Introduction
Microsoft has confirmed reports of installation issues with the November 2026 security updates for Windows 11 systems. These issues are particularly affecting devices that have installed the October 2026 preview update.
Specific Update Details
The November 2026 security updates are failing to install on Windows 11 systems with the October preview update. Affected users are encountering the installation process locking midway and displaying error codes such as 0x800f0989 and 0x800f0993.
Affected Devices
This issue affects a limited number of devices that installed the October 2026 non-security preview update (KB5127936). Devices that did not install the October 2026 non-security preview update are not affected.
Microsoft's Response
Microsoft has stated that the installation issues will resolve automatically for all affected customers by Friday morning, and end users do not need to take any action to receive the fix. Affected devices should be repaired in 24 to 48 hours starting from November 11, 2026, 10am PT. Once your device receives the repair, it will automatically download and install the November 2026 security update via Windows Update.
Previous Updates
This is not the first time Microsoft has had to address Windows update installation issues. In March, it had to pull a buggy Windows 11 non-security preview update (KB5079391) because of 0x80070306 errors during installation. In May, it fixed installation failures and 0x800f0922 errors when deploying the May 2026 Windows 11 security update (KB5089549). More recently, in June, Microsoft warned users that they may encounter issues installing the latest monthly updates and see 0x80073712 or 0x800f0993 errors on some Windows devices upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2.
Conclusion
Microsoft's acknowledgment of these installation issues highlights the importance of keeping systems up-to-date and the potential risks associated with deploying non-security preview updates. Users and IT administrators should be aware of these issues and take appropriate action to ensure a smooth update process.
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