Unexpected automatic Windows Server updates can lead to catastrophic consequences for business and system administrators

In recent days, there have been cases of unexpected automatic upgrades of systems running Windows Server 2022 to Windows Server 2025. Information appeared on Reddit with reference to complaints from server owners. However, there is no possibility to “roll back” the software after updating to the previous version.

While upgrading from version 2022 to 2025 may seem like good news for the average user, it spells a lot of trouble for IT departments and system administrators. Updated server operating systems must be carefully reviewed and tested to ensure that all software is compatible with the new OS version.

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According to Reddit user Fatboy40, all Windows Server 2022 servers he runs have either been upgraded to Windows Server 2025 or were “ready to do so.” It is noteworthy that upgrading to Windows Server 2025 technically requires a new license, since the OS is positioned as a fundamentally new generation of operating system. For comparison, the latest PC OS Windows 11 24H2 is officially considered only a new variant of Windows 11.

According to a source at third-party update service Heimdal, it appears that the update was misclassified by Microsoft as both an “optional update” and a “security update” for systems running Windows Server 2022.

The worst part is that this type of Windows Server upgrade is not technically supported at all, unlike, for example, upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. As a result, system administrators have no official way to return to the previous operating system without using third-party solutions to restore functionality systems from backups.