After Windows Update, something is wrong with my PC. Frequent freezes, app crashes, or sluggish operation. Have you ever had the experience of "It was normal before the update!"?

In fact, even in 2026, cases of PC becoming unstable due to update programs have been reported one after another, such as KB5074109 in January and KB5077181 in February. You can start it up, but it freezes after a few minutes, or a specific app stops working...these types of ``not completely broken, but unusable'' situations are the most troublesome.

In this article, we will explain how to find the update program that causes the problem and how to safely remove (uninstall) it in a way that is easy to understand even without images. This is the latest information as of March 2026.

Why does my PC become unstable after Windows Update?

Windows Updates are distributed monthly for security fixes and feature improvements, but compatibility issues with specific hardware or drivers may occur. Microsoft has also tested it in advance, but PCs in the world have a wide variety of configurations. There is no guarantee that it will work without problems in all environments.

Common symptoms are as follows.

  • My PC freezes every few minutes to tens of minutes and I have no choice but to force restart it
  • Start menu and taskbar become unresponsive
  • Certain apps (Outlook, Edge, etc.) crash
  • Blue screen of death (BSoD) appears and restarts repeatedly
  • Peripheral functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and audio stop working

The January 2026 security update "KB5074109" has fixed issues such as Outlook freezing, remote desktop problems, and being unable to shut down the PC. href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5708369/2026-01-security-update-(kb5074109)-(26200-7623)-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Many reported on Microsoft Q&A. Even in February's "KB5077181", Windows According to Central's report, there have been a number of reports of audio problems and system freezes on gaming laptops.

First thing to do: Identify the culprit update

If you feel like your PC hasn't been working well lately, first remember when it started going bad. Then check the updates installed at that time.

Steps to check update history

  1. Open Settings (Windows key + I)
  2. Click Windows Update from the left menu
  3. Click Update History
  4. From the list of "Quality updates" and "Other updates", note the KB number installed when the problem started

Try searching for the KB number you found here (e.g. KB5074109) on Google like "KB5074109 defect". If someone is having trouble with the same symptoms, there is a high possibility that the update is the cause.

Microsoft's Windows Release Health Dashboard also publishes known issues. By searching by KB number, you can check the bugs that Microsoft is aware of and how they are being addressed.

Three ways to remove (uninstall) updates

Once you have identified the update that caused the problem, uninstall it. There are three methods.

Method 1: Delete from the settings screen (easiest)

  1. Open Settings (Windows key + I)
  2. Click Windows Update → Update History
  3. Scroll down the screen and click Uninstall updates
  4. Click Uninstall next to the update program (KB number) you want to remove
  5. Select "Yes" when the confirmation dialog appears
  6. Restart when prompted

This is the method recommended by Microsoft official. However, not all updates display an "Uninstall" button. If it is grayed out, try method 2 or method 3.

Method 2: Delete from command prompt

If the delete button does not appear on the settings screen, use the command prompt.

  1. Type cmd in the Start menu and select Run as administrator
  2. Type the following command and enter:

wusa /uninstall /kb:5074109

(*Please replace "5074109" with the KB number you want to delete. Enter only the number without "KB")

  1. Click "Yes" when the confirmation screen appears
  2. Restart

Note that if you want to proceed without restarting, you can add the /norestart option, but a restart is required eventually.

Method 3: Remove from PowerShell

Using PowerShell, you can check the list of installed updates and delete them all at once.

  1. Type PowerShell in the Start menu and select Run as administrator
  2. Check the list first:

Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object -First 10

The 10 most recently installed updates will now be displayed with their dates included. Narrow down the possible causes by comparing the date the problem started.

  1. To remove, run the following as in the command prompt:

wusa /uninstall /kb:5074109

Three things to do after deleting

If you remove the update program and the symptoms improve, you will feel relieved...but it is not okay to leave it as is. Be sure to do the following three things.

1. Pause Windows Update

Deleted updates will be automatically reinstalled the next time Windows Update is run. Please pause updates until Microsoft releases a fix.

  1. Open Settings → Windows Update
  2. Select a period of 1 to 5 weeks under 'Pause updates'

As of March 2026, Windows 11 24H2 can be paused for up to 5 weeks.

2. Wait for Microsoft patch

Microsoft distributes regular updates on the second Tuesday of every month (Wednesday in Japan time). Problematic updates are often fixed in the next regular update. Check the fix status on the Windows Release Health Dashboard.

3. Update the driver

Compatibility problems with Windows Update are often caused by outdated drivers. In particular, if you download the latest version of the graphics driver (NVIDIA / AMD / Intel) and audio driver from the manufacturer's official website and update them, the same problem will be less likely to occur with the next Windows Update.

What if the problem still persists?

If the symptoms do not improve even after removing the update, there may be another cause.

  • Corrupted system files: Check system files by running sfc /scannow in Command Prompt (Administrator)
  • Insufficient storage space: Operation will become unstable if there is less than 10% free space on the C drive. Delete unnecessary files with Disk Cleanup
  • Hardware problems: Freezes can also occur due to memory or SSD/HDD failure. Check with Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched.exe)
  • Verify in safe mode: If it works normally in safe mode, the problem is most likely caused by resident software or drivers

If your PC does not even start, you will need to recover from the recovery environment (WinRE). Please check the related article for details.

FAQ

Is it safe to remove updates?

Removing security updates leaves fixed vulnerabilities exposed again. Please do this only as a temporary measure and apply the Microsoft patch as soon as it is released. Be sure to keep your antivirus software enabled even during the temporary suspension.

What should I do if I don't know which update is causing the problem?

It is safe to check the "installation date" in the update history and delete them one by one starting from the date that the problem started and verify. Please note that if you delete multiple items at once, you may not know which one caused the problem.

How can I prevent deleted updates from being reinstalled without permission?

The easiest way is to use "Pause updates" on the settings screen. If you want to block it for a longer period of time, you can also hide specific KBs by downloading the ``Show or Hide Updates'' troubleshooter provided by Microsoft.

Can it be deleted using the same procedure on Windows 10?

The basic steps are the same. For Windows 10, you can access it from "Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → View update history → Uninstall updates." You can also use the wusa command from the command prompt.

References