Windows 11 could soon be able to perform updates without rebooting, if the rumor mill is right – and there are already indications that this is the route Microsoft is taking in a preview build.
This comes from a regular source of Microsoft-related leaks, namely Zac Bowden Windows Centralwho was the first to notice that Windows 11 preview build 26058 (in the Canary and Dev channels) has recently been updated with a interesting change.
Microsoft pushes updates to testers who do nothing and are merely “designed to test our service pipeline for Windows 11, version 24H2.” Most importantly, we are informed that those who have VBS (Virtualization Based Security) enabled “may not experience a restart after installing the update.”
Performing an update without the need for a reboot is known as ‘hot patching’ and this delivery method – which is obviously much more convenient for the user – could be realized in the next major update to Windows 11 later this year (24H2) , Bowden claims. .
The leaker tapped sources for more details, noting that we’re talking about hot-patching for the monthly cumulative updates for Windows 11. So the bigger upgrades (like 24H2) wouldn’t be built in right away, as there’s clearly too much work underneath the hood happens to make that happen.
Indeed, not every cumulative update would be applied without a reboot, Bowden further explains. This is because hot patching uses a baseline update, an update that can be patched on top of, but that base model needs to be refreshed every few months.
Of course, add spice with all this information, but it looks like Microsoft is on to something here, based on the ongoing testing, which also specifically mentions 24H2.
Analysis: How exactly would this work?
What does this mean for the future of Windows 11? Well, possibly nothing. After all, this is mostly grapevine chatter, and what apparently happens during the early testing can simply be abandoned if it doesn’t work out.
However, hot-patching is something that is already used on Windows Server and also on the Xbox console, so it makes sense that Microsoft would want to use the technology for the benefit of Windows 11 users. It is certainly a very useful addition, but as mentioned, not every cumulative update would be a hot patch.
Bowden thinks the likely scenario is quarterly cumulative updates requiring restarts, followed by hot patches in between. In other words, we’d get a reboot-laden update in January, for example, followed by two cumulative updates with hot patches in February and March that could be completed quickly without the need for a reboot. Then the April cumulative update should restart, but not May and June, and so on.
As mentioned, annual updates would certainly not be hot patches, nor would out-of-band security solutions, for example (since the updates without a reboot depend on that base patch, and such a solution would not be based on it). , Naturally).
This would be a pretty cool feature for Windows 11 users, as eliminating the need to reboot (in some cases, be forced to reboot) is obviously a big advantage. Is it enough to entice Windows 10 upgrades? Well, maybe not, but it’s another boon to add to the pile for those sticking with Microsoft’s older operating system. (Assuming they can upgrade to Windows 11 at all, of course, which is a stumbling block for some due to PC requirements like TPM).