If you haven’t heard yet, a few days ago Microsoft announced a new and improvement update strategy for MS365 Apps.

Update under lock: Improved update experience for Microsoft 365 Apps

Are you or your end-users annoyed with update notifications? Do you struggle to reach compliance? Well fear not, because Microsoft has developed an optimization that applies a pending Microsoft 365 Apps update while a machine is in idle or locked mode, even if apps are running. We refer to this feat…

Microsoft has developed an optimization that applies a pending Microsoft 365 Apps update while a machine is in idle or locked mode

If there are running Office apps, update under lock will try to shut them down only when safe to do so, apply the pending update, and restore any closed apps to their previous state.

Although the idea is interesting, updating when not in use to minimize impact on end-users, it worries me.

Statements, such as:

only when safe to do so

Apps will not shut down if it is not safe to do so. For example, if macros are running or there are unsaved changes.

How will it determine this?  Is a dirtied Access form enough to stop the process or will we see data being committed without cause?

Per the usual, MS doesn’t give more information than they have to in order for us to truly help us understand.

Impacting Everyone!

• Microsoft 365 subscriptions
• Retail consumer/perpetual Office 2016, 2019, and 2021

• Current Channel: Version 2109 or later
• Monthly Enterprise Channel: Version 2112 or later
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview): Version 2202 or later
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: Version 2202 or later

No Opt-