Some Windows 11 users may sign in to a black screen instead of a working desktop after installing recent updates. Microsoft says it has seen the issue mainly on Azure Virtual Desktop hosts using FSLogix, and it appears more often with some existing user profiles. The company updated its release-health notice on September 24.
The issue affects Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2 and 24H2. Microsoft identifies the August 2026 preview update KB5120998 and later updates as the starting point for the issue on the listed versions. Windows Application event logs may show crashes involving Windows Explorer.
How to restore the desktop
For a user stuck at the black screen, Microsoft recommends opening Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc, choosing “Run new task,” entering explorer.exe and selecting OK. This starts the desktop shell for that session, but does not remove the underlying issue.
Microsoft lists the issue as mitigated and says a permanent resolution is in development. IT administrators can deploy a Known Issue Rollback policy through Group Policy. Windows 11 26H1 uses KB5124006; versions 24H2 and 25H2 use KB5124010. Administrators need to install and configure the matching policy, then restart affected devices.
This is separate from the Windows issue that can make desktop backgrounds appear solid black. In this case, the desktop may not load after sign-in, with the problem reported mainly in virtual desktop environments. Microsoft’s release-health notice lists the affected versions and rollback instructions.
Sooraj Raj is a programmer, blogger and professional developer with an interest in technology research and publishing. He writes about technology developments and shares information in a clear, straightforward way.
