Surface Pro 7, Laptop 3, and more blocked from Windows 10 May 2020 Update

Several issues caused Microsoft to implement compatibility holds that will block the Windows 10 May 2020 Update from systems until a fix is found.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is blocking several devices from receiving the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.
• The block is due to known issues that result in a "compatibility hold."
• The Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 are among the affected devices.
• Microsoft is working on resolutions for the issues.

Microsoft is blocking a wide range of devices from receiving the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. The blocks are due to known issues that caused Microsoft to put a "compatibility hold" on affected Windows 10 devices. The Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 are among the devices that will not receive the latest version of Windows 10 through Windows Update at this time.

The list of known issues from Microsoft includes nine issues that result in a compatibility hold. That type of hold means that the latest version of Windows 10 won't appear through Windows Update. You can still force Windows 10 to install on these systems using the Microsoft Update assistant, but Microsoft recommends against it. We also recommend against installing Windows 10 on systems that can be affected by these discovered issues.

Windows 10 May 2020 Update common problems — and the fixes

If you check Windows Update on affected devices, you won't see an update to install. Microsoft also added some text to Windows Update to clarify the situation, which reads:

The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is on its way. We're offering this update to compatible devices, but your device isn't quite ready for it. Once your device is ready, you'll see the update available on this page. There's nothing you need to do at this time.

One issue affects Always On, Always Connected devices, including the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3. The issue can cause errors, unexpected shutdowns, and restarts. Another issue can break mouse input with apps and games that use GameInput Redistributable.

As pointed out by The Verge, Microsoft is also throttling the availability of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update through Windows Update. As a result, even devices unaffected by these issues might not see the update at this time.