Windows 11 Enterprise has been taught to update without rebooting (well, almost)

Microsoft has announced the launch of a hotpatch system for Windows 11 Enterprise version 24H2. Now users will be able to install updates without having to reboot their devices during operation — this innovation is designed to significantly simplify the work of corporate users. Hot updates are available for x64 AMD or Intel platforms. For Arm64 platforms, the feature is still being tested, but it can be enabled manually in the registry.

Of course, reboots will still be required from time to time. But the systems will at least have to be rebooted not monthly, but quarterly – with the release of cumulative updates. In order to use the new advantages, you will need:

• Windows 365 Enterprise, Windows 11 Enterprise (E3, E5, or F3), or Windows 11 Education (A3 or A5) subscription;
• Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2 build 26100.2033 or later with the latest core updates installed;
• Activated Visualization-based Security (VBS) technology;
• Microsoft Intune for managing patch deployment policies;
• AMD or Intel x86-64 processor.

Image source: Microsoft

New updates will be released according to the standard schedule adopted for Windows 10 and Windows 11 23H2. Hotpatch updates will receive special identifiers to distinguish them from regular packages and will mainly contain security updates. The system will automatically determine whether each specific device meets the requirements for a hot update. In other words, the operating system itself will offer to enable the new feature if it is available.

Image source: Microsoft

Owners of Home and Pro versions of Windows 11 cannot use the new update mechanism yet. It is expected that as Windows 11 24H2 is distributed, the number of devices compatible with Hotpatch will also grow. However, for Microsoft, the priority in this case is the corporate market.