{"id":73844,"date":"2026-06-03T17:13:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/?p=73844"},"modified":"2026-06-05T12:00:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T10:00:39","slug":"microsoft-windows-server-2025-hotpatching-now-available-at-no-additional-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/microsoft-windows-server-2025-hotpatching-now-available-at-no-additional-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Windows Server 2025: Hotpatching now available at no additional cost"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Keep your servers secure without the downtime of constant reboots. <strong>Effective May 15, 2026, Microsoft offers hotpatch enabled by Azure Arc at no additional cost for Windows Server 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-73845\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-800x526.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-800x526.png 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-500x329.png 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-150x99.png 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-768x505.png 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-03-Update-LinkedIn-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hotpatch enabled by Azure Arc<\/strong> is now available at <strong>no additional cost<\/strong> for Windows Server 2025<\/li>\n<li>Hotpatching delivers <strong>monthly security updates without a server restart<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Eligible machines must run <strong>Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter<\/strong> and connect to <strong>Azure Arc<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Billing stopped<\/strong> for all enrolled machines as of <strong>May 15, 2026<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Already-enrolled machines need no action<\/strong> and continue to receive hotpatch updates<\/li>\n<li>Organizations can <strong>connect servers to Azure Arc<\/strong> to enable hotpatching across <strong>hybrid and multicloud<\/strong> environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What is changing?<\/h2>\n<p>Microsoft <strong>removed the cost barrier<\/strong> for hotpatching outside of Microsoft Azure. Hotpatch enabled by Azure Arc is now <strong>free for Windows Server 2025<\/strong> machines running on-premises or in multicloud environments. As of <strong>May 15, 2026<\/strong>, Microsoft <strong>stopped all billing<\/strong> for hotpatch on existing enrolled machines.<\/p>\n<p>The change is <strong>commercial, not functional<\/strong>. The hotpatching service and its update mechanism stay the same. The <strong>same service is now included at no additional charge<\/strong> once a Windows Server 2025 machine connects to Azure Arc.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What is hotpatching?<\/h2>\n<p>Hotpatching is a <strong>Windows Server feature<\/strong> that installs monthly security updates <strong>without restarting the machine<\/strong>. Each hotpatch contains a <strong>full set of security fixes<\/strong>, equivalent to the standard update released the same day. On servers outside Azure, hotpatching is delivered through <strong>Azure Arc<\/strong>, Microsoft\u2019s service for managing on-premises and multicloud machines from Azure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Licensing note:<\/strong> Hotpatching is <strong>already a built-in capability<\/strong> of <strong>Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition<\/strong> &#8211; a separate, virtual-only edition that runs as an Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) virtual machine or on Azure Local. It has been <strong>included at no extra cost<\/strong> there since Windows Server 2022, for both Windows Server 2022 and Windows Server 2025.<\/p>\n<p>The new announcement is <strong>different in scope<\/strong>: it extends <strong>no-cost hotpatching<\/strong> to <strong>Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter<\/strong> machines running <strong>outside Azure<\/strong> &#8211; on-premises or in multicloud environments &#8211; once they connect to <strong>Azure Arc<\/strong>. The table below shows how the three scenarios compare.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table width=\"624\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"384\"><strong>Scenario<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"240\"><strong>Hotpatch cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"384\">Azure Edition on Azure IaaS or Azure Local (Windows Server 2022 and 2025)<\/td>\n<td width=\"240\"><strong>Included<\/strong> &#8211; unchanged<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"384\">Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter, Arc-connected, <strong>outside Azure<\/strong> (on-premises or multicloud)<\/td>\n<td width=\"240\"><strong>Now free<\/strong> &#8211; the new change<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"384\">Azure virtual machines using Azure Edition (Windows Server 2022 and 2025)<\/td>\n<td width=\"240\"><strong>No fee<\/strong> &#8211; unchanged<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Customer benefits at a glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Less downtime<\/strong>, because most monthly updates apply without a reboot<\/li>\n<li><strong>Faster protection<\/strong>, as security fixes take effect immediately<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lower patching cost<\/strong>, now that the service carries no additional charge<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fewer maintenance windows<\/strong> to schedule and coordinate<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consistent patching<\/strong> across