This past Saturday, Microsoft released an emergency patch for Windows to address two significant bugs that arose from its January 2026 security updates. These updates affected various versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server systems. The urgent fix is designed to rectify connection and authentication issues in remote access tools, such as Remote Desktop and Cloud PC environments, which prevented some users from signing in after installing the January updates. Microsoft confirmed that several versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10 Enterprise were impacted, necessitating this out-of-band release outside of the usual Patch Tuesday schedule.
Additionally, a second bug was identified specifically in Windows 11 version 23H2 systems with Secure Launch enabled. This issue resulted in affected PCs rebooting unexpectedly instead of shutting down or entering hibernation. While a workaround existed, it was considered tedious and exemplified the type of mistake that should not occur during a routine security update. Emergency updates of this nature are relatively rare and are typically issued only for problems severe enough to disrupt critical workflows, especially in enterprise settings.
Microsoft has advised organizations that have yet to deploy January’s security patches to instead install the new out-of-band patches.
This situation underscores growing frustrations among users regarding the reliability of Windows updates. Over the past year, multiple updates for Windows 11 have shipped with regressions affecting essential system functions, from crashes in File Explorer to authentication failures and shutdown issues. These frequent problems have led to a perception that emergency fixes are becoming too commonplace, causing IT departments to hesitate in deploying updates due to the risk of introducing new issues.
The growing distrust in Microsoft’s update process prompts users to reconsider their reliance on the platform, with alternatives like Linux gaining traction among individuals and organizations looking for stability. This shift in sentiment highlights the impact that recurring update issues can have on user confidence and adoption rates, emphasizing the need for Microsoft to restore credibility in its update mechanisms.