Microsoft’s personal fixes have change into its greatest downside, forcing the corporate to problem a second emergency patch this month. The unprecedented cycle of patch-break-patch started after the Jan. 13 Patch Tuesday launched important flaws.
An pressing repair on Jan. 17 failed, triggering debilitating new bugs, together with file system points with OneDrive and Dropbox, and freezing in Outlook. The bugs prompted the software program large to hurry out a second out-of-band (OOB) replace on Jan. 24, amid rising consumer frustration.
Microsoft has suggested Home windows customers to replace to the most recent model regardless of the current points with its updates.
Movement of updates and accompanying bugs
Microsoft calls the second Tuesday of each month Patch Tuesday or Replace Tuesday. It permits the corporate to constantly roll out safety and non-security updates to Microsoft merchandise. Except for these mounted replace days, that are all the time cumulative, particular important points can power Microsoft to launch an OOB replace earlier than its subsequent Replace Tuesday.
On this case, the double emergency updates usually are not the problem. The problem stems from the basis trigger: a Microsoft replace launched a bug that was mounted, however the repair launched one other bug.
On Jan. 13, Microsoft launched its first replace of 2026, and plenty of customers put in it instantly. It addressed a number of recognized points relating to compatibility, energy, safety, bootup, and networking. ZDNET additionally stories that this replace addressed each exploited and unexploited vulnerabilities, together with important ones.
Nonetheless, Home windows customers who put in the replace started experiencing points, particularly these accessing Home windows by way of its Distant Desktop Protocol. Microsoft wrote:
“[Remote Desktop] Fastened: After putting in the January 2026 Home windows safety replace (KB5074109), some customers skilled sign-in failures throughout Distant Desktop connections. This problem affected authentication steps for various Distant Desktop functions on Home windows, such because the Home windows App.”
Others with the Jan. 13 replace additionally skilled points with shutting down and hibernating.
By Jan. 17, Home windows shortly launched an replace to patch the patch. The replace codenamed KB5077744 primarily focused Home windows 11 computer systems working variations 24H2 and 25H2.
Whereas KB5077744 was supposed to repair the aforementioned points on Home windows, it launched its personal bugs. In its launch notes, Microsoft famous that Home windows customers who had the KB5077744 replace started experiencing file system points.
Customers reported being unable to open or add information to OneDrive or Dropbox. Customers additionally reported that Outlook froze, requiring a restart. Some customers additionally reported redownloaded emails and lacking despatched gadgets.
Consequently, on Jan. 24, Microsoft despatched out the second emergency replace of the month, tagged KB5078127. Customers, particularly these affected by earlier bugs, are inspired to put in the brand new repair as quickly as potential.
What to anticipate
Up to now, customers haven’t reported any bugs from the Jan. 24 replace. Nonetheless, the a number of bugs that got here with the Patch Tuesday and Jan. 17 updates increase questions concerning the high quality of updates Microsoft releases.
From the well-known blue display displaying “UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME” error to bizarre Outlook behaviors, many Home windows customers and IT admins have had a really disturbing January. Many Home windows customers have taken to fashionable Reddit boards to share their complaints and frustrations, signaling rising dissatisfaction inside the Home windows group.
Microsoft’s subsequent Patch Tuesday is slated for February 10. Whether or not one other emergency replace will likely be launched earlier than then is unsure. But when it occurs, and pertains to bugs brought on by earlier ones, it can positively spell huge bother for Microsoft’s fame.
Additionally learn: Microsoft will finish assist for Home windows 11 24H2, Workplace 2021, and different merchandise in 2026, tightening improve timelines.
