Uninstall this Windows 11 update now, Microsoft warns
25 Jan 2026

Microsoft has issued a rare public warning about the January 2026 security update for Windows 11.

The company is advising affected users to uninstall the patch due to widespread reports of system and application failures.

The update, KB5074109, was automatically released on January 13 and upgraded systems to OS Build 26200.7623 or similar versions.

Outlook Classic and other apps face major issues
App failures

The deployment of the update was followed by widespread reports of major issues, with Outlook Classic being the most affected app.

Microsoft has warned that users who use POP email accounts or local PST files in Outlook are particularly at risk.

This is especially true when those PST files are stored in cloud-synced folders like OneDrive.

In many cases, Outlook freezes, shows a persistent "Not Responding" message, fails to close properly, or repeatedly redownloads emails.

Temporary workarounds and long-term solutions
User guidance

As a temporary workaround, Microsoft is advising users to switch to Outlook webmail or move PST files out of cloud storage locations. However, these solutions do not work for everyone.

Now, the company has said that uninstalling the update is an acceptable short-term solution for those still affected by the issues.

This is a major departure from its usual practice of not recommending rolling back security patches.

Issues extend beyond Outlook to other system functions
Widespread impact

The problems associated with KB5074109 aren't limited to Outlook.

Users have also reported black screens after booting, reset desktop and personalization settings, broken File Explorer configurations, and apps freezing when trying to access cloud services like OneDrive or Dropbox.

The scale and variety of these issues have made this one of the most disruptive Windows updates in recent memory.

Microsoft's support document and future plans
Company response

Microsoft has published a support document detailing possible workarounds for the issues caused by the update.

These include switching to webmail, relocating PST files, and uninstalling the update as a last resort.

However, the company has also warned that removing the patch could leave systems vulnerable as it included over 100 security fixes.

Microsoft has already released out-of-band updates to fix other issues from this update cycle but is yet to resolve the Outlook Classic problem.