Windows 10 Creators Update: What you need to know and do before downloading it

It's worth taking a few precautions before installing the new software

Don’t be surprised if your computer doesn’t automatically prompt you to download the update right away (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)

The Windows 10 Creators Update has officially started rolling out to PC users.

It won’t dramatically transform your computer in the manner of other Windows 10 updates over recent years, but introduces a number of fresh features, including the excellent-looking Paint 3D, Beam game streaming and braille support, as well as a multitude of performance and security tweaks and enhancements.

Here are some important things to be aware of before updating your computer.

You don’t have to be patient

Don’t be surprised if your computer doesn’t automatically prompt you to download the update on day one. Although Microsoft has officially released the new software, the rollout is being staggered, in order to avoid overwhelming the company’s servers.

Last year’s Anniversary Update took seven months to reach 90% of the Windows users eligible for the upgrade, and there’s little reason to suggest the Creators Update rollout will be much faster.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait if you don’t want to.

If you have an hour or so spare and want to get your hands on the update now, simply download the Windows 10 Update Assistant and follow its instructions. There are a couple of important things to consider first though.

Privacy settings

Jumping the queue and using the Windows 10 Update Assistant comes with one big drawback.

Microsoft will reset your privacy settings if you choose to go down this route, forcing you to either accept the operating system’s default options or comb through the entire menu again. While staying on top of security is hugely important, it can be an arduous process.

With the default settings, you’ll automatically share your location and full diagnostic data with Microsoft, give Cortana access to your emails and calendar, and receive tailored ads.

If you sit tight and wait for the update to come to you, however, Windows 10 will remember your existing privacy settings and preserve them.

Protect yourself

Major software updates can go wrong, so it’s sensible to take some precautionary measures before diving in.

Creating a system restore point is a really quick and easy way to cover your back. All you need to do is search for ‘create a restore point’ on the taskbar, select it and create a restore point under the System Protection tab.

You can go a step further by backing up your files too. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Backup > Add a Drive and pick an external drive or network location for your backups.