Adobe: Photoshop Requires Windows 10 Anniversary Update Version 1607 Link =link=

A: Microsoft aggressively pushes Windows 11. Use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool , run it, select "Create installation media for another PC," and uncheck "Use recommended options for this PC." Then select "Windows 10" and "Version 1607" from the dropdown (if visible). If not visible, use the Rufus tool to download the ISO manually from Microsoft's servers using the script feature.

If you try to run modern Photoshop on Windows 10 version 1511 (the "November Update"), the brush tool lags by 200ms, the pen pressure fails, and the layer thumbnails render as corrupted green squares. Adobe realized it was cheaper to hard-block the install than to support Microsoft's broken legacy code.

A: This is a known issue. The built-in Windows Update tool can sometimes fail to find major feature updates. Using the Media Creation Tool as described in Solution 1 is the best way to bypass this issue.

For many users, this specific prompt—often accompanied by a cryptic "link" to a Microsoft support page—brings workflow to a screeching halt. It is a moment of confusion. You are running Windows 10. Isn’t that enough?

Older devices, like the Cintiq Companion 2, occasionally run into hardware-driver conflicts that prevent the OS from reaching version 1607, leaving them stuck on older Photoshop editions. Checking Your Version A: Microsoft aggressively pushes Windows 11

The desktop management app enforces OS checks before allowing installation to prevent system crashes. Official System Requirements

Browse the Microsoft Update Catalog Frequently Asked Questions Can I bypass this error by changing registry keys?

"Photoshop's Brush Smoothing algorithm relies on the 'Windows Ink Pen Hysteresis' fix introduced in Build 14393. Without this, strokes generate duplicate coordinates, causing the 'stutter paint' bug."

What did you see when running the winver command? If you try to run modern Photoshop on

If your computer is managed by an organization, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update may be blocked by your IT administrator. You will need to request an exemption or ask for your workstation to be updated to meet the software requirements.

Because Windows 10 Version 1607 was released in 2016, Microsoft has since released much newer versions (such as 22H2) and Windows 11. You should update to the latest available version rather than targeting 1607 specifically, as older versions are no longer supported by Microsoft. Method A: Use Windows Update (Recommended) Click the menu and select the Settings gear icon. Go to Update & Security > Windows Update . Click the Check for updates button.

Before proceeding, you need to know which version of Windows 10 is currently installed on your computer.

Press , type %localappdata%\Adobe\OOBE and press Enter . The built-in Windows Update tool can sometimes fail

To verify your current version, press , type winver , and hit Enter. How to Update to Windows 10 Version 1607 (or Higher)

How to Fix the Adobe Photoshop "Windows 10 Anniversary Update Version 1607" Error

After installing 1607, open and check for updates.