Microsoft delays default Windows 11 OOBE update rollout to January 2026

Microsoft has announced some changes to installing quality updates during OOBE on Microsoft Entra–joined devices. The company has now delayed the feature, and it will now roll out with the January 2026 security update. That’s not all; it will no longer be enabled by default.

As spotted by Neowin, Microsoft, in an update published on December 9, mentioned, “This policy will be available starting with the January 2026 security update and will no longer be enabled by default. We have reflected this change in the post below and added clarification about device targeting.”

There are still a few requirements in place, though. Microsoft says devices must be running Windows 11 version 22H2 or later on Pro, Enterprise, Education, or SE editions. They also need to be Entra-joined, or Entra hybrid-joined and managed through Intune with a Windows Autopilot Enrollment Status Page (ESP) profile that uses device targeting.

And, as expected, the November 2025 non-security update or the November OOBE zero-day patch must already be installed before the feature can function as intended.

Microsoft, in its previous announcement, said that the rollout would allow devices to grab the latest security fixes before the first sign-in. But after a round of delays, internal testing, and feedback, the company is now taking a more cautious approach.