July 2026 Windows Update — Known Problems and Fixes

The July update has been out for two days. Here's what's gone wrong so far and what to do if it's hit you.

Two problems have surfaced. Neither affects most people, but both are worth knowing about because they're easy to misdiagnose. One hits certain Dell laptops. The other breaks older VPN and business security software. I'll take them in turn.

Dell laptops shutting down and overheating

If you've got a Dell laptop with an Intel processor and it started shutting down on its own, running hot, or draining the battery faster than usual after this update, this is why.

The technical cause is a clash between two bits of software. Microsoft added a new component to Windows called the USB-C Connection Manager, and on some Dell machines it doesn't get on with Dell's own Intel power-management driver (the mouthful is "Intel Innovation Platform Framework Processor Participant"). When they fight, the laptop can shut down unexpectedly, feel sluggish, get hot, or eat through its battery.

It only affects certain Dell Intel laptops running Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2. Microsoft has confirmed it and put a hold on the update, which means it won't be offered to affected Dell machines until there's a fix. They expect that in the coming days. There's no published list of exactly which models, so the only reliable way to know is to check your own PC.

How to check if your Dell is affected

1. Right-click the Start button (the Windows logo, bottom-left).
2. Click Device Manager in the menu that pops up.
3. Scroll down and click the little arrow next to System devices to open it.
4. Look for Intel Innovation Platform Framework Processor Participant in the list.
5. If it has a small yellow triangle with an exclamation mark next to it, your laptop is affected. No yellow triangle means you're fine.

If it's already installed and your Dell is playing up

If your laptop is shutting down or overheating and you've confirmed the yellow warning, you can remove the update while you wait for Microsoft's fix.

1. Open Settings (press the Windows key, type Settings, hit Enter).
2. Click Windows Update down the left-hand side.
3. Click Update history.
4. Scroll to the bottom and click Uninstall updates.
5. Find KB5101650 in the list and click Uninstall next to it.
6. Restart when it asks you to.

Once Microsoft clears the hold, Windows Update will offer you the fixed version and you can install it normally.

VPNs and older security software losing internet

The second problem is a networking one, and it's mostly a business headache rather than a home one. After this update, some older VPN clients and certain corporate security tools stop connecting to the internet.

This one isn't a bug, it's deliberate. Microsoft has tightened a security rule: network drivers now have to be properly registered with Windows, and older software that uses unregistered drivers gets cut off. Modern VPNs and security tools from the big vendors already do this correctly and carry on working. The software that breaks tends to be older VPN clients, corporate endpoint security agents, and specialist networking tools, the sort of thing you'd find on a work laptop rather than a home PC.

How to confirm this is your problem

If your VPN or a security tool stopped connecting straight after the update, you can check whether this is the cause.

1. Press the Windows key, type Event Viewer, and press Enter.
2. On the left, open Windows Logs, then click System.
3. Look for an error from AFD with Event ID 16003 that mentions "an unregistered TDI provider was detected".
4. If it's there, this update is why your networking software stopped working.

The fix

Update the VPN or security software to a newer version. That's the proper fix and usually the only one you need. Check the app for updates first. If there isn't a newer version available, contact whoever makes it, because they'll need to release one.

If you run an IT setup and you're stuck waiting on a vendor, there is a registry workaround (the setting is AfdTdiUnknownProviderValidationLevel) that lets the old driver through. Only use it as a stopgap. It lowers the security Microsoft just added, so it's not something to leave in place.

So should you still install the July update?

For nearly everyone, yes. This update carries 570 security fixes including two zero-days that criminals are already exploiting. That's not one to sit out. Here's the short version:

• Not on a Dell laptop? Install it. No reason to wait.
• On a Dell laptop? If Windows Update isn't offering you the update, that's deliberate, not a fault. Microsoft is holding it back from affected Dells on purpose. Leave it, and it'll come through once the fix is ready.
• VPN stopped working? Update the VPN software first. If you'd already uninstalled the Windows update because of it, reinstall the Windows update once the VPN is sorted.

If the update has caused bigger problems on your machine, things not loading, crashes, the laptop refusing to start, that's computer repair territory rather than something to fiddle with yourself. Bring it to me and I'll get it sorted.

Mark

Mark has been fixing computers since the late '90s and went self-employed in 2008. Based in St Helens since 2013, he works evenings and weekends from his home in Laffak — friendly, affordable repairs for PCs, laptops, and Macs. See reviews on Google