Microsoft rolls out emergency patch to fix record-breaking Windows update
An out-of-band update addresses bugs in Remote Desktop and virtual machines introduced by the company’s largest patch to date.
Microsoft has begun rolling out an emergency out-of-band update to resolve bugs introduced by its September Patch Tuesday release. The original update, which patched nearly 1,000 flaws, stands as the largest in the company’s history. However, the release also introduced issues that have affected businesses, developers, and gamers.
The new patch specifically addresses problems affecting Remote Desktop Services sessions, USB audio devices, and folder shares on Hyper-V-based Linux virtual machines. According to The Verge, the fix applies to Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2.
Microsoft has also released corresponding updates for Windows Server 2025 and 2022, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2, as well as the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) versions of Windows 10. The emergency update was released on 14 September, following the initial rollout of the problematic patch.
This release continues a trend of frequent emergency updates for Microsoft in 2026. While issuing out-of-band updates was previously unusual, the company has had to do so more often this year to address critical issues. In January, Microsoft issued four out-of-band updates after a buggy Windows 11 patch caused widespread problems.
Further emergency patches were issued in March to address installation failures and Microsoft account sign-in problems. In July, another out-of-band update was released to fix an Intel driver issue that was causing performance problems and battery drain.
The frequency of these updates suggests a shift in Microsoft’s approach to patch management, as the company works to stabilise its operating systems following a particularly large-scale maintenance release.
