Starting in May, the Windows automatic update service will warn you before your license expires. Microsoft is also announcing new features for Windows Autopatch.

Microsoft rolled out Windows Autopatch in summer 2022. Companies that sign up for the service no longer have to worry about patching. On the second Tuesday of each month, renamed Patch Tuesday, Windows automatically pulls in available security updates. This saves the IT administrator a lot of manual work and should ensure that companies no longer postpone critical updates.

Microsoft is building on this service with new announcements it is unveiling on Windows Message Center. Starting in May, Autopatch will warn IT admins when they need to take action to “preserve the overall health of the operating system.” This means that, for example, you will receive a warning if your license is about to expire, which can stop the autopatch service.

Autopatch now also fixes any access problems to the service. Tenants can be temporarily placed inactive until the proposed actions are taken. This avoids the immediate suspension of autopatch when the license expires. under Windows Autopatch Devices The administrator sees which actions are requested.

Administrators can also now set up autopatch groups to better align update management with organizational structures and goals. The report menu also now provides more insight into update status, so organizations are also more quickly alerted to errors installing the updates.

These capabilities are available in preview through Intune and will be rolled out more widely starting in May. A complete overview of what’s new in Windows Autopatch can be found here.