Since September 2024, Microsoft has allowed system administrators to test hot patching for Windows Server 2025 at no cost. This feature enables security updates to be applied without restarting the server, thereby minimizing downtime and enhancing operational security. However, Microsoft has recently announced that starting July 1, 2025, this functionality will require a paid subscription.
Microsoft’s announcement, made through the Windows Server blog, confirmed that hot patching will be generally available for a fee of $1.50 per CPU core per month. The billing will be performed monthly, aiming to provide cost consistency throughout the year for both months with and without hot patching.
Advantages of Hot Patching
The new service is touted as beneficial for administrators, who have been encouraged to test it while it remains free. Even though hot patching will require approximately four server restarts per year, it promises significant time savings and less inconvenience compared to the traditional Patch Tuesday updates. Notably, this function has been available for Azure editions of Windows Server for several years, facilitating streamlined update processes that used to require extensive downtime.
For on-premises or multi-cloud environments, hot patching is contingent upon having either Windows Server 2025 Standard or Data Center integrated with Azure Arc and subscribed to the hot patching service. Those currently testing the feature need to opt-out by June 30, 2025, if they prefer not to transition to the paid model.
Moreover, hot patching has also debuted for Windows 11 desktop clients, which requires subscriptions at various levels, including E3, E5, F3, or education subscriptions A3 and A5, as well as Windows 365 Enterprise licenses.
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