Some users of Outlook are reporting that they are experiencing problems after installing the KB5074109 update for Windows 11.
Released just a few days ago, the update is causing Outlook to hang or freeze. While Microsoft has acknowledged the reports, it is yet to come up with a solution, let alone a workaround – but the company is investigating.
The circumstances of the problem are fairly specific, and with Microsoft describing this as an “emerging issue”, it has not even been added to the Known Issue section of the release notes for the KB5074109 update.
That is not to imply that the company has ignored or is unaware of the complaints from users – but the tone of the statement issue suggests there is little to no understanding of what is happening at the moment.
In a support document, Microsoft has the following to say:
ISSUE
After updating Windows 11 to KB5074109 January 13, 2026 users with Outlook POP account profiles report that Outlook is not exiting properly. This means that Outlook will not restart after you close it.
In addition, some users report issues with Outlook hangs or freezes.
This is an emerging issue, and we don’t have all the symptoms yet, but we will update the topic as we understand the issue better.
STATUS: INVESTIGATING
The Outlook and Windows Teams are investigating this issue. We will update when we know more.
This issue is being discussed in the Learn forums if you want to ask questions or share feedback here:
Additional Resources
January 13, 2026—KB5074109 (OS Builds 26200.7623 and 26100.7623)
With no fix available, those experiencing the issue are not really left with many options. Put up and shut up is one route, but Bleeping Computer suggests simply uninstalling the offending update:
Until a permanent fix is released to address this bug, affected users can work around it by uninstalling the KB5074109 update by opening the Settings app, going to Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, and clicking the “Uninstall” link next to “Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB5074109)”.
This, as the site points out, is a risky option, as the update includes security fixes. Removing it may help with the Outlook issue, but could leave systems vulnerable to attacks.
Image credit: Alexey Novikov / Dreamstime.com
