Microsoft has issued an unusual public advisory urging Windows 11 users to uninstall the January 2026 security update due to widespread system and application problems.
The problematic update, KB5074109, began rolling out automatically on January 13, 2026, upgrading affected systems to OS Build 26200.7623 or similar versions. Almost immediately, users began reporting serious issues ranging from Outlook Classic freezing, application crashes, and even black screens that made systems unstable.
The company’s advisory is rare in its scope, reflecting the severity of the reported problems. Microsoft recommended that users remove the update until a stable fix is released and confirmed that engineers are actively investigating the root cause.
Affected users are advised to check their system settings for KB5074109 and follow the uninstallation procedure through Windows Update. IT professionals and enterprise users have been cautioned to pause automatic updates temporarily to prevent further disruptions.
This incident underscores the challenges of large-scale security updates, particularly on widely used operating systems like Windows 11. Users are advised to back up important data and exercise caution when installing future updates until official fixes are deployed.
