Microsoft: 4 Critical Issues Caused by Recent Windows Updates Affecting Remote Desktop

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Microsoft has acknowledged that specific Windows updates may disrupt Remote Desktop connectivity for non-administrator users when the “Administrator protection” security feature is active.

Understanding the Remote Desktop Connectivity Issue

Microsoft has acknowledged that specific Windows updates may disrupt Remote Desktop connectivity for non-administrator users when the “Administrator protection” security feature is active. This functionality was initially introduced with the KB5067036 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 systems in October 2025 and is now default-enabled in organizational environments utilizing Windows security baselines following the October 2026 security update.

Administrator Protection and Its Impact

Administrator protection restricts logged-in users to standard permissions and requires authentication via Windows Hello (PIN or biometric) when attempting to install applications or modify the Windows registry. Microsoft reported that Remote Desktop connections may encounter failure with error code 0xC000000D after installing the KB5124010 September 2026 non-security preview update or subsequent updates on Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, and 26H2 systems.

Error Code 0xC000000D and Affected Systems

The error message “The token that was passed to the function is invalid” may appear, primarily impacting enterprise-managed devices acting as Remote Desktop hosts with Administrator protection enabled, regardless of how the feature was configured. Organizations using Windows security baselines through the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit have this setting enabled by default for Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 unless overridden by custom policies.

Microsoft’s Response and Temporary Solution

Microsoft is addressing the issue and has provided a temporary solution requiring IT administrators to disable Administrator protection via policy management tools. For example, users of Microsoft Intune or Group Policy must adjust the “User Account Control Type Of Admin Approval Mode” policy.

According to Microsoft, “The error 0xC000000D has been identified as a known issue affecting Remote Desktop functionality on Windows 11 systems.”

Historical Context and Similar Issues

A comparable problem was resolved in March 2025, which caused Remote Desktop and RDS connection disruptions following updates released since January 2025. In September 2026, emergency out-of-band updates were issued to address Remote Desktop Services failures on Windows Server devices linked to the same security updates.

Technical Details and Enterprise Implications

Technical details surrounding the Administrator protection feature, update versions, and mitigation strategies remain critical for enterprise IT teams managing affected environments.

Conclusion

Organizations must stay vigilant about Windows update impacts on Remote Desktop functionality, especially with Administrator protection enabled. IT teams should monitor Microsoft’s updates and apply recommended policies to mitigate disruptions.