When it comes to security updates, fixing problems in an operating system used by billions of people is a top priority. That’s why this hasn’t been a great month for Microsoft. A recent Windows security update caused confusion by adding a new folder with no explanation. Some people on social media said users should delete it, but then Microsoft warned that doing so could make systems less secure. It turns out that the update—and the new “inetpub” folder—actually made Windows more open to a different kind of hack. Now, Microsoft is facing more criticism, this time for charging a monthly fee for a new kind of update called “hotpatching.”

What is Windows Hotpatching, and Who Has to Pay $1.50 a Month?

On April 14, it was reported that Microsoft plans to offer hotpatching, which lets Windows install security updates without restarting the computer. These updates work in the background by changing the code in programs that are already running. But this feature is only coming to a specific group of users: people using Windows 11 Enterprise version 24H2 (for AMD or Intel processors) who also use Microsoft Intune to manage their devices.

Janine Patrick, the product marketing manager for Windows Server, and Artem Pronichkin, a senior program manager at Microsoft, have confirmed that the hotpatch system for Windows Server 2025, which has been available in preview since 2024, will only be available through a subscription starting July 1.

To use the no-reboot hotpatch security updates, Microsoft says you will need to have “Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter,” and your server must be connected to Azure Arc. The key point here is that you will also need to subscribe to the Hotpatch service.

While hotpatching has been free for Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition users and will continue to be, the security updates for Windows Server 2025 will cost $1.50 per CPU core each month.

Microsoft said, “With hotpatching, you will still need to restart your Windows Servers about four times a year for basic updates, but hotpatching can save a lot of time and make things easier compared to the usual Patch Tuesday.”

Published: 29th April 2025

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