Microsoft will start charging for Windows Server hotpatch updates in two months
The arrival of hotpatch updates for Windows Server 2025 heralded a new era of keeping systems up-to-date and secure while keeping downtime to an absolute minimum. By eliminating the need for restarts after certain updates, systems can be patched while they are being used.
Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 has been available in preview for a number of months now. It has been completely free of charge, but this is due to come to an end. Anyone who has fallen in love with the new approach will have to pay if they want to continue using it.
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Microsoft casually announced the impending arrival of charges for hotpatching by saying in a blog post: “Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025, made available in preview in 2024, will become generally available as a subscription service on July 1st, 2025”.
Adopting a drug dealer-style approach, Microsoft is eager to get people hooked, saying.
We encourage you to try hotpatching now while it’s still free of charge in preview, before subscription pricing starts this July.
The company also says:
If you are currently using Windows Server 2025 and opted in to try the hotpatching service through Azure Arc in preview, you will need to disenroll on or before June 30 if you wish to end your preview and not subscribe to the service. Otherwise, your subscription will start automatically in July.
This is important -- if you’re enjoying the preview period but don’t want to continue using it when a charge is introduced, you will need to take action. With pricing set at $1.50 USD per CPU core per month, failure to opt out of hotpatching could mean an unpleasant bill.
Equally important to remember is that hotpatching is optional; regular updates will continue to be delivered free of charge.
More details are available here.
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