Microsoft will no longer release non-essential updates to its line of Windows operating systems during the coronavirus outbreak.
From May 2020, businesses will only receive the most important critical security updates for a swathe of Windows systems, including the recently-published Windows 10 version 1909 through to Windows Servier 2008 SP2.
Vole said that work on category C and D cumulative updates, which are optional preview releases issued in the third and fourth weeks of the month, has been put on hold due to “challenges” posed by the pandemic.
These updates are issued so Windows users can test tweaks and fixes before these are bundled into the next Patch Tuesday releases, where they’re designated category B.
“We have been evaluating the public health situation, and we understand this is impacting our customers”, an announcement reads.
“In response to these challenges we are prioritizing our focus on security updates. Starting in May 2020, we are pausing all optional non-security releases (C and D updates) for all supported versions of Windows client and server products (Windows 10, version 1909 down through Windows Server 2008 SP2).”
The monthly Patch Tuesday security updates will continue to be published as normal, Microsoft added.
It comes just days after the company said it would be pausing development work on version 81 of its Edge browser, itself a response to Google pausing its own development work on Chrome.
