Microsoft has extended hotpatch support for Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition through October 2027, one year beyond the mainstream end date of October 2026. The extension applies only to systems enrolled in hotpatch updates, which allow monthly security patches to be applied to running processes without requiring a device restart. The existing hotpatch cadence remains unchanged. Non-security and non-Windows updates (e.g., .NET patches) still require restarts. All Windows Server 2022 editions reach extended end-of-support on October 14, 2031. Microsoft has been expanding hotpatching broadly, including general availability for Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2 in April 2025 and plans to enable it by default for eligible devices via Microsoft Intune starting May 2026.
