Microsoft has rolled out an emergency update for Windows 11 after a critical bug triggered Microsoft Outlook crashes for some users.
The issue surfaced shortly after the January 2026 security update, raising concerns in workplaces that rely heavily on Outlook and cloud storage.
Microsoft confirmed that the newly released out-of-band update addresses a serious stability issue in Windows 11. The bug could cause Microsoft Outlook to crash under specific conditions, particularly when PST files were stored in folders synchronized with cloud services.
This setup is common in corporate environments, where Outlook data files are often saved in shared or backed-up cloud locations.
What triggered Outlook crashes
Reports showed that the problem mainly affected applications attempting to open or save files in locations linked to OneDrive integration. In many cases, Outlook would crash unexpectedly when accessing PST files stored in such folders.
Other affected applications could freeze, stop responding, or display error messages, disrupting daily work and reducing productivity.
The bug emerged soon after Microsoft released its January 2026 security update. Users began reporting crashes and instability, particularly in environments that rely on cloud-synced storage for Outlook data.
The severity of the issue prompted Microsoft to act outside its regular update cycle.
This marks the second emergency, or “out-of-band,” update Microsoft has released in early 2026. Earlier in the year, the company issued another urgent patch following widespread complaints about system shutdown failures, hibernation issues, and remote login problems.
Those earlier bugs affected both Windows 10 and Windows 11, raising broader concerns about system reliability after routine updates.
Why Microsoft uses out-of-band updates
Out-of-band updates are typically reserved for issues considered too serious to wait until the next scheduled Patch Tuesday. These updates are released when bugs cause crashes, affect large numbers of users, or disrupt essential business operations.
In this case, Microsoft determined the Outlook crash issue met that threshold.
Microsoft noted that the emergency update is cumulative. This means it includes not only the fix for the Outlook-related crash but also corrections for other recent problems.
Users only need to install the latest update package to receive all available fixes, including those introduced by the January security update.
