Out-of-band getting out of hand as Microsoft pushes hotpatch for Bluetooth
(2026/03/17)
- Reference: 1773750428
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/03/17/microsoft_bluetooth_hotpatch/
- Source link:
Microsoft has pushed out yet another out-of-band hotpatch, this time to fix Bluetooth issues in Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2.
The [1]hotpatch applies only to hotpatch-enabled devices and arrives the same month Microsoft [2]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 [3]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."
[4]
Microsoft noted: "This issue could also prevent users from adding new devices because available devices did not appear in the list for connection."
[5]Microsoft points at Samsung after Galaxy app bug locks users out of C:\
[6]Microsoft veteran Rajesh Jha prepares to retire, triggers yet another reorg
[7]Microsoft adding Xbox mode to Windows 11 – even the Professional edition
[8]Hotpatching goes default in Windows Autopatch whether you like it or not
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.
[9]
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.
[10]
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. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-16-2026-hotpatch-kb5084897-os-builds-26200-7984-and-26100-7984-out-of-band-74c779d7-e666-49a2-a809-1cbb31a79e7f
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/11/microsoft_hotpatching/
[3] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-13-2026-hotpatch-kb5084597-os-builds-26200-7982-and-26100-7982-out-of-band-ef323fee-e70f-4f43-8bbc-1021c435bf5c
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/16/samsung_c_drive_windows/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/13/organizational_changes_at_microsoft_as/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/12/xbox_mode_windows_11/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/11/microsoft_hotpatching/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The [1]hotpatch applies only to hotpatch-enabled devices and arrives the same month Microsoft [2]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 [3]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."
[4]
Microsoft noted: "This issue could also prevent users from adding new devices because available devices did not appear in the list for connection."
[5]Microsoft points at Samsung after Galaxy app bug locks users out of C:\
[6]Microsoft veteran Rajesh Jha prepares to retire, triggers yet another reorg
[7]Microsoft adding Xbox mode to Windows 11 – even the Professional edition
[8]Hotpatching goes default in Windows Autopatch whether you like it or not
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.
[9]
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.
[10]
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. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-16-2026-hotpatch-kb5084897-os-builds-26200-7984-and-26100-7984-out-of-band-74c779d7-e666-49a2-a809-1cbb31a79e7f
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/11/microsoft_hotpatching/
[3] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-13-2026-hotpatch-kb5084597-os-builds-26200-7982-and-26100-7982-out-of-band-ef323fee-e70f-4f43-8bbc-1021c435bf5c
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/16/samsung_c_drive_windows/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/13/organizational_changes_at_microsoft_as/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/12/xbox_mode_windows_11/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/11/microsoft_hotpatching/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abmIs46IazlKLgg53f19VQAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Linux Security Roundup for Week 11, 2026 Reveals Critical Fixes
Bran Muffin
"This week's Linux Security Roundup for Week 11, 2026 highlights several critical patches that demand immediate attention from system administrators and desktop users alike. The summary addresses flaws in major platforms that could impact daily operations if left unaddressed. Ignoring these updates leaves systems open to exploitation from known attack vectors that have already been documented by security researchers." [Emphasis is mine.]
https://www.linuxcompatible.org/story/linux-security-roundup-for-week-11-2026/
Re: Linux Security Roundup for Week 11, 2026 Reveals Critical Fixes
Carnotaurus
Downvotes are certainly the Linux fans who can't/won't accept their beloved penguins can also have bugs.
Re: Linux Security Roundup for Week 11, 2026 Reveals Critical Fixes
Steve Foster
I don't think anyone has claimed that Linux has reached perfection (or ever might).
It's more the case that MS' legendary unwillingness to consider QC as anything other than a nuisance [at best] has continued to scale new heights. Which combined with their new determination to let "AI" write all their code unsupervised is proving to be demonstrably awful for a lot of folks who have the misfortune to have to use MS software.
"Out-of-band updates have arrived with depressing regularity in recent months"
Add "hotpatching" and "copilot" into the mix of Windows Updates and it seems inevitable to me that the 2024 "Crowdstrike Outage" will, in the not-too-distant-future, be reported-in-passing as a "minor outage" of Windows Machines...