You asked and we delivered: Standard and Datacenter edition server hotpatching – security updates without reboots – is ready for your evaluation in Windows Server 2025 Azure Arc-enabled Hotpatch public preview. This feature will be a game changer; simpler change control, shorter patch windows, easier orchestration… and you may finally get to see your family on the weekends.

Windows update showing a hotpatch installed without a need to reboot

Hotpatches

Hotpatches are OS security updates that don’t require a reboot. It works by patching the in-memory code of running processes without the need to restart the process. This gives you benefits like:

Lower workload impact with fewer reboots. Instead of 12 mandatory reboots a year on “Patch Tuesday”, you’ll now only have quarterly scheduled reboots (with the rare possibility of reboots being required in a nominal Hotpatch month).
Fewer binaries mean updates download and install faster while consuming fewer disk and CPU resources.
Easier patch orchestration and change control.
Integrated with the optional Azure Update Manager.

Hotpatch has been available for a few years in Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition, this is tried and true technology. The real change is how and where you get those security updates. Hotpatching will be available as an option through the power of Azure Arc. Azure Arc enables management and allows the Windows Server internal licensing service for Hotpatch to run so that Hotpatch updates are delivered to customers.

Trying it out

Thanks to Azure Arc, enabling hotpatches for your Windows Server 2025 Datacenter and Standard edition evaluation machines takes only a few clicks. Simply enroll through the built in Azure Arc agent setup included in Windows Server 2025 evaluation, enable the hotpatch preview, and you’re in business.

The Azure Arc setup agent running in WIndows Server, showing requirements are met

The Azure portal page showing the Hotpatch preview

Changing the game

Hotpatching has been around for years in Windows Server 2022 Azure Edition, but always required running a VM in Azure or on Azure Stack HCI. When Windows Server 2025 becomes generally available, you will be able to run the edition you want, where you want – whether on-prem, in Azure, or elsewhere. You’ll have an option to hotpatch Windows Server 2025 physical servers or virtual machines, and those VMs can run on Hyper-V, VMware, or anywhere else that supports Microsoft’s protection-focused Virtualization Based Security standard.

We think Windows Server 2025 hotpatching will change the game for organizations. Start your evaluation today!

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