Microsoft has released fixes for a set of flawed January 2026 security updates that caused authentication and power management issues for some users.
The updates are available for Windows client versions 10, 11 23H2, 11 24H2, 11 25H2, and Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025. Microsoft did not reveal whether the update flaw impacts Professional and Home versions of Windows differently.
Microsoft has not yet incorporated the fixes into its regular Windows Update channel and, for now, the patches for them have to be downloaded and applied manually.
Windows 11 version 23H2 was the worst hit of the affected systems. Users of this version of the operating system not only experienced sign-in failures during Remote Desktop connections, but also saw their devices restarting instead of shutting down or hibernating as intended.
The shutdown issue occurs on some Windows PCs in cases where their operators have enabled System Guard Secure Launch, the hardware-based system integrity and security feature that Microsoft first introduced with Windows 10 version 1809.
It is possible to power off the computers by opening a terminal window and running the “shutdown” command.
The bug fixes will also be incorporated into Microsoft’s regular monthly, global Patch Tuesday security update event, next scheduled for February 10, 10am US Pacific Time (5am AEDT).