Windows Server Users Left Reeling as September Updates Cause Remote Desktop Failures
A growing number of administrators have reported a critical issue with this month’s security updates from Microsoft, which are causing widespread failures in Remote Desktop Services (RDS) on Windows Server systems. The problem affects not only enterprise environments but also individual users who rely on remote access to their servers.
The root cause lies in the September 2026 Patch Tuesday updates, which have introduced instability in RDS connections on affected systems. Users attempting to connect via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) may experience prolonged waiting times before being disconnected or seeing a “Please wait for the Remote Desktop Configuration” message. In some cases, servers even hang indefinitely.
According to Microsoft’s official release health update, this issue impacts Windows Server 2012 and later versions, as well as Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices. Users who have installed these updates may find that existing Remote Desktop sessions fail to disconnect or log off properly, while new connection attempts also stall during the process.
To mitigate the problem, Microsoft has provided a temporary Group Policy setting for enterprise-managed devices. Administrators can apply this policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates to temporarily restore RDS connectivity. However, it’s essential to note that rolling back the buggy updates will remove the security fixes included in the Patch Tuesday release.
For users who cannot access their virtual machines via RDP, Microsoft suggests stopping and restarting the affected virtual machine as a temporary fix. This workaround can help restore RDS functionality until a permanent solution is available.
The current situation bears an eerie resemblance to a similar issue reported by Microsoft in March 2025. At that time, Windows updates released since January 2025 triggered Remote Desktop and RDS connection failures. It remains to be seen how long it will take for the company to provide a lasting fix for this problem.
In the meantime, users who rely on remote access to their servers should exercise caution when applying future updates from Microsoft. Regularly monitoring system logs and connectivity issues can help administrators identify potential problems before they become widespread failures like the one currently affecting RDS services.
Ultimately, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of testing patches in controlled environments before deploying them broadly. By taking proactive steps to validate updates before deployment, organizations can minimize downtime and ensure business continuity even in the face of unexpected issues.
Source: Bleeping Computer — 2026-09-14