Bengaluru, January 26: Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 emergency update to resolve a serious issue that left millions of Outlook users facing freezes, failed restarts and missing emails after the January 2026 security updates.

The company confirmed that Classic Microsoft Outlook profiles using POP accounts and PST files were affected following the January 13, 2026 update. In many cases, Outlook became unresponsive, failed to reopen, or worked only after users force-closed the app or restarted their systems. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Warns AI Must Prove Its Worth or Risk Losing ‘Social Permission’; Check More Details.

Microsoft later clarified that the issue was linked to PST files stored on cloud services such as OneDrive or Dropbox. In these configurations, Outlook could hang, re-download old emails, or show missing Sent Items, creating confusion and data concerns for users. Satya Nadella Praises Swiggy for Using Microsoft Fabric and AI To Revolutionise Delivery Operations in India.

The emergency fix is now available for Windows 11 25H2, Windows 11 23H2, and Windows 10. Microsoft says the update is cumulative and includes all security fixes and improvements from the January 13 patch and the January 17 out-of-band update.

Users who are not experiencing issues do not need to install the update again. However, those affected by Outlook crashes, hangs or missing emails are advised to update immediately.

This is the second emergency Windows update this month, following an earlier fix for shutdown failures and widespread Remote Desktop login problems, raising fresh questions about stability after recent Windows updates.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 26, 2026 04:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).