Microsoft extends Windows Server 2022 hotpatching until October 2027

Microsoft has extended Windows Server 2022 hotpatching until October 2027, one year after the mainstream end date of October 2026.

This comes with the following caveat: extended support is only available for systems running Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition that are enrolled in hotpatch updates. This change is effective immediately, and the existing hotpatch cadence will remain unchanged through October 2027.

On systems where hotpatching is enabled, Windows deploys security updates by patching the in-memory code of running processes without restarting them after each installation or rebooting the device.

However, servers still require a restart after installing updates delivered through the regular (non-Hotpatch) Windows update channel. Two examples of updates that can't be installed without a restart are Windows non-security updates and non-Windows updates (such as .NET patches).

"Hotpatch update support for Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition has been extended through October 2027. Devices enrolled in Hotpatch updates will continue to receive monthly security updates without requiring a restart," Microsoft said in a Windows release health dashboard update.

"Hotpatching is designed to deliver protections against security threats without requiring a device restart. By applying updates directly to running processes, hotpatching helps maintain uptime, reduces servicing disruptions, and shortens the time it takes to respond to vulnerabilities. This extension allows organizations to continue benefiting from these capabilities for an additional year while maintaining the same update experience," it added in a Monday message center update.

The Datacenter, Datacenter: Azure Edition, Essentials, and Standard editions of Windows Server 2022 will reach the extended end date on October 14, 2031.

Hotpatching has been available since February 2022 for Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition, when the company announced its general availability for Windows Server Azure Edition core virtual machines.

Microsoft also began testing hotpatching in public preview for Windows Server 2025 in September 2024 and for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 365 two months later, in November 2024.

Hotpatch updates have also become generally available for business customers using Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2 on x64 (AMD/Intel) systems starting in April 2025.

Microsoft announced that it will enable hotpatch security updates by default for all eligible Windows devices managed through the Microsoft Graph API and Microsoft Intune starting with the May 2026 Windows security update.

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