hybrid and multicloud servers from one place<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Key capabilities<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Up to 8 hotpatch updates per year<\/strong>, delivered in a quarterly cycle with no restart<\/li>\n<li><strong>Quarterly baseline updates<\/strong> in January, April, July, and October that require one restart<\/li>\n<li><strong>Centralized orchestration<\/strong> through Azure Update Manager for at-scale rollouts<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multiple enablement paths<\/strong>: Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI), and the Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface (REST API)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unified management<\/strong> of Windows, Linux, SQL Server, and Kubernetes through Azure Arc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-73791\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle-800x318.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle-800x318.png 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle-500x199.png 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle-150x60.png 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle-768x306.png 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-Cycle.png 975w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Why hotpatching is relevant now<\/h2>\n<p>Unpatched servers are a <strong>primary security risk<\/strong>, and reboots create downtime that delays critical updates. Hotpatching <strong>reduces both<\/strong>: security fixes apply faster, and most months need no restart. Removing the cost barrier <strong>lowers the financial hurdle<\/strong> to standardized, timely patching. Centralized control through Azure Arc and Azure Update Manager <strong>increases visibility and compliance<\/strong> across hybrid estates. The result is a <strong>stronger security posture with less operational disruption<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-73787\" src=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-800x496.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"496\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-800x496.png 800w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-500x310.png 500w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-150x93.png 150w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching-768x477.png 768w, https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/media\/2026\/06\/SCHNEIDER-IT-MANAGEMENT-2026-06-01-Update-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2025-Hotpatching.png 975w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What organizations should do now<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Review<\/strong> which servers run Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter today<\/li>\n<li><strong>Connect<\/strong> eligible machines to Azure Arc using the Azure Connected Machine agent, which takes <strong>a few minutes per server<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Validate<\/strong> that Virtualization-based security (VBS) is enabled before turning on hotpatch<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enable<\/strong> hotpatch from the Azure portal, PowerShell, CLI, or REST API<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monitor<\/strong> rollouts at scale with Azure Update Manager<\/li>\n<li><strong>Confirm<\/strong> that machines already enrolled need no action and stay enrolled automatically<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Ready to optimize your Windows Server licensing?<\/h2>\n<p>Our <strong>Microsoft licensing experts<\/strong> help you assess <strong>Windows Server 2025<\/strong> coverage, <strong>Software Assurance<\/strong>, <strong>Extended Security Updates (ESU)<\/strong>, and <strong>Azure Arc readiness<\/strong>, so you capture this no-cost hotpatching benefit. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/contact\/\"><strong>Contact us today<\/strong><\/a> to align your Windows Server strategy.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<p><em>For the announcement of Microsoft Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025, please visit: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/azurearcblog\/simplified-access-to-hotpatching-enabled-by-azure-arc-for-windows-server-2025\/4521251\"><em>https:\/\/techcommunity.microsoft.com\/blog\/azurearcblog\/simplified-access-to-hotpatching-enabled-by-azure-arc-for-windows-server-2025\/4521251<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>For useful software licensing information on Microsoft products, please visit: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/software\/microsoft\/\"><em>https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/software\/microsoft\/<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keep your servers secure without the downtime of constant reboots. Effective May 15, 2026, Microsoft offers hotpatch enabled by Azure Arc at no additional cost for Windows Server 2025. &nbsp; Summary Hotpatch enabled by Azure Arc is now available at no additional cost for Windows Server 2025 Hotpatching delivers monthly security updates without a server [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":33016,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[248,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-microsoft-azure","category-microsoft-windows-server"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73844"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74075,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73844\/revisions\/74075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.schneider.im\/lu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}