Microsoft has confirmed a serious Windows shutdown bug tied to a recent security update, and it can be more than just an annoyance. On some affected PCs, attempting to shut down or put the system into hibernation doesn’t work as expected. Instead, the computer reboots, creating a frustrating loop for users and IT teams trying to manage power states reliably.
The issue has been officially logged on Microsoft’s Windows release health dashboard and is linked to the January 13, 2026, security update KB5073455. The confirmed regression impacts Windows 11 version 23H2, and Microsoft also notes that Windows 10 systems are included in the broader affected platforms list.
What’s causing Windows to restart instead of shutting down?
Microsoft points to a feature called Secure Launch as a key part of the problem. Secure Launch is designed to strengthen startup protection by using virtualization-based security, helping defend against firmware-level threats during boot. While that security goal is important, this particular update appears to have introduced a regression that can interfere with shutdown and hibernation behavior on certain configurations.
Microsoft later expanded its notes to include another scenario: PCs that support Secure Launch and also have Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) enabled can be affected as well. Microsoft says it plans to address the VSM-related case in a future Windows update.
Who is most likely to be affected?
A major detail here is the distribution scope. Microsoft says KB5073455 is only offered for Enterprise and IoT editions of Windows 11 version 23H2. That significantly reduces the number of typical home consumer PCs that would receive it through standard update paths, but it still leaves plenty of real-world impact across businesses, managed fleets, and specialized deployments.
Microsoft’s affected platform list includes:
– Windows 11, version 23H2
– Windows 10, version 22H2
– Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021
– Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019
Fixes and mitigation: what Microsoft recommends
Microsoft has already released out-of-band updates to address the issue for devices impacted via Secure Launch (excluding the VSM-specific scenario, which is still pending a future fix).
1) KB5077797 (OS Build 22631.6494) – released January 17, 2026
Microsoft states this update contains a fix for affected devices with Secure Launch, but it’s only available through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
2) KB5078132 (OS Build 22631.6495) – released January 24, 2026
This update is available through Windows Update for devices that installed one of the January updates tied to the problem. Microsoft notes that KB5078132 is cumulative, meaning it includes the protections and improvements from KB5073455 (January 13) and KB5077797 (January 17), along with additional fixes. One of the additional improvements mentioned addresses an app unresponsiveness issue related to cloud storage workflows.
Bottom line
If your organization started seeing Windows 11 or Windows 10 machines restart when they should shut down or hibernate after January’s security updates, Microsoft has now confirmed the cause and provided out-of-band fixes. For Secure Launch-related cases, the path forward is to apply the appropriate follow-up update, while users impacted specifically by the VSM scenario will need to watch for a future Windows update that resolves that remaining edge case.
