Issues with Windows 11 Update in 2026

The security update for Windows 11 released in 2026 turned out to be problematic. Following the patch release on January 13, some users encountered errors that prevented their computers from shutting down or entering sleep mode correctly. Microsoft has already issued an out-of-band fix.

According to Microsoft, issues arose after installing the January security update. On January 17, the company was forced to release an emergency out-of-band patch to resolve critical failures caused by the previous update.

Among the identified problems:

• connection and authentication failures in remote access applications, including Remote Desktop;
• the inability to properly shut down the computer or put it into hibernation on systems with Secure Launch enabled.

Remote access issues affected multiple platforms, including Windows 11 version 25H2, Windows 10 version 22H2 with extended support, and Windows Server 2025. Meanwhile, the shutdown and hibernation failure pertains only to Windows 11 version 23H2 and only devices with Secure Launch.

This is not the first time recently that Microsoft has had to issue out-of-band updates to address serious bugs in Windows. Previously, such patches were rare; however, they have been appearing more frequently in recent years.

Microsoft advises users who are experiencing these issues to promptly install the emergency update.