The Windows 10 emoji picker has been broken for a month
16 days ago
- #Microsoft
- #Windows10
- #SoftwareUpdates
- Windows 10 emoji picker search functionality broken by update KB5062554 on July 8th.
- Microsoft acknowledged the issue six days later, only after media reports.
- Fix released in preview update KB5062649 on July 22nd, expected in August 12th Patch Tuesday.
- Windows update schedule follows Patch Tuesday, with out-of-band releases for critical fixes only.
- Microsoft's Known Issue Rollback mechanism allows reverting non-security bugfixes, but most patches are security-related.
- Windows-as-a-service model introduced in 2015 did not significantly change the update schedule.
- Security patches cannot be rolled out gradually due to 'Exploit Wednesday' risks.
- Microsoft relies heavily on beta testers and telemetry for bug identification, lacking robust regression testing.
- Windows 10 end-of-life is October 14, 2025, with potential quality concerns in final updates.
- Author reflects on the complexities of software engineering and the challenges faced by Microsoft.