What and why
The September 2026 Windows security update will be released as a standard update rather than a hotpatch update. Some of the security improvements in this update change components that cannot be updated without a restart. As a result, devices enrolled in hotpatching will need to restart to complete installation.
Rollout schedule
- September 2026: Standard update with restart required for all devices including those that are hotpatch-enabled.
- October 2026: Planned baseline update month with restart required.
- November 2026: Next hotpatch update expected.
Impact on your organization
- Hotpatch-enabled devices will require a restart to complete installation of the September 2026 security update.
- Hotpatch-enabled devices will remain enrolled in hotpatch updates.
- No change for devices not using hotpatch updates (standard updates already require restart).
Action required / recommendations
No additional configuration is required to stay enrolled in hotpatch updates.
Compliance considerations
No compliance action is required. Update installation and restart behavior will be reflected in update history and compliance reports as usual.
Additional information
You can track the hotpatch update calendars on the Windows release health site for both Windows 11 and Windows Server.