Windows 11-17-25 update KB5072653 problem

I was stunned to find this update today, since I already got the Nov. 25 update - KB5068781 - a week ago, which successfully installed. I'm a consumer using Win 10 Pro, version 22H2 and am already enrolled in the ESU program. And I have the Oct. 25 KB5066791 update installed as well.

My problem?  According to MS, I don't need this latest update KB5072653, because it's only supposed to be for people who either haven't gotten the ESU offers and/or were unable to install last week's KB5068781 security update.  I am neither of those.

Worse the instructions state that this latest patch, KB5072653, must be installed BEFORE installing KB5068781.  I'm not going to uninstall KB5068781 so I can install KB5072653 and then have to get it back and reinstall KB5068781 again.  I'm not going to risk breaking my computer or possibly messing up my ESU enrollment because MS pushed this out to everyone, instead of only the folks who need it.

For now I have KB5072653 paused for a week.  What I want to know is how do I delete the update, so it doesn't install itself somewhere down the line.  I don't want to delete my Software Distribution folder and lose my update history.  Can I just hide this KB5072653 update instead?  Or should I wait until MS realizes their mistake (ha, ha!) and corrects it?

Thanks for any help - I can't be the only Win 10 user out there who got this update and doesn't need it! 

There were issues with some systems (2 running here) for both Win11 and Win10 that they could not install Updates.

This was the fix i guess as is the same KB#.

As the Article states run and install successfully is different than having it installed.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-windows-10-kb5072653-oob-update-fixes-esu-install-errors/

Is up to you your system as to what you do.

Like the OP I enrolled on extended support and got the November update without a problem. I also got the out of band "fix" from MS a few days ago, again without a problem. 

I am going to believe windows update and if it tells me that an update is installed then I'm happy that it is installed. If the November update actually glitched I am sure MS would have required it to be re-installed. 

My Laptop is working fine, so my strong suggestion is do nothing until the December patch Tuesday update appears. Either it'll install without a hitch or it won't. If it won't, that is the time to start troubleshooting.

Edited by aldfort, 20 November 2025 - 03:40 AM.

Thanks for the replies, Cat Herder and aldfort!  I'm just going to hide the update, because like aldfort, I got the ESU offer, enrolled in it and had successfully installed the Nov update. And good idea - if the Dec update doesn't work, then I'll go back and undo and reinstall.  

Update:  Interesting!  I went to hide the update and it's gone!  And it wasn't installed behind my back, either.  Don't know how MS did that, but they must have realized some computers didn't need it.  

As mentioned in the other Post MS offered the (hell for got name) software a week before patch Tuesday and it fixed the issue for Win11.  Check your Update History.

As think it was forced I think.

Windows 10 KB5072653 emergency update fixes ESU failure, 0x800f0922 affecting KB5068781

https://www.windowslatest.com/2025/11/19/windows-10-kb5072653-emergency-update-fixes-esu-failure-0x800f0922-affecting-kb5068781/

EDIT : So if you got : KB5068781 then you have no need for KB5072653

Edited by Pkshadow, 26 November 2025 - 12:49 PM.