Windows 11 Updates Risk Breaking Core OS Functions
▼ Summary
– Microsoft has acknowledged that recent Windows updates may have broken core components like the Start menu and Explorer, primarily in some enterprise environments.
– The issue affects Windows 11 24H2/25H2 systems with updates from July 2025, causing XAML-based apps to crash or fail to load.
– Microsoft states the cause is a failure to timely register certain XAML packages after an update, with no immediate fix available.
– While a workaround exists for administrators, the problem presents a significant quality control issue for Microsoft.
– The company notes these issues are very unlikely on personal devices but are linked to specific enterprise login scenarios.
Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue with recent Windows 11 updates that can disrupt essential operating system functions. The company confirmed that specific cumulative updates released from July 2025 for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 are causing critical components to fail. This primarily impacts enterprise or managed environments, where systems may experience crashes or complete failures of the Start menu, File Explorer, Windows Search, and the taskbar.
The root of the problem lies in a failure to properly register certain XAML packages after installing an update. XAML is a framework used by many modern Windows applications. When these packages aren’t registered in time, any app that depends on them, including core OS interfaces, can crash or simply not load at all. Users might encounter a black screen on startup, a non-responsive Start menu, or a missing taskbar.
Currently, there is no official patch from Microsoft to resolve this. The company stated it is actively developing a fix and will provide updates. In the meantime, the only available solutions involve technical workarounds that system administrators must implement. For virtualized environments, this requires editing the Windows Registry. An alternative is to deploy a PowerShell script designed to delay the launch of Explorer until the necessary XAML packages are fully provisioned.
Microsoft emphasizes that these issues are very unlikely to occur on personal devices used by individual consumers. The complications are most probable in specific managed scenarios. These include situations where Windows updates are applied before the first user logs into a persistent OS installation, or before all users have signed into a non-persistent setup, such as a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
The persistence of this problem, with its origins traced back to updates from July 2025, presents a notable challenge for Microsoft’s reputation regarding update reliability. Breaking fundamental parts of the user interface is a serious concern for IT administrators who must now allocate time and resources to apply manual fixes. This incident adds to the ongoing conversation about the stability and quality control processes for major operating system updates.
For administrators dealing with the fallout, the situation underscores the importance of thorough testing in managed deployment environments. While a workaround exists, the need for such manual intervention for a core OS function highlights the disruptive potential of update-related bugs. Microsoft’s resolution and the timeline for a permanent fix will be closely watched by the enterprise community.
(Source: The Register)
