What you need to know before upgrading to Windows 8.1

It’s nearly a year since Microsoft released the divisive Windows 8, and this week sees the launch of Windows 8.1 — an update to the tiled operating system that aims to fix many of the perceived wrongs of the first version, while introducing some very welcome new features.

If you’re a Windows 8 or RT user you’ll be able to download the update for free starting at 4AM PDT (that’s 12pm in the UK) on 17 October. You’ll be able to get it directly through the Windows Store or by downloading an ISO image if you prefer to install it manually.