Home windows 11’s first replace of the yr is breaking every kind of stuff

Microsoft has actually stepped in it with the primary Home windows 11 replace of 2026. Reviews from irritated Home windows customers are cropping up concerning numerous errors brought on by the KB5074109 replace.

Based on stated reviews, Home windows 11 PCs that put in the KB5074109 replace on Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for January 2026 are experiencing black screens (previously often called blue screens). Moreover, the traditional Outlook app is crashing for some and File Explorer is ignoring settings saved within the desktop.ini file.

As well as, some computer systems can now not be shut down and sleep mode is damaged for some. (There’s additionally a thread about this on Reddit.) Some third-party apps, like Citrix Director, additionally now not work.

Microsoft has already solved—or no less than confirmed—a few of these issues: shutdown (solved), distant desktop connections (solved), and traditional Outlook (not but solved).

The KB5074109 replace is a compulsory replace that addresses safety vulnerabilities. Each Home windows 11 PC installs it robotically. Home windows Newest requested Microsoft for a press release about these points, however Microsoft solely stated that it at present has nothing additional to say.

That stated, Home windows Newest famous that Microsoft had marked a number of the newly found (however as but unconfirmed) points with a “trying into it” label within the Suggestions Hub, such because the one with File Explorer and desktop.ini. Microsoft might launch the corresponding restore patches on the following Patch Tuesday, which shall be on February tenth, 2026.