Goodbye Patch Tuesday - Microsoft Autopatch is here

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Managing your Windows 11 security should soon be much easier with the official launch of Microsoft Autopatch.

Initially announced in April 2022, general availability has arrived for Windows Enterprise E3 and E5 licenses for the service that’s set to automate updates for Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft 365 software, including Office.

The tool will use Windows Update for Business to roll out important updates automatically, and even roll back changes “where possible,” according to Microsoft.

Microsoft Autopatch

Regular monthly Windows ‘B release’ updates will be applied as standard, alongside out-of-band security patches and updates from within Autopatch, while Office updates will follow a similar monthly update pattern using the Monthly Enterprise Channel.

Updates to the company’s Edge browser and Teams video conferencing platform will follow a less structured release pattern, and are not managed through Autopatch which means no rollbacks, however issues can be raised from within the Autopatch portal.

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Microsoft recognizes that this may case some IT admins to have doubts, but it emphasizes that updates are pushed “around the clock,” and that its system can “detect potential issues among an incredibly diverse array of hardware and software configurations.” There is also a dedicated team to help with any compatibility issues which should be free of charge to “eligible customers.”

The company is also open to evolving the procedure to appeal to more customers, particularly those who are already implementing update deployment rings.

There are certain prerequisites to be able to use Autopatch. They are:

Windows Enterprise E3 license or above
Windows 10 and 11 Enterprise versions, and virtual machines including Windows 365 Cloud PCs
Managed with Intune or via Configuration Manager co-management
Accounts managed by Azure Active Directory or Hybrid Azure Active Directory Join

To enable Microsoft Autopatch, users should navigate to the Tenant Administration section of the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center and enroll.

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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!