Microsoft will activate hotpatch safety updates by default for all eligible Home windows units managed via Microsoft Intune and the Microsoft Graph API, starting with the Might 2026 Home windows safety replace.
The updates will likely be delivered via Home windows Autopatch, the corporate’s enterprise service that routinely retains Home windows and Microsoft 365 software program updated.
Below the earlier replace mannequin, IT directors sometimes allowed 3 to five days for customers to restart their units earlier than forcing compliance (a window that left their organizations uncovered to assaults).
Nevertheless, with this alteration, Microsoft estimates that the time to succeed in 90% patch compliance will likely be halved.
“Beginning with the Might 2026 Home windows safety replace, Home windows Autopatch is enabling hotpatch safety updates by default as a result of they’re the quickest option to get safe. This alteration in default conduct will affect all eligible Microsoft Intune units. Extra IT controls are coming in April,” Microsoft mentioned.
“You possibly can disable hotpatch updates on the tenant stage and allow them for particular units and vice versa. Once you’re prepared for hotpatch updates by default, simply toggle ‘When out there, apply with out restarting the system (hotpatch)’ again to Permit,” it added.
​Admins can examine system readiness utilizing the Hotpatch high quality updates report in Intune to substantiate whether or not units have put in the April 2026 baseline replace and meet the conditions to obtain hotpatch updates in Might.
Organizations that aren’t prepared will be capable to choose out on the tenant stage utilizing controls in Microsoft Intune (which can go reside on April 1, 2026) by going via the next steps:
- Open Microsoft Intune.
- Navigate to Tenant administration > Home windows Autopatch > Tenant administration.
- Choose the Tenant settings tab.
- Toggle the “When out there, apply updates with out restarting the system (“hotpatch”) setting to both Permitor Block.
As a result of April is a hotpatch baseline month, admins have till Might 11, 2026, earlier than any hotpatch updates are deployed, offering them with sufficient time to assessment and alter.
Home windows Autopatch was first introduced in April 2022 and reached common availability for purchasers with Home windows Enterprise E3 and E5 licenses in July 2022.
Microsoft says that Home windows Autopatch is now operating on greater than 10 million manufacturing units, making use of safety fixes the second they’re put in, eliminating the necessity for a system restart.
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