Windows Update side effects: Connection errors with Windows 365

Microsoft's January Patch Day also brought the monthly security updates for the Windows operating systems. Just one day after distribution, Microsoft is now reporting unwanted side effects. On the plus side, Microsoft also offers a tip as a temporary workaround.

In the Windows Release Health Center, Microsoft has added an entry for the affected operating systems. “After installing the January 2026 Windows security updates, credential prompt failures occurred with Remote Desktop connection using the Windows app on Windows client devices, affecting Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365,” Microsoft explains the symptoms. It continues: “The issue affects the Windows app on certain Windows builds and causes sign-in failures.” Investigation and debugging are ongoing, with the Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows Update teams coordinating.

Connection problems: temporary countermeasures

Microsoft suggests two ways affected users can help themselves. Firstly, they can use the Remote Desktop client for Windows to connect to Azure Virtual Desktop. The download and version history are available on a dedicated Microsoft website.

Secondly, Microsoft offers the Windows app as a web client on the website windows.cloud.microsoft. This is not expected to exhibit the observed problems.

The list of affected operating systems is long. According to Microsoft, the connection issues occur in Windows 11 25H2, 24H2, 23H2, Windows 10 22H2, 21H2, Enterprise LTSC 2019 and 2016, as well as Windows Server 2025, 2022, and 2019.

On the Microsoft January Patch Day, which took place on Tuesday night into Wednesday this week, the manufacturer fixed an already exploited vulnerability (CVE-2026-20805) with the security updates for the Windows operating systems. In addition to Windows 10 and 11, it also affects various server editions.

(dmk)