Installing the Windows 10 refresh update


This articles covers the steps on how to install the latest Windows 10 upgrade. 

Overview: 

  1. How long it will take 
  2. Installing the Windows 10 refresh update
  3. Checking your update has been complete 

If you are currently using a computer running Windows 10, follow the steps in this article to complete the Windows 10 update. If you are unsure which version of Windows is running on your computer, please follow these instructions.  

Important note: Please do not upgrade your Windows 10 computer to Windows 11 as your current device might not be able to support it. 

How long it will take 

Please note the following may vary and it is provided as an estimate only: 

  • Up to 5 minutes following the instructions to start the update 
  • Up to 60 minutes for the installation to be complete 
  • Up to 60 minutes required to stay connected to the VPN (if you are working remotely from the campus network) or to the University's wired network (if you are working onsite at the University) to finalise the installation. 

 If you are connecting via the VPN, you may notice some performance issues with your computer. We recommend installing the update when you do not have any video calls scheduled.​​​​​​​

Installing the Windows 10 refresh update 

Step 1: If you are working remotely from the campus network, connect to the University's VPN and remain connected throughout the update 

It is important that you connect to the University's Pulse VPN, and remain connected, for the installation to be successful. If you do not have Pulse VPN installed on your Windows 10 laptop, please log a request for this software with the Service Desk

  • If you are working remotely from the campus network (for example, on a laptop and/or using Wi-Fi), you will need to ensure you are connected to VPN to receive the update. See the IT article to help you get connected to the University VPN. 
  • If you are working onsite at the University and connected to the wired network, you do not need to connect to the VPN as your device would be automatically and securely connected to the University's network. If this is not the case, then the process described above will be applicable. 

Please note your VPN version must be at 9.1.10 or higher. Follow the steps below to confirm your VPN version: 

1. Launch Pulse VPN by going to the 'Start' menu and typing 'Pulse Secure'. You may not need to type the entire string for Windows to find the best match. 

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2. Once Pulse Secure is open, click on 'Help', then 'About'. 

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3. A pop-up window will open. Look at the bottom-left corner to find your VPN version. 

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​​​​Step 2: Launch Software Center 

If you see the pop-up, click on it to launch Software Center: 

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Note for those working remotely from the campus network: you will not receive this notification pop-up if you are not connected to VPN. 

Alternatively (if you miss the pop-up), you may launch Software Center by following the below steps: 

  • Option 1: Double-click on the Software Center icon in your desktop:​​​​​​​ 

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  • Option 2: Go to 'Start' and type 'Software Center'. You may not need to type the entire string for Windows to find the best match. 

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Step 3: Navigate to the ‘Applications’ tab, double-click the ‘Windows 10 refresh’ icon and select ‘Install’. It should be the first icon you see in the list. 

The installation will take up approximately 60 minutes.  At the end of the installation your device will automatically restart. 

If the application does not appear in the Software Center, please wait a couple of hours and try again. Additionally, please ensure you are connected to the VPN if working remotely from the campus network or connected to the wired network if working onsite. 

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Step 4: Leave your device connected to the network/VPN throughout the installation and after restarting your device 

Once the update has successfully installed, your computer will restart. 

If you are working remotely from the campus network, you will need to reconnect to the VPN again to finalise the installation. If you are working onsite at the University, please keep your device connected to the wired network. 

Please leave your device connected for at least 60 minutes to allow the upgrade to apply the changes in the background. You can continue working during this time.​​​​​​​ 

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Step 5: Install the Windows 10 version 22H2 Update 

Please note this manual step is optional. If you do not complete this step, it will automatically take place within a week. It may take a couple of days for this update to be available to download and install. 

1. Go to 'Start' and type 'Windows Update settings'. You may not need to type the entire string for Windows to find the best match. 

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2. Select 'Download and install' to install the Windows 10, version 22H2 update. You may install the 21H2 as a minimum if 22H2 is not available for you 

A couple of important notes: 

  • ​​​​​​​Downloading and installing this update will restart your computer several times. 
  • Do not install any updates related to Windows 11 if it appears available to you. You should only install the update related to Windows 10 as outlined in this guide.​​​​​ 

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Checking your update has been complete 

Once you have completed the steps above to install the update, or if the update has been automatically installed, you can follow the instructions below to confirm if that there are no actions pending: 

Step 1: Access Software Center 

1. Launch Software Center through one of the options below: 

  • ​​​​Option 1: Double-click on the Software Center icon in your desktop: 

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  • Option 2: Go to 'Start' and type 'Software Center'. You may not need to type the entire string for Windows to find the best match. 

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2. Navigate to the ‘Applications’ tab, the status for the ‘Windows 10 refresh’ should show as Installed.​​​​​​​  

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3. In some cases, there might be a 'Reinstall' option. In this instance, please note no action is required. 

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Step 2: Check the Windows 10 version

a. Go to 'Start' and type 'CMD' to open the 'Command Prompt'. You may not need to type the entire string for Windows to find the best match. 

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b. Type 'winver' and press 'Enter' on your keyboard.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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c. A pop-up window will open indicating your Windows 10 version. This should show version 22H2 if available (or 21H2 at a minimum). Please note it may take up to 48 hours for the version to appear correctly after installing the update. 

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