On October 18th, 2022, Microsoft began distributing the 2022 Update for Windows 10 through Windows Update and the Media Creation Tool. Additionally, this update, also known as Windows 10 version 22H2, is available through the Windows 10 Update Assistant - a small executable file that acts as an upgrade wizard for people who already have Windows on their computers. If you didn’t receive this update through Windows Update or have an older version of Windows 10 and want to upgrade as fast as possible, you can use the Windows 10 Update Assistant. Here’s how:

Step 1. Download the Windows 10 Update Assistant

To upgrade to Windows 10 2022 Update, open your favorite web browser and go to Download Windows 10. Find the “Windows 10 2022 Update | Version 22H2” section and click or tap on the Update now button.

Download the Windows 10 Update Assistant

This action triggers the download of a tiny 3.18 MB executable file called Windows10Upgrade9252.exe. Save it somewhere on your Windows 10 computer or device.

You download a file named Windows10Upgrade9252.exe

Step 2. Run the Windows 10 Update Assistant and upgrade to Windows 10 22H2

Make sure you’re using an account that is an administrator on your PC. Go to where you saved the Windows10Upgrade9252.exe file, and double-click or double-tap on it. A UAC prompt pops up. Confirm that you want to run the Windows 10 Update Assistant by pressing Yes.

Run Windows10Upgrade9252.exe and press Yes

The Windows 10 Update Assistant loads and gives you the option to update to the latest version. Since you want to install the 2022 Update, you probably have an older version. You should see something similar to the image below, letting you know that “[...] This PC is currently not running the latest and most secure version of Windows 10. This PC is running version… The latest version is...” I was using Windows 10 version 21H2, but the current version could be different on your PC. To update to the latest release of Windows 10, click or tap on the Update now button from the bottom-right corner of the Windows 10 Update Assistant.

Press Update Now in the Windows 10 Update Assistant

NOTE: If Windows 10 versions confuse you, I recommend this article to check your Windows 10 version.

Windows 10 Update Assistant verifies whether your PC meets the requirements for installing the latest version. Since you already have Windows 10 installed, the only thing that could go wrong is not having enough free disk space for downloading and installing the latest version. Ensure that you have at least 10-12 GB of free space on your C: drive, and everything should go smoothly.

The Windows 10 Update Assistant automatically starts the download of the latest version in a couple of seconds. If you’re in a hurry, you can also start it manually by clicking or tapping Next.

Windows 10 Update Assistant checks if your PC is compatible

Windows 10 Update Assistant begins downloading all the files required, a process that takes some time. If you use a laptop or a tablet, make sure that its power cord is plugged in, so you don’t run out of battery. Then, grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and relax. You can see the download progress displayed as a percentage, like in the screenshot below.

Windows 10 Update Assistant downloads the latest Windows 10 version

If you change your mind and no longer want to download the latest Windows 10 version, you can press Cancel. When you do that, the Windows 10 Update Assistant asks for your confirmation. Pressing Cancel one more time will close the app and stop the entire process.

To stop the upgrade, press Cancel

After downloading the latest files, the Windows 10 Update Assistant verifies them for integrity. The progress for Verifying download is also shown in percentages.

Windows 10 Update Assistant is verifying the files it downloaded

Finally, you get to the step where Windows 10 Update Assistant installs the latest version of Windows 10. If you don’t want to sit idle while the installation is performed, you can press Minimize and go about your business.

Windows 10 Update Assistant is upgrading Windows 10

This part of the update process can take many minutes to finish. Depending on which Windows 10 version you’re using right now (the older your version, the slower the process), a clean Windows 10 installation of the latest version may be somewhat faster. However, you don’t get to keep all your apps, files, and settings as you do when using Windows 10 Update Assistant.

After a while, you are notified that “Your PC needs to restart to update Windows 10.” You can wait 30 minutes for the automatic reboot to happen, or you can press Restart now. However, before you do that, make sure you don’t have any apps or files open.

Press Restart now to finalize the upgrade

When it is time to reboot or right after pressing the Restart now button, you get this message: “You’re about to be signed out. Windows 10 Update Assistant will reboot your device to complete the update.” Press Close, and your computer or device restarts in a couple of seconds.

Windows 10 Update Assistant will reboot your device

After the restart, the Windows 10 upgrade process continues. Note that your PC might reboot several times, not just once. This is completely normal, and all you have to do is wait.

Finalizing the upgrade process takes a few minutes

After you sign in to Windows 10 again, the final waiting period arrives: a minute or two is required to make the final configurations.

The finishing touches take another couple of minutes

Windows 10 has been upgraded to the latest version (in my case - 22H2), and you finally see the desktop.

Enjoy the latest version of Windows 10

Enjoy using the latest version of Windows 10!

How well did the Windows 10 Update Assistant work for you?

Now you know how to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10 anytime you want, without waiting for Windows Update to provide you with the latest feature update. The process is not difficult, and the only thing you need to make sure of is that you have about 12 GB of free space on your C: drive. As you have seen, Windows 10 Update Assistant (Windows10Upgrade9252.exe) is really easy to download and use. Before closing this tutorial, let me know if everything worked well, and whether you have any questions. Comment using the options below and share your experience.