microsoft Fixed a known issue that caused Windows Server 2019 and 2022 systems to automatically upgrade to Windows Server 2025 without user approval. The solution was confirmed in a windows released the health update on Tuesday, more than a year after the issue was first recognized in September 2024. “This issue has been resolved and Microsoft has re-enabled the update offering through the Windows Update settings panel,” the company said.
How the Windows Server Update Error Worked
In September 2024, administrators reported that servers had been automatically upgraded overnight to Windows Server 2025, in some cases to versions for which their organizations did not have licenses. Microsoft said part of the problem was due to third-party update management software not being configured correctly.
Software vendors disagreed, claiming the issue was caused by a procedural error on Microsoft’s part, pointing to the speed of the release and how the update was classified. At the time, Microsoft did not offer a detailed explanation of the root cause and did not respond to press inquiries when the issue was first reported.
Microsoft solution and current status
The update offering through the Windows Update settings panel was re-enabled after the fix was deployed. Organizations looking to perform in-place upgrades to Windows Server 2025 can now do so through Settings without worrying about accidental automatic upgrades. Microsoft has provided Guidance for local updates in Microsoft Learn.
This update coincides with a period of increased out-of-band update activity from Microsoft. Over the past month, the company released emergency updates to resolve issues, including a broken march preview update, a login error with Microsoft accounts in Edge, Teams, OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 Copilot, a Bluetooth device visibility bug, and security vulnerabilities in the Routing and Remote Access Service management tool on Windows 11 Enterprise devices.
