Microsoft fixes broken Windows update days after vowing fewer broken updates

The era of reliability begins... right after this out-of-band patch

by · The Register

Microsoft has released an out-of-band update to resolve bugs introduced by a Windows patch just days after promising improved reliability.

The fix, shipped over the weekend, addresses a Microsoft account issue caused by the March 2026 security update – the latest in a growing line of patches that themselves need patching.

The glitch in question saw some users encounter a "no internet" error message when signing into Microsoft apps and services, despite having a working connection. Customers using Microsoft Entra ID for app authentication weren't affected.

Until the fix, Microsoft's advice amounted to "turn it off and on again and hope for the best", at least at the service level. Users were also warned to keep their internet connection stable, as a dropped connection would likely trigger the error again.

The out-of-band update includes everything in the March 10 Windows security update, as well as a fix for this particular issue.

The patch comes just a few days after Windows boss Pavan Davuluri promised an era of reliability and stability for Microsoft's operating system, with a less scattered approach to implementing AI technologies such as Copilot.

Davuluri acknowledged user frustration in November, meaning there were almost four months to ensure updates are being properly tested before release. And yet here we are.

He called 2026 the year of a more "intentional" approach to AI in Windows. Users downloading yet another out-of-band fix might prefer Microsoft focus on shipping code that works rather than piling on features. ®