Windows 11 Weekly — Patch Tuesday, 25H2 planning, Hotpatch gains, and Copilot changes (Oct 17, 2025)
This week’s roundup covers what changed, what broke, and what you should do next. It’s written for IT admins running Windows 11 at scale with Intune or ConfigMgr.
🔔 Patch Tuesday (Oct 14, 2025)
Cumulative update: KB5066793 for 22H2/23H2/24H2 (OS builds 22621/22631.6060) with SSU KB5066792
Security coverage: 170+ CVEs fixed, multiple zero-days addressed
- Roundups:
Admin notes
- Stage to Pilot first; watch for IIS/dev tool regressions and third-party AV drivers.
- Validate app compatibility on critical line-of-business systems before broad deployment.
🧭 Windows 11 25H2: what to expect
What’s new: official feature list and lifecycle
How to get it / rollout guidance
- Windows Blog: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2025/09/30/how-to-get-the-windows-11-2025-update/
- IT Pro Blog (readiness + timelines): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/get-ready-for-windows-11-version-25h2/4426437
Why this matters
- Enterprise/Education get a 36-month support reset on 25H2.
- If you’re already on 24H2, many devices can move to 25H2 quickly.
- Set Target Version (WUfB/Intune) and update rings now to avoid drift.
Intune path: Devices > Windows > Update rings for Windows 10 and later
Optional: use Feature updates for Windows 10 and later to pin 25H2 tenant-wide.
🔧 Hotpatch: smaller, faster, fewer restarts
Overview & benefits
- Many monthly security patches apply in-memory → smaller payloads, fewer reboots, faster compliance.
- Great for tight maintenance windows and laptops that are rarely docked.
Guidance
- IT Pro Blog: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/hotpatch-efficiency-unlocked-smaller-update-size/4460681
- Admin docs: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/windows-autopatch/manage/windows-autopatch-hotpatch-updates
Action
- Confirm device eligibility and servicing channel.
- Test with a small group using your existing WUfB rings before expanding.
🗣️ Copilot updates in Windows 11
What’s changing
- New voice activation (“Hey, Copilot”), Vision, and Actions to perform tasks.
Why you care
- These features can change user workflows and data flows.
- Review and set policy baselines before users discover features on their own.
Helpful coverage
- Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/business/microsoft-launches-new-ai-upgrades-windows-11-boosting-copilot-2025-10-16/
- WIRED: https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-is-rewriting-windows-11-around-ai/
- AP News: https://apnews.com/article/8fbfc66b59c1ee9d15e0af856d29f52d
Intune tip: audit your Windows/Edge/Office policy sets for Copilot, web search, and cloud content controls; align with data protection requirements.
🧪 OOBE + updates (watch list)
There is community chatter/tests around cumulative updates installing during OOBE. If Microsoft expands this, you may see longer first-run times or different sequencing during Autopilot.
- Niehaus commentary hub (scan for OOBE posts): https://oofhours.com/
- Example social thread: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mniehaus_cumulative-updates-will-be-installed-during-activity-7241698984283529216-lcOS
Action: Watch your ESP timing and success rates. If provisioning slows, review network throttling, content sources, and pre-provisioning options.
📦 Why are some CUs so big?
If your rings report oversized downloads, this explainer helps you justify bandwidth planning:
- “Windows 11 cumulative updates… how can they be that big?” (OofHours): https://oofhours.com/
✅ Weekly deployment checklist
- Pilot KB5066793 to canary devices; validate app/driver health.
- Assess zero-day exposure; confirm Defender/EDR baselines.
- Set Target Version for 25H2 and update WUfB/Intune rings.
- Evaluate Hotpatch on a subset; measure install time and reboot counts.
- Decide Copilot stance (allow/limit/disable) and push policies before general availability expands.
Quick links (all in one place)
- KB5066793 notes: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/october-14-2025-kb5066793-os-builds-22621-6060-and-22631-6060-b868ef7c-22fa-4991-b286-a1728b93079b
- Patch Tuesday roundups:
- Windows 11 25H2:
- What’s new: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/whats-new/whats-new-windows-11-version-25h2
- How to get it: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2025/09/30/how-to-get-the-windows-11-2025-update/
- Readiness: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/get-ready-for-windows-11-version-25h2/4426437
- Hotpatch:
- Copilot coverage:
- Update size background: https://oofhours.com/
