More problems with Windows updates from January
Microsoft has acknowledged further problems with the January security updates for Windows. Applications may no longer respond.
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Microsoft has acknowledged further problems caused by the January Patch Day Windows security updates. Some applications may no longer respond or may display error messages as a result.
Microsoft has now announced this in the Windows Release Health notes. After installing the January Windows security updates, “some applications may stop responding or encounter unexpected errors when opening or saving files from cloud-based storage, such as OneDrive or Dropbox,” Microsoft explains.
As an example, the company states that in some configurations where Outlook saves PST files to OneDrive, Outlook may stop responding and reopening will fail until the process is terminated with Task Manager or the system is restarted. Furthermore, sent emails may not appear in the Sent folder and already downloaded emails may be downloaded again.
Temporary countermeasures
Microsoft suggests that affected users should contact the developers of the non-responsive app and inquire about alternative methods of accessing the files. For Outlook, for example, moving the PST file out of OneDrive should solve the problem. For this, Microsoft provides its guide. Additionally, email accounts can still be accessed via webmail if the email provider supports it. IT administrators who urgently need help resolving these issues should contact Microsoft Business Support.
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According to Microsoft's statement, Windows 11 25H2, 24H2, and 23H2, Windows 10 22H2, Enterprise LTSC 2021 and LTSC 2019, as well as Windows Server 2025, 23H2, 2022, and 2019 are impacted. Microsoft is working on a solution and will provide it as soon as possible.
The January updates are already causing some unwanted side effects. For example, Outlook can freeze or hang when used for managing POP3 email accounts. To fix two errors, Microsoft already released emergency out-of-band updates over the weekend. They correct that Windows 11 23H2 could no longer properly enter sleep mode or shut down due to the updates. Additionally, the Windows app could no longer access Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop via a Remote Desktop connection.
(dmk)
