Microsoft released multiple emergency updates after its January Patch Tuesday security rollout triggered unexpected problems for Windows users worldwide. Intended to strengthen system security, the update instead caused serious disruptions, including shutdown failures and remote desktop sign-in issues. While some critical bugs have been fixed, millions of users still face unresolved problems.
The issues were first widely reported by Windows Latest, which confirmed that Microsoft has officially acknowledged at least three major bugs linked to the January 2026 updates. Two have already been patched, while another continues to affect users with no confirmed fix timeline.
According to Microsoft, the most widespread problem involved Remote Desktop connections. After installing the January security update, many users experienced sign-in failures when accessing their systems remotely. This issue affected authentication across several Remote Desktop applications, including the Windows App, and was especially disruptive for professionals and businesses that rely on remote access daily. Microsoft has now resolved this issue through an out-of-band update for newer Windows versions.
Another serious bug affected older systems running Windows 11 version 23H2. Users reported that their PCs could not shut down or enter hibernation mode. Instead of powering off, systems would restart automatically, causing frustration and concerns about long-term hardware impact. Microsoft confirmed that this issue has also been fixed with a separate emergency patch.
However, not all problems are resolved. Windows Latest warns that at least three additional issues remain unpatched and have not yet been officially acknowledged by Microsoft. These include a black screen appearing for several seconds or minutes before the cursor loads, desktop backgrounds resetting to black without user input, and File Explorer failing to process the desktop.ini file correctly. While these bugs may seem minor individually, together they point to ongoing stability concerns.
There is also a confirmed issue affecting Outlook, specifically “Outlook Classic” setups using older POP email accounts. In some cases, Outlook freezes and continues running in the background, preventing users from restarting their PCs normally. While a forced restart is possible, experts advise caution, as it may damage the email database. A dedicated Outlook update is expected soon to address this.
For now, Microsoft has released two key emergency updates. KB5077744 fixes Remote Desktop login failures on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and KB5077797 resolves the shutdown issue on Windows 11 23H2. Both updates are available through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
While these fixes bring relief to many users, the situation highlights ongoing challenges with large-scale software updates. Users are advised to stay alert, install updates carefully, and monitor official announcements as Microsoft works to address remaining issues.
