Published on: May 20, 2024
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that its latest Windows update has resolved a previous issue that was interfering with the proper functioning of VPNs.
Microsoft’s most recent update for May, identified as KB5037771 or OS builds 22621.3593 and 22631.3593, focuses on a single improvement. The update note states, “This update addresses a known issue that might cause your VPN connection to fail. This occurs after you install the update dated April 9, 2024, or later.” A similar patch has also been released for Windows 10.
Microsoft identified the issue earlier this month. The company shared on its health dashboard that its April security updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10, labeled KB5036893 and KB5036892 respectively, caused VPNs to disconnect for some users.
The problem affected almost all currently supported Windows versions, including Windows 10 (versions 22H2 and 21H2) and 11 (versions 23H2, 22H2, and 21H2). Microsoft acknowledged the issue and announced that a fix would be included in a future release.
In the meantime, the only workaround was to uninstall the problematic update, although this meant losing other features and fixes included in the April update. Another way to have prevented your VPN from leaking your IP address is to activate the kill switch, an industry-standard security feature that all VPNs we recommend offer.
This update will be automatically installed through Windows Update, but you can verify if your PC has already downloaded it by checking the update history. To install the latest May update, go to Settings, choose Windows Update, and click to check for updates. Windows 11 users should look for KB5037771 or KB5037770, depending on the version. For Windows 10 users, the necessary update is KB5037768. Those using Windows Server in an organization will find the update under various KB numbers, specific to their OS edition.
The company also promised to explain why the bug occurred. However, as of now, it’s not yet provided an official explanation for the issue.