Microsoft has released a second out-of-band update in just a week to fix ongoing issues affecting Windows and Outlook users. The recent patches come after reports of problems caused by the January Patch Tuesday updates, which led to application hangs and file errors, especially when working with cloud storage services like OneDrive and Dropbox. The quick response highlights Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to address bugs that slipped through regular updates.

Problems with the January Updates

Users experienced significant difficulties after applying the January 13 Windows updates. Many reported that some applications became unresponsive, and errors appeared when opening or saving files to cloud services. Outlook was particularly affected, especially configurations where the PST file was stored on OneDrive. This setup sometimes caused Outlook to freeze, and in some cases, sent messages went missing or emails that had already been downloaded were re-downloaded, causing confusion and frustration.

These issues prompted Microsoft to act swiftly. The company released a series of out-of-band emergency updates aimed at Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server versions 2019, 2022, and 2025. These updates are designed to fix the specific bugs introduced by the previous patches and improve overall stability and security.

Previous Patch Problems and Microsoft’s Response

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has had to fix issues caused by its updates. Just last week, the company had to address two new bugs: one that prevented users from connecting to Windows Cloud PCs, and another that stopped some machines with Secure Launch enabled from shutting down properly. Earlier in October 2025, a patch caused multiple problems for users, leading Microsoft to issue a fix. In May 2025, another out-of-band update was released to resolve startup failures on Windows 11.

The latest updates are cumulative, meaning they include all previous security fixes and improvements from earlier patches. Specifically, they incorporate fixes from the January 13, 2026 security update (KB5074109) and the emergency update (KB5077744) released on January 17, 2026. Microsoft emphasizes that these patches are part of their ongoing efforts to ensure Windows remains secure and functional amid a series of complex bugs.

While these quick fixes help patch critical issues, they also highlight the importance of careful testing before deploying updates. Users are advised to back up their data and monitor system behavior after installing any new patches. Microsoft continues to work on stabilizing the update process to reduce the need for emergency fixes in the future.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4122139/microsoft-releases-second-out-of-band-fix-for-windows-in-a-week.html

Sources

• csoonline.com
• microsoft.com
• microsoft.com
• microsoft.com
• microsoft.com