An end to the reboot? Microsoft’s latest change means you no longer have to restart your work laptop for every Windows update
- Hotpatching is coming to more Windows users
- Security updates for Windows 11 Enterprise and 365 no longer require a restart to install
- Better security and system performance are other benefits, Microsoft says
Getting caught by an unexpected Windows update that restarts your PC without warning could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new launch from Microsoft.
In what will be welcome news for anyone who has had their work interrupted by an unexpected Windows update, the company is finally introducing reboot-less updates – but only for some users.
The new “hotpatch updates” mean that security updates for Windows 11 Enterprise and 365 can be downloaded and installed through the existing Windows Updates program, meaning you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to restart.
Hotpatch updates for Windows 11
“Hotpatch updates are limited and provide a complete set of security patches for the operating system. No additional features are included,” Microsoft’s David Callaghan noted in a blog postconfirming the new changes coming to Windows 11 Enterprise version 24H2.
“They are unique because they take effect immediately upon installation, without the need to restart your device, ensuring targeted, fast protection.”
Hotptaching reduces the amount of system downtime for each reboot for each security patch because they update the code in memory, meaning no reboots are required. This reduces the impact on workload, but also means that updates install faster and consume less disk and CPU resources due to fewer binaries required.
The company also noted some other benefits of hot patching, including better protection because hot patch update packages focus on Windows security updates installing faster without having to restart your machine, and reducing the time exposed to security risks and changing windows. and easier patch orchestration with Azure Update Manager.
Microsoft has been experimenting with hotpatch updates for some time, with the tool available since February 2022 for Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition, as well as the newer Windows Server 2025.
There’s no news on whether other editions of Windows will be included, so Windows 11 Home and Pro users may have to wait a little longer, but for now, business and enterprise users can enjoy an update process without a reboot.
“Hotpatch updates allow you to quickly take action to protect your organization against the evolving cyber-attack landscape while minimizing user disruption,” said Callaghan.
“Hotpatching represents a significant advancement in our journey to make you and everyone who uses Windows more secure and productive.”