Windows 10 version 1803 is business-ready according to Microsoft

Microsoft declared Windows 10 version 1803, the April 2018 Update, business-ready by moving it to the semi-annual channel. The semi-annual channel, previously known as Current Branch for Business, is a special update channel of professional and Enterprise versions of Windows 10.

Feature updates may be delayed in those editions of Windows 10 by switching from the consumer-targeting semi-annual targeted channel to the semi-annual channel.

Devices on the semi-annual channel get feature updates months after general availability at the earliest. Microsoft mentioned previously that the switch happens about 4 months after general availability of feature updates usually but the April 2018 Update switch happened earlier.

Microsoft released Windows 10 version 1803 on April 30 on its website and through Windows Update which means that the company unlocked the new version of Windows for semi-annual channel distribution less than 3 months after general availability.

Microsoft revealed in a new blog post why it flipped the switch early. The company used AI and machine learning to distribute the feature update to "the best target devices based on [..] extensive listening systems".

Windows 10 is reaching 700 million monthly active devices and nearly 250 million are updated to the April 2018 Update already according to Microsoft data. The company states in the publication that devices on the April 2018 Update have a 20% reduction in system stability issues, and operating system and driver stability issues.

General availability of Windows 10 version 1803 means that the new version is offered to all devices that are on the Semi-Annual Targeted channel and to all devices on the Semi-Annual channel.

Devices on the semi-annual channel can be configured to delay new feature updates by up to 364 days; this is done in the Settings application under Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options.

Admins and users who don't want to install Windows 10 version 1803 yet on their devices need to switch to the semi-annual channel and set a delay for the installation of the new feature update.

Patch Lady Susan Bradley thinks it is too early for release in business environments because of outstanding issues and the release of at least two patches per month for the new version of Windows 10. Our all the issues with Windows 10 version 1803 post released shortly after the release of windows 10 version 1803 is one of the most popular articles ever on the site, and many of the issues described there have not been addressed yet.

If you plan to update to the new version right now you should make sure that you have a system backup in place so that you can restore the previous version without relying on Windows' functionality to do so.

Now You: Is Windows 10 version 1803 ready?