Microsoft has announced a preview of its hotpatching feature for Windows Server 2025, which will become a paid subscription service in July. Hotpatching allows software updates to be applied without requiring a reboot, reducing downtime and making it easier for administrators to implement security updates.
The feature is already available for Windows Server: Azure Edition and version 2022 running in the cloud, and was recently added to on-prem Windows Server 2025 implementations controlled by Microsoft’s Arc hybrid-and-multicloud management tool. According to Microsoft, hotpatching will deliver eight hotpatches each year, with a three-month cycle of baseline months requiring reboots and hotpatch months providing non-disruptive updates.
The subscription service, which costs $1.50/core/month, aims to reduce the ‘window of vulnerability’ that can occur when administrators delay updates due to downtime. Microsoft believes the feature will save time and ease the inconvenience of traditional ‘patch Tuesday’ days.
While users are not required to adopt hotpatching, those who test the preview before June 30th will automatically be rolled onto subscriptions from July 1st. Azure Editions of Windows Server will continue to receive hotpatching at no cost. The feature is designed to provide non-disruptive patches and make it easier for administrators to implement security updates without causing downtime.
Microsoft’s general manager of Windows Server, Hari Pulapaka, described the feature as a “game changer” that will simplify change control, reduce patch windows, and ease orchestration. The company’s goal is to provide up to eight hotpatches each year, with baseline months requiring reboots and hotpatch months providing non-disruptive updates.
As the feature becomes available, administrators can choose whether or not to adopt hotpatching, which will require using Microsoft’s Arc hybrid-and-multicloud management tool. The subscription service is designed to provide a cost-effective solution for those who want to avoid downtime and implement security updates quickly.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/28/windows_server_2025_hotpatching_subscription