Windows 10 update won't install on some PCs — and nobody knows why

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Surface laptop and tablet owners are affected

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

It is now July and the Windows 10 May Update still won't install on some PCs. We've reported various reasons for why certain users can't install the latest major Windows update. For some, it's blocked due to lingering bugs. For others, an annoying settings error is causing installation issues. 

But for another group of PC users, the reason remains a mystery. As Windows Latest reports (via TechRadar), the May 2020 update is being intentionally blocked by what Microsoft calls "other safeguards." Specifics about what those safeguards could be were not provided, leaving frustrated Windows 10 users guessing.

Microsoft made the Windows 10 May 2020 Update widely available to users who manually check for upgrades via Windows Update Settings. Not everyone was fortunate enough to download the new version, including owners of Microsoft's own Surface laptops and tablets.

Microsoft removed May 2020 Update restrictions for the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 in June but later updated the corresponding status page to specify that some devices with "other safeguards" remain blocked.

“This issue was resolved in KB4557957 and the safeguard hold has been removed as of June 29, 2020. Please note, if there are no other safeguards that affect your device, it can take up to 48 hours before the update to Windows 10, version 2004 is offered," Microsoft wrote.

That might sound reassuring, except that a substantial group of Surface devices is reportedly affected by these non-specific issues. ZDNet reported that the Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 along with Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, and the Surface Pro X are still having problems updating the May 2020 update.

More important than anything is that the May 2020 update only becomes available after all of the bugs have been removed. It'd just be nice if Microsoft gave its customers — especially those who purchased Surface hardware — some transparency for why things aren't working as they should be.

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.