Microsoft Issues Second Emergency Out-of-Band Update for Windows 11: Patch Tuesday Flops
Microsoft's January 2026 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 have been a disaster, introducing more problems than solutions. The company has already released one emergency out-of-band update to fix two major issues, and now a second emergency update (https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5078127) addresses another critical problem.
This time, the update tackles an issue causing Outlook and cloud-backed apps like OneDrive and Dropbox to become unusable after Patch Tuesday. A temporary workaround involved uninstalling the latest security updates, but the KB5078127 update for versions 24H2 and 25H2 should eliminate this need.
- Fixed: After installing Windows updates released on or after January 13, 2026, some applications became unresponsive or encountered errors when opening or saving files to cloud storage. In Outlook configurations storing PST files on OneDrive, Outlook may freeze and fail to reopen unless terminated or restarted. Users might also see missing sent items or emails being re-downloaded.
This fix is being rolled out to other Windows versions and editions, including Windows 11 version 23H2, Windows Server editions, and more. Check the Windows release health dashboard (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#cw) for the latest information.
This is the second emergency out-of-band update for Windows 11 in a week. The first update, released on January 17, fixed two major issues that emerged after the January 13 Patch Tuesday updates. However, it inadvertently broke apps like Outlook, OneDrive, and Dropbox.
The original Patch Tuesday release introduced a shutdown/hibernation issue for Windows 11 version 23H2 PCs and disrupted Remote Desktop sign-in. Microsoft addressed these in the January 17 out-of-band update, but the fix caused further problems.
The situation is dire, with the Windows quality bar at an all-time low. This marks a terrible start to the year for Microsoft and Windows. It's unclear where things go from here, but the next Patch Tuesday release is crucial for improvement.
Zac Bowden, a Senior Editor at Windows Central, has covered Windows, Surface, and hardware since 2016. He's an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototypes. Stay connected on Twitter (https://twitter.com/zacbowden) and Threads (https://threads.net/@zacbowden).
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