Microsoft lifts Windows 10 1809 block after Apple fixes iCloud for Windows
Apple has released a new version of iCloud for Windows, fixing the compatibility issue that had prompted Microsoft to block the Windows 10 October 2018 Update for some users.
Windows 10
The compatibility issue affected users on Windows 10 version 1809 with iCloud for Windows version 7.7.0.27. The issue caused problems syncing Shared Albums after users updated to Windows 10 1809.
To avoid problems, Microsoft last week blocked Windows PCs with that version of iCloud from updating to Windows 10 1809. It also prevented users already on 1809 from installing iCloud until Apple released a fix.
Apple has now released iCloud for Windows 7.8.1, which Microsoft has confirmed resolves the compatibility issue and means users on Windows 10 1803 can once again upgrade to Windows 10 1809.
However, Microsoft is advising users to update to the new version of iCloud for Windows before upgrading to the latest version of Windows 10.
"We recommend that you update your iCloud for Windows to version 7.8.1 when prompted before attempting to upgrade to Windows 10, version 1809," Microsoft says on its Windows 10 1809 support page.
Windows 10 users can also manually download the latest version of iCloud for Windows from Apple's page.
SEE: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (free PDF)
As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple has amended the minimum requirements for iCloud for Windows. Previously, it said, "iCloud for Windows 7.7 and later requires Microsoft Windows 7 through Windows 10 April 2018 Update..." Now it says, "iCloud for Windows 7.8.1 requires Microsoft Windows 7 or later..."
Microsoft has blocked the Windows 10 1809 upgrade for several groups of users as part of its "controlled rollout approach" after pulling the update due to a critical data-deleting bug that stung some early adopters.
Microsoft rereleased Windows 10 1809 on November 13, over a month after its initial release on October 2.
Last week, it also blocked the Windows 10 1809 update on PCs with certain versions of Intel display drivers that broke audio on monitors and TVs connected to a Windows 10 PC.
According to Microsoft, Intel "inadvertently" released two versions of a display driver to OEMs, which in turn "accidentally turned on unsupported features in Windows".
There are also blocks in place for systems running some Trend Micro products, F5 VPN, and certain AMD chips. And Microsoft is aiming to deliver a fix for a mapped-drives issue by the end of November.
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