Second emergency fix in days targets Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2
Microsoft has pushed out yet another out-of-band hotpatch, this time to fix Bluetooth issues in Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2.
The hotpatch applies only to hotpatch-enabled devices and arrives the same month Microsoft said that hotpatching would become the default for Windows Autopatch.
This is the second out-of-band hotpatch in a matter of days. On March 13, Microsoft released another to address a security issue in the Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) management tool. The March 16 update fixes a problem that prevented Bluetooth devices from appearing on the Bluetooth & devices pages in Windows Settings, "even if the devices are connected and functioning as expected."
Microsoft noted: "This issue could also prevent users from adding new devices because available devices did not appear in the list for connection."
The problem has the potential to frustrate affected users, since Bluetooth has become a near-universal way to connect wireless headsets and other devices. The fix, while welcome, is aimed squarely at Windows 11 Enterprise users – specifically those on Windows 11 25H2 and Windows 11 24H2. Using hotpatching means a reboot is not required.
Microsoft did not give a timescale for a non-hotpatch version of the fix.
Out-of-band updates have arrived with depressing regularity in recent months. This latest regression caused enough pain for enterprise users to warrant another emergency fix, albeit only via hotpatching for now.
For users encountering the issue, but who are not receiving a hotpatch, there are a few options. One is to try the old IT standby of turning a system off and on again, or toggling Bluetooth off and on in settings. Alternatively, restarting the Bluetooth service might help.
Otherwise, a pair of out-of-band hotpatches in three days should give administrators pause for thought. Yes, it's good to see fixes rolled out rapidly and without requiring a restart. But it's less good that these fixes were required in the first place. ®