Recent reports from PCWorld highlight a significant issue affecting a segment of Windows 11 users, who have been unable to receive updates since February. This situation has raised concerns about security vulnerabilities and potential system complications.
The root of the problem can be traced back to the January Preview Update, which has caused download timeouts for affected systems. Consequently, these users have missed out on essential monthly security patches, as well as critical updates related to Secure Boot certificates, which are set to expire soon.
How to identify the problem
Microsoft has begun to address this issue through the Windows Admin Center. Reports indicate that while new updates appear available in Windows Update, they fail to download successfully on impacted devices. Users may encounter a crash during the update process, accompanied by the error code 0x80010002.
To determine if your system is affected, navigate to Settings, then Windows Update, and select View update history. If you find that no updates have been installed since January and you have not paused updates manually, it is likely that you are experiencing this issue.
What you can do about it
While Microsoft is actively working on a permanent fix, they have acknowledged that the error is linked to changes in download timeout requirements. Additionally, overly strict firewall settings may hinder communication with download servers, further complicating the update process.
For those affected, the recommended course of action is to execute a Known-Issue Rollback (KIR) to revert to a previous state before the problematic update was installed. This rollback should help restore normal update functionality and prevent further errors.
This procedure is primarily designed for IT administrators; however, home users can also attempt to remove the faulty January preview update. Known-Issue Rollbacks are available for Windows 11 versions 26H1 (KB5083806) and 24H2, 25H2, along with Windows Server 2025 (KB5083631).
This information has been adapted from our sister publication, PC-WELT, and translated from German to provide clarity on the ongoing situation.
