Patch Tuesday update Archives

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September 15, 2026

Microsoft issues emergency Windows 11 update to fix its record-breaking patch

Microsoft has rolled out an emergency out-of-band update to address issues from its September Patch Tuesday update, which affected nearly 1,000 vulnerabilities and caused bugs in folder shares on Hyper-V-based Linux virtual machines, Remote Desktop Services sessions, and certain USB audio devices. The new update targets multiple versions of Windows 11 (26h1, 25H2, and 24H2) and also includes updates for Windows Server 2025, 2022, and LTSC versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. In 2023, Microsoft has increasingly issued out-of-band updates, including four in January, two in March, and one in July, to resolve various issues.

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September 15, 2026

Windows 11 update breaks copy and paste in Microsoft Excel

Microsoft is facing challenges in September due to bugs in Windows 11, particularly affecting Excel's copy and paste functionality after a recent OS update. Users of Excel 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016 may experience silent failures when attempting to paste content, with no error messages provided. Microsoft is investigating this issue. Following the September Patch Tuesday update, which included nearly 1,000 security fixes, users are advised to install the update but may consider delaying it due to existing bugs. Additionally, Microsoft has launched the Windows K2 initiative to improve the Windows 11 experience by streamlining the update process, although users have still encountered multiple updates in September.

Winsage

September 15, 2026

Microsoft just patched over 1,000 flaws in Windows, but you might want to wait to update your PC

Microsoft released a September Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 that addressed nearly 1,000 vulnerabilities but introduced bugs affecting some users' PCs. The update, 25H2, reintroduced features like a movable taskbar and a customizable Start menu. Users with AMD Radeon GPUs reported system crashes due to driver instability, and emergency patches from Microsoft did not resolve these GPU issues. Users are advised to consider rolling back their systems to a state prior to the August Patch Tuesday. HP and Lenovo PC users are cautioned, as the update may cause BIOS corruption on HP machines and random shutdowns or black screens on Lenovo devices. HP is working on a BIOS revision, but the cause of the issues remains unclear.

Winsage

September 12, 2026

Windows 11’s useless Copilot key finally does something, you can map it to right-click

Recent updates from Microsoft allow users to remap the Copilot key on Windows 11 to either the Right Ctrl key or the Context Menu key. This feature is part of the Release Preview Build 26100.9539 for 24H2 and 26200.9539 for 25H2, rolled out on September 10, 2026. Users can access this remapping option under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard. The Copilot key was introduced in January 2024 but received criticism for being cumbersome. Microsoft acknowledged the challenges posed by the Copilot key, particularly for users relying on the Right Ctrl or Context Menu keys for shortcuts and assistive technologies. If remapped to the Right Ctrl key, certain shortcut combinations may not function as expected. The feature is expected to be fully rolled out on October 12, 2026.

Winsage

September 10, 2026

Windows 11’s last Secure Boot deadline is weeks away, here’s what you must do

Microsoft is continuing the rollout of Secure Boot certificate updates, with the next significant deadline on October 19, 2026, when the Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011 certificate expires. The September 2026 Patch Tuesday update has expanded eligibility for Secure Boot certificates to more PCs classified as “high confidence.” Users may need to reboot their PCs to install these updates, and some may require firmware updates beforehand. Microsoft has confirmed that the update process will persist beyond established deadlines, and older certificates are expiring in stages, with the first two deadlines having already passed. Users should ensure they have the latest updates installed and check their Secure Boot status in Windows Security. Microsoft has assured that PCs without the newer certificates will continue to boot normally and receive standard updates while the rollout continues.

Winsage

September 9, 2026

Latest Windows 11 update restores your taskbar control, patches 995 security flaws

Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 introduces several enhancements, including the ability to reposition the taskbar to the top, left, or right sides of the screen. Users can adjust the taskbar's alignment, height, and icon size, though the auto-hide feature is limited to the bottom position. The Start menu now allows users to select between Small and Large sizes, with the Recommended section rebranded as Recent, and options to hide their name and profile picture. The Search window has been streamlined to focus on suggested or recent searches. The update addresses 995 security vulnerabilities, including 121 critical vulnerabilities and two zero-day flaws (CVE-2026-81963 and CVE-2026-85880), which could allow attackers to gain system-level privileges.

