Using Windows 11? Microsoft wants you to uninstall the latest update, here's why

Windows 11

• Microsoft advises uninstalling Windows 11 January update KB5074109 due to issues.
• Outlook Classic users with POP/PST files in cloud folders face major app issues
• Uninstalling the update is a temporary fix but may expose systems to security risks.

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Microsoft has issued an unusually direct warning about the Windows 11 January 2026 security update, telling affected users to uninstall the patch while it investigates widespread reports of system and application failures. The update, KB5074109, began rolling out automatically on January 13 and pushed systems to OS Build 26200.7623 or related releases.

Soon after deployment, users began reporting major issues, with Outlook Classic emerging as the most severely impacted app. According to Microsoft, Outlook users who rely on POP email accounts or local PST files are particularly vulnerable, especially when those PST files are stored in cloud-synced folders such as OneDrive. In many cases, Outlook freezes, shows a persistent “Not Responding” message, fails to close properly, or repeatedly redownloads emails, effectively rendering the app unusable.

Microsoft’s current guidance suggests switching to Outlook webmail as a temporary workaround. Another option is to move PST files out of cloud storage locations, though this does not resolve the issue for everyone. For users who remain affected, Microsoft now says uninstalling the update is an acceptable short-term solution, a notable shift given the company’s usual reluctance to recommend rolling back security patches.

What’s going wrong and what users can do 

The problems linked to KB5074109 extend well beyond Outlook. Users have reported black screens after booting, reset desktop and personalisation settings, broken File Explorer configurations, and apps freezing when attempting to access cloud services such as OneDrive or Dropbox. The scale and variety of issues have made this one of the more disruptive Windows updates in recent memory.

Microsoft has published a support document outlining possible workarounds. These include switching to webmail, relocating PST files, and, as a last resort, uninstalling the update via Settings, Windows Update, Update history, and Uninstall updates. However, Microsoft has also warned that removing the patch could leave systems exposed, as the January update included more than 100 security fixes.

The company has already shipped out-of-band updates to address other problems from this update cycle, including Remote Desktop login failures and shutdown-related bugs. The Outlook Classic issue, however, remains unresolved. Microsoft says it is still investigating the root cause and plans to deliver a more comprehensive fix in a future update.