistant

1. Download the assistant from Microsoft

Open Microsoft’s official Download Windows 10 page. Under Windows 10 2022 Update | Version 22H2, select Update now. Avoid third-party download sites because Microsoft provides the tool directly.

Microsoft Windows 10 download page showing the Windows 10 2022 Update version 22H2 and Update now button
Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page identifies version 22H2 as the Windows 10 feature update offered by Update Assistant.

2. Run the downloaded program

Open the downloaded Update Assistant executable from your Downloads folder. Approve the User Account Control prompt if Windows asks for administrator permission. The assistant checks the Windows version on the PC before offering the update.

Windows Downloads folder with the Windows 10 Update Assistant executable selected for launch
Launch the Update Assistant from the downloaded Microsoft executable and approve administrative access if prompted.

3. Start the 22H2 update

Select Update Now when the assistant offers Windows 10 version 22H2. The tool checks basic compatibility, downloads the update, and prepares the installation. You can continue using the PC during much of the download, but save open work before the restart stage.

Do not turn off the computer while Windows is installing. The PC can restart several times as setup finishes.

Windows 10 Update Assistant window showing the Windows 10 version 22H2 download in progress
The Update Assistant downloads and prepares Windows 10 version 22H2 before Windows restarts to finish setup.

4. Verify the Windows version after restart

After you sign back in, press Windows + R, enter winver, and press Enter. The About Windows dialog should show Version 22H2. After that, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates to obtain any updates available for your specific servicing status.

About Windows dialog confirming Windows 10 Version 22H2
Use winver after the upgrade to confirm that the PC is running Windows 10 version 22H2.

Update Assistant vs. Windows Update vs. Media Creation Tool

The old instructions for these tools are easy to mix up. The Update Assistant is for manually installing a Windows feature update on the current PC. Windows Update in Settings is the normal route for quality and security updates. The Media Creation Tool is different: it can upgrade or reinstall Windows 10 and can create a bootable USB drive or ISO for another installation.

Options such as Upgrade this PC now and Create installation media belong to the Media Creation Tool, not the Update Assistant.

What to do now that Windows 10 support has ended

Microsoft ended standard Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. A Windows 10 PC still works, but standard free security fixes and feature updates have ended. If your hardware is eligible, Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 11. You can check compatibility with PC Health Check and use the official Windows 11 download page for the separate Windows 11 Installation Assistant.

If the PC cannot move to Windows 11 yet, Microsoft offers Windows 10 Extended Security Updates for eligible devices as a temporary security bridge. ESU provides security updates, not new Windows 10 feature versions, so Update Assistant is not a replacement for ESU enrollment.

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