Winsage

September 9, 2026

Microsoft’s Two-Track Patch Tuesday: Cloud Identity Flaws Fixed Before Disclosure, Windows Still Catching Up

The September 2026 security cycle revealed a bifurcated approach to vulnerability management by Microsoft, focusing on cloud-side identity services with silent mitigations and traditional Patch Tuesday updates for on-premises Windows infrastructure. On September 3, Microsoft addressed nine cloud-side vulnerabilities, including two with a CVSS score of 10.0: CVE-2026-83711 (Azure AD B2C elevation of privilege) and CVE-2026-70352 (Azure AI Language Authoring missing authentication). Additionally, CVE-2026-83941 (Entra ID elevation of privilege, rated 9.9) and CVE-2026-80098 (Copilot Studio cryptographic flaw) were noted. On September 8, the Patch Tuesday update addressed 70 CVEs, including critical issues in the on-premises stack, such as CVE-2026-83939 (Windows Secure Kernel Mode elevation of privilege). CVE-2026-69414 (ShieldBreak), an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Defender Malware Protection Engine, was patched out-of-band on September 3 after being publicly exposed for three weeks. Microsoft is shifting its Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) enforcement to default to passkeys as of September 7, with plans to phase out SMS and voice-based authentication by February 2027. This aims to enhance security by moving away from legacy credentials.

Winsage

September 7, 2026

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 upgrade for faster boot and 8GB RAM PCs, but shares no numbers

Microsoft announced at the IFA 2026 conference that Windows 11 will boot faster and improve performance on PCs with 8GB of RAM. The upcoming major update will enhance features like Windows Hello and include a movable taskbar, a resizable Start menu, and the option to remove Bing from Windows Search. The September 2026 Patch Tuesday update is expected to roll out these improvements. Mark Linton, Corporate Vice President of Windows & Devices at Microsoft, emphasized the company's goal of optimizing Windows 11 for 8GB RAM PCs due to rising memory costs. While 16GB of RAM has been historically recommended for optimal performance, Microsoft's focus on improving efficiency for 8GB systems aims to make technology more accessible.

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September 3, 2026

Microsoft is auto-enabling Memory Integrity on Windows 11 PCs from October. Why you shouldn’t turn it off

Starting in October 2026, Microsoft will automatically activate memory integrity for eligible Windows 11 devices through the Patch Tuesday update on October 13. Memory integrity, or Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), protects the core of Windows by ensuring that kernel-mode drivers are verified before execution, preventing malware from exploiting vulnerable drivers. Eligible devices must have an Intel 8th-generation processor or newer, AMD Zen 2 or newer, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8180 or newer, at least 8GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, virtualization enabled in firmware, and compatible drivers. Secured-core PCs already have this feature enabled. Windows will assess device readiness before activation and will respect user settings if memory integrity has been intentionally disabled. Users can check memory integrity status in Windows Security under Device security. Incompatible drivers may cause issues, and conflicts will be logged in the Event Viewer. Microsoft is pushing this update due to increased security threats and aims to protect users who have upgraded their systems without performing clean installs. If issues arise with memory integrity enabled, users can identify problematic drivers in the CodeIntegrity event log.

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August 31, 2026

Microsoft’s latest Windows update breaks cursors, wallpaper, and more – what to do if you’re affected

Windows 11 users who installed the September preview update (KB5120998) are experiencing a bug that alters or erases personalized mouse cursor settings, resulting in cursors that may be too large, too small, or invisible. Microsoft has acknowledged this issue, describing it as causing "appearance regressions and intermittent animation changes." High-DPI cursors have been replaced with larger, white cursors, and attempts to revert to previous settings have failed. Additionally, users have reported issues with wallpapers reverting to a black screen and blurry fonts, although Microsoft has not formally acknowledged the font issue. Users can uninstall the update by navigating to Settings, selecting Windows Update, clicking on Update History, and finding the option to uninstall the update labeled 2026-08 Preview Update (KB5120998). Microsoft is investigating the cursor problem and plans to provide updates by September 8.