Microsoft Ceases New Features for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

For many years, Microsoft has provided Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to organizations. This essential feature enables IT administrators to approve updates for Microsoft products across their businesses and organizations. Additionally, it allows these admins to postpone updates if necessary, enabling companies to maintain their PCs on their current software versions.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the upcoming deprecation of WSUS driver synchronization on April 18, 2025, citing that only about one-third of IT administrators were utilizing this feature. Recently, Microsoft revealed plans to deprecate WSUS entirely.

In a recent blog post, Microsoft clarified:

Specifically, this means that we are no longer investing in new capabilities, nor are we accepting new feature requests for WSUS. However, we are preserving current functionality and will continue to publish updates through the WSUS channel. We will also support any content already published through the WSUS channel.

Microsoft further indicated that while WSUS will be included in the upcoming Windows Server 2025 update, IT admins should transition towards cloud-based updating solutions. This includes using Windows Autopatch and Microsoft Intune for client PCs, along with Azure Update Manager for server updates.

Additionally, Microsoft announced the first public preview of hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 today. This feature will enable IT administrators to download and install security updates for the operating system without needing to reboot the server, thanks to the integration of Microsoft’s cloud-based Azure Arc services.

Although WSUS will remain in operation for Windows Server 2025, it is evident that Microsoft is preparing to phase out WSUS eventually, as no new features will be added. However, the specific timeline for its complete shutdown has yet to be disclosed.

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