Microsoft finally fixes VPN issues caused by September updates

Microsoft has resolved Always On VPN connection failures triggered after installing the September 2026 Windows 11 security updates.

The Always On VPN remote access solution runs in the background and establishes secure tunnels back to the user's corporate network when their devices connect to the Internet. It has replaced the legacy DirectAccess technology and supports domain-joined, non-domain-joined, and Microsoft Entra ID–joined devices running Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.

Microsoft has previously mistakenly flagged this known issue as fixed in the October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates.

The company first acknowledged it in a service alert sent to IT administrators in late September, saying the Always On VPN failures were triggered on Windows 11 systems by the September 2026 security updates when using automatic protocol selection with IKEv2 and SSTP.