Windows 10 May 2019 Update Raises Minimum Storage Requirement to 32GB

In a change that takes effect with the imminent May 2019 Update, Microsoft has upped the minimum amount of storage space required for a PC to be able to install Windows 10.

Whether you’re running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the operating system, when upgrading to the May 2019 Update (or indeed installing the OS from scratch) you will now need 32GB of storage space as an absolute minimum.
Previously, the storage requirement was 20GB for 64-bit Windows 10, and 16GB for the 32-bit spin (at least theoretically).

Microsoft has listed that Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, version 1903 and prior, will still keep 16GB as the minimum requirement for 32-bit Windows, and 32GB as the minimum requirement for 64-bit Windows. This new minimum storage requirement shouldn't affect many users as most would opt for storage higher than 32GB these days. However, this will restrict manufacturers from making really low-end offerings.

There are conditions related to RAM and processor as well, for running Windows 10 for desktop software. Laptops that run Windows 10 for desktop editions must have more than or equal to 1GB RAM for 32-bit Windows and more than or equal to 2GB RAM for 6-bit Windows. Devices that run Windows 10 for desktop editions also require a 1GHz or faster processor or a SoC that is compatible with the x86 or x64 instruction set. The SoC should supports PAE, NX and SSE2, and support CMPXCHG16b, LAHF/SAHF, and PrefetchW for 64-bit OS installation.

Windows 10 version 1903 update aka Windows 10 May 2019 update is already available to download through Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. Users need to have a valid Windows 10 license to download this update. Microsoft has announced that it is slow-tracking the rollout of the May 2019 Update so that it can collect data about potential conflicts and bugs before too many people are affected.

April 27, 2019