Microsoft Fixes Bug Causing Windows Black Screens and Explorer Crashes
Microsoft has officially addressed a known bug that triggered black screens, desktop loading problems, and Windows Explorer crashes on Windows 11 after installing updates released since August.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Overview of the Windows 11 Bug
Microsoft has resolved a known issue that was causing black screens, desktop loading issues, and Explorer crashes after installing Windows 11 updates released since August. As Microsoft explained when it acknowledged the issue last month, affected users experienced multiple symptoms, most commonly a black screen after sign-in, being unable to access their desktop until they manually started the desktop session, and Windows Explorer crashes in application event logs.
Impacted Environments and Affected Software
However, this known issue mainly affects Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix, a software solution that speeds up user profile loading in virtual desktop environments. In virtualized enterprise environments, this glitch severely hindered daily operations by preventing the proper loading of standard user desktops upon signing in.
Permanent Resolution via Patch Tuesday
Microsoft has now addressed the bug in cumulative updates released as part of this month's Patch Tuesday and asked affected users to update their systems. In a release health dashboard update, it said that this issue was resolved by Windows updates released on October 13, 2026, and updates released after that date, eliminating the need for temporary workarounds.
Temporary Workarounds and Enterprise Rollbacks
Microsoft also shared a temporary workaround for those who can't install this month's Windows updates, which requires them to manually launch Windows Explorer. This can be done by opening Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), selecting Run new task, entering explorer.exe, and clicking OK. Additionally, Microsoft noted that enterprise administrators can deploy Known Issue Rollback (KIR) group policies to mitigate the problem across managed networks.
Enterprise customers can apply specific Known Issue Rollback packages depending on their operating system version. For Windows 11 version 26H1, administrators can use the KB5124006 Known Issue Rollback package, while Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 rely on the KB5124010 Known Issue Rollback package. IT admins can find further details on deploying and configuring KIR group policies on Microsoft's support website.
Other Recent Windows Update Fixes
Alongside the desktop loading bug, Microsoft also addressed other recent network and remote access issues affecting Windows systems. This week, the company resolved a known bug that triggered Always On VPN connection problems after installing the September security updates, and it also confirmed that recent Windows updates may trigger Remote Desktop failures for non-admin users.
Sources
- BleepingComputerMicrosoft fixes bug causing Windows black screens, Explorer crashes
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