Microsoft is changing the minimum hardware requirements of devices running with Windows 10 2004 update. The Redmond-based tech giant will start the process of phasing out support to the 32-bit Windows operating system. The version 2004 or the May 2020 update is now available to the OEMs, users, and Windows developers via Microsoft's insider program.
It looks like Microsoft has not offered a 32-variant of the operating system to OEMs for the Windows 10 version 2004. The latest information comes from Twitter user TeroAlhonen, who shared that for now, the Redmond-based tech giant is allowing users to purchase 32-bit Windows 10 at retail. It also revealed that devices running on the 32-bit Windows 10 media could still receive updates for their existing apps and implementation.
* Beginning with Windows 10, version 2004, all new Windows 10 systems will be required to use 64-bit builds and Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit builds for OEM distribution https://t.co/ztVWcmiJQK — Tero Alhonen (@teroalhonen) May 13, 2020
In other words, anyone who has a device running on a 32-bit Windows is still fine for as long as the device has no issues and stays stable. This information was later confirmed by Microsoft on its official statement. According to the tech giant, "Beginning with Windows 10, version 2004, all new Windows 10 systems will be required to use 64-bit builds, and Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit builds for OEM distribution."
Microsoft, however, assured owners that "This does not impact 32-bit customer systems that are manufactured with earlier versions of Windows 10; Microsoft remains committed to providing feature and security updates on these devices, including continued 32-bit media availability in non-OEM channels to support various upgrade installation scenarios."
It is worth mentioning that Microsoft only updated the storage requirements of the 32-bit Windows version in 2019 after several years of launching the variant as a Service model. With the upcoming feature update, the Redmond tech titan is giving the consumers a signal to the imminent death of the 32-bit version of its operating system. Most likely, this is just the first phase of what is going to be a long and drawn-out method of making Windows 10 an exclusive 64-bit product.
What does this upcoming step mean to PC users? Should users be worried that their PC would stop working when the 32-bit support finally ends? It would not matter that much, and any PC running on the 32-bit Windows 10 would not definitely stop working. While Microsoft has not yet revealed when the update would roll out, whispers online claim that the Windows 10 2004 or the May 2020 Update might arrive on May 28, 2020.
