The official IE blog reveals that users running beta versions of IE8 were already offered the complete release through Automatic Updates last week. Those of you who run Internet Explorer 6 or 7 on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and more recent Windows releases will get the same treatment 'on or about the third week of April.' The browser will show up as a 'high priority' update for Windows XP systems and as 'important' for Vista and Windows Server 2008 systems.

IE8 will not automatically install on machines. Users must opt-in to install IE8. Users will see a Welcome screen that offers choices: Ask later, install now, or don't install. Users who decline the automatic update can still download it from http://www.microsoft.com/ie8 or from Windows Update as an optional update. For more information about the Automatic Update experience, see Jane Maliouta's blog post from January 6th.

If an organization uses Automatic Update to keep Windows up-to-date but wants to manage its own deployment of IE8, a free Blocker Toolkit is available that will block automatic delivery of IE8. This blocker toolkit was released in January 2009 and has no expiration date. For more information, please review the information for IT administrators at the Windows Update/Microsoft Update site on TechNet, as well as the Blocker Toolkit FAQ. Organizations that wish to block the distribution of IE8 should have their blocking in place by the week of April 20th.

Organizations that use Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and Systems Management Server (SMS) can deploy IE8 in the same manner as they would deploy any other update. We will release IE8 to WSUS in July 2009; it will be classified as an Update Rollup and must be approved to install on groups of clients within the organization.