With only a few days left in May, Microsoft has begun distributing the May 2020 update for Windows 10 on select PCs. Depending on your luck, you may be forced to install it if you are not in the front of the line.

The May 2020 update is the first of two major updates to Windows 10 scheduled for this year; known as Windows 10 version 2004, Microsoft has been testing this update through the Windows Insider program through which it has been testing it and is now confident that it has squashed enough bugs to ensure a relatively smooth rollout.

As is usual with such a major update, problems will be inevitable for some (Neowin warns that "a cluster of known issues" have slipped through). Fortunately, the recent update works much better than the October 2018 update, which Microsoft had to pull offline to address various issues, including missing files and audio glitches, before re-releasing it the following month.

To address this, Microsoft staggered the releases rather than releasing them to all Windows 10 users at the same time.

"You may not see (the update) on your device as we gradually accelerate its availability over the next few weeks. There may also be compatibility issues with your device, in which case a safeguard hold will be applied until we are confident that you are comfortable with the update," Microsoft said.

To check if the update is available on your PC, go to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update and click Check for Updates. You will then be presented with the option to download and install.

As of this writing, it is not available on my PC, so I headed to Microsoft's download portal to install it manually. However, Windows Defender flagged the first download as an unrecognized app that "may compromise your PC" and got off to a rocky start. I ignored the warning and proceeded with the update, which failed and displayed "something went wrong." The dialog box recommended that I check my network settings.

My gut feeling is that Microsoft's servers are taking a beating in the early stages. However, that should dissipate over time. In any case, if you are thinking of updating, my advice is to back up your important files first in case something goes wrong, and then cross your fingers and hope for the best.

As for what's new, I can't give you my first-hand impressions, but highlights include a better task manager (GPU temperatures are displayed and drives are identified as SSD or HDD, not just "disk 1" and "disk 2"), DirectX 12 Ultimate support, memory improvements in Edge (according to Microsoft, memory usage has been reduced by up to 27% when browsing in Edge), and better integration between smartphones and PCs.