● Covered by 1 source · 3 reportsMedium impact1 negative2 neutral
Microsoft fixes Always On VPN connection issues in Windows 11 September updates
Key points
- Microsoft released KB5127648 and KB5127646 updates.
- Fixes Always On VPN connection failures on Windows 11 24H2+.
- Issue stemmed from September 2026 Windows updates.
- Affected automatic protocol selection for VPN connections.
- October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates did not fix the VPN issues.
- Microsoft mistakenly marked the VPN bug as fixed.
- Microsoft plans to release a proper fix in the coming weeks.
- Always On VPN replaced DirectAccess technology.
- Always On VPN supports Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.
- Affected VPN connections could remain stuck in a 'Connecting' state.
- Subsequent connection attempts could display 'The specified port is already in use'.
- The fix is included in the KB5127936 preview update.
- The issue specifically affected IKEv2 and SSTP protocols.
VPN Connection Issues Resolved
Microsoft has addressed a known issue affecting Always On VPN connections following the installation of the September 2026 Windows 11 security updates. The company released cumulative updates KB5127648 and KB5127646 to rectify the problem on all affected systems.
Details of the Bug
The bug caused Always On VPN failures when the initial connection attempt failed, particularly when automatic protocol selection (e.g., IKEv2 and SSTP) was configured on systems running Windows 11 24H2 and later. Affected connections could remain stuck in a 'Connecting' state or fail to connect, sometimes displaying an error message stating 'The specified port is already in use'.
Always On VPN Functionality
Always On VPN is a remote access solution that replaced DirectAccess technology. It supports domain-joined, non-domain-joined, and Microsoft Entra ID–joined Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server devices. This feature automatically establishes a secure tunnel to the corporate network when a device connects to the internet.
Temporary Mitigation and Previous Issues
For users unable to install the October 2026 Patch Tuesday update immediately, Microsoft provided a temporary workaround: IT administrators can mitigate the issue by configuring the Always On VPN profile to use a single protocol, either SSTP only or IKEv2 only. This issue follows other problems caused by the September 2026 updates, including Remote Desktop Services failures, Hyper-V issues, and USB audio problems. Microsoft also confirmed recent updates can cause non-admin users to have Remote Desktop connection issues if 'Administrator protection' is enabled.
Updates
- The fix is included in the KB5127936 preview update.
- The issue specifically affected IKEv2 and SSTP protocols.
- October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates did not fix the VPN issues.
- Microsoft mistakenly marked the VPN bug as fixed.
- Microsoft plans to release a proper fix in the coming weeks.
- Always On VPN replaced DirectAccess technology.
- Always On VPN supports Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.
- Affected VPN connections could remain stuck in a 'Connecting' state.
- Subsequent connection attempts could display 'The specified port is already in use'.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Microsoft has released a fix for Always On VPN connection failures that occurred after installing the September 2026 Windows 11 security updates. The issue, which caused VPN connections to get stuck or fail when using automatic protocol selection, is resolved in the KB5127936 preview update.
Microsoft announced that the October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates did not resolve the Always On VPN connection problems, despite being marked as fixed. The company mistakenly updated the bug's status and is now planning to release a proper fix in the coming weeks, impacting IT administrators relying on this VPN technology.
Microsoft released cumulative updates KB5127648 and KB5127646 to resolve Always On VPN connection failures on Windows 11 24H2 and later, which were caused by the September 2026 security updates. The bug prevented VPN connections from establishing if the initial attempt failed, impacting users relying on automatic protocol selection.