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Windows 11 Windows 11 update KB5074109 is causing issues -- and Microsoft now says to uninstall it Windows 11 Windows 11 Microsoft issues new emergency OS update for Windows 11 to address major bugs Notepad failing to open on Windows 11 Windows 11 Windows 11 apps like Notepad and the Xbox Ally Armoury Crate are suddenly broken Windows 11 Windows 11 Here's a first look at new features coming to Windows 11 in 2026 Windows 11 PC covered in bugs Microsoft Office Windows 11 emergency updates miss "unusable" Outlook bug Mockup of Windows 11 error 0x800f0905 on a desktop monitor. Windows 11 2 Troubleshooting options to bypass the 0x800F0905 error when uninstalling updates on Windows 11 Windows 11 Taskbar closeup Windows 11 Is Windows' reputation at an all time low? 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Windows 11 Windows 11's Patch Tuesday nightmare gets worse -- Microsoft says some PCs might not boot News By Zac Bowden published 25 January 2026 Microsoft has posted an online bulletin confirming that the company is investigating reports that state Windows 11's latest security update has rendered some PCs unbootable. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. Windows 11 BSOD error on a laptop (Image credit: Windows Central | Edited with Gemini) Share Share by: * Copy link * Facebook * X * Reddit * Pinterest * Flipboard * Bluesky * Threads * Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Recent updates Updated 3 PM ET on January 25, 2026: For those experiencing issues with boot failures, we had to put together a whole new guide on how to fix it. While we wanted this out earlier, it takes a few hours to research and write it all up to make sure it's accurate versus just getting the news out, so we appreicate you patience, especially since it's a Sunday and most of our staff are off. -- Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief Microsoft has confirmed that some users might find their PC unable to boot after installing the January 2026 security update released on January 13. This is on top of the plethora of other issues that have been reported since Microsoft's disastrous Patch Tuesday updates arrived. So far, the company has released two emergency out-of-band updates for Windows 11 to address major bugs that were introduced with this month's security updates, but this latest issue that is causing PCs to fail to boot has not yet been addressed. "Microsoft has received a limited number of reports of an issue in which devices are failing to boot with stop code "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME", after installing the January 2026 Windows security update released January 13, 2026, and later updates," the company has confirmed in an online bulletin (via AskWoody.) "Affected devices show a black screen with the message "Your device ran into a problem and needs a restart. You can restart." At this stage, the device cannot complete startup and requires manual recovery steps." You may like * Windows 11 boot recovery Is your Windows 11 PC no longer booting after the KB5074109 update? Here's the fix. * Microsoft logo on an iphone with a BSOD in the background A second emergency update has been issued to address more Windows 11 bugs * Windows 11 Microsoft issues new emergency OS update for Windows 11 to address major bugs * Laptop running Windows 11 in a modern office during golden hour. Windows 11 update KB5074109 is causing issues -- and Microsoft now says to uninstall it Microsoft says this issue is likely to impact users running Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2 on physical machines, and that it is exploring potential fixes and workarounds. In the meantime, if you do encounter this problem, you will need to manually recover your PC by entering the Windows Recovery Environment and uninstalling the latest January 2026 security patch. WinRE Uninstall quality update button Some users might be forced to manually recover their PC by uninstalling the latest update. (Image credit: Mauro Huculak) It's unclear how common this issue is, as most users have not reported their PC unable to boot. The company says it has received a limited number of reports, but has not provided an explanation as to what is causing the unbootable state, or whether it can be avoided. This is the latest in a long line of issues that were introduced with this month's Patch Tuesday updates. First, users reported that PCs running version 23H2 were unable to shutdown or hibernate, and PCs running version 24H2 and 25H2 were unable to sign-in when using Remote Desktop. A few days later, reports came in confirming an issue that rendered cloud-backed apps like Outlook, Dropbox, and OneDrive inoperable, forcing Microsoft to issue two emergency updates to address these showstopping bugs. Now, with reports that some PCs are unable to boot, it's likely the company will need to issue a third out of band update to fix this problem too. Get the Windows Central Newsletter All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards. [ ][ ]Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands[ ]Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors[Sign me up] By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. It's unclear why January's security update for Windows 11 has been so disastrous. Whatever the reason, Microsoft needs to step back and reevaluate how it developers Windows, as the current quality bar might be at the lowest it's ever been. via Neowin --------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow us on Google Discover. Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Zac Bowden Zac Bowden Social Links Navigation Senior Editor Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central and has been with the site since 2016. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows, Surface, and hardware. He's also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads Show More Comments You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout Read more Windows 11 boot recovery Is your Windows 11 PC no longer booting after the KB5074109 update? Here's the fix. Windows 11 Microsoft issues new emergency OS update for Windows 11 to address major bugs Laptop running Windows 11 in a modern office during golden hour. Windows 11 update KB5074109 is causing issues -- and Microsoft now says to uninstall it Windows 11 PC covered in bugs Windows 11 emergency updates miss "unusable" Outlook bug Microsoft logo on an iphone with a BSOD in the background Microsoft warns latest Windows 11 updates might break the Start menu and Taskbar Windows Update Windows 11 January 2026 OS updates are now rolling out Latest in Windows 11 Windows 11 boot recovery Is your Windows 11 PC no longer booting after the KB5074109 update? Here's the fix. 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