Overview
- Microsoft is testing a new update procedure for Windows 11, known as 'hot patching', which allows security updates to be installed without requiring a system reboot.
- Hot patching is expected to be included in the Windows 11 24H2 update later this year, initially for x86-64 machines, with ARM64 device support to follow in 2025.
- The feature is currently being tested with Windows Insiders who have Virtualized Based Security (VBS) enabled, a prerequisite for hot patching.
- While hot patching will primarily cover security updates, it's possible other types of updates could also be adapted to use this method in the future.
- The introduction of hot patching aims to reduce the inconvenience of updates, potentially lowering the number of necessary reboots from 12 to as few as four per year for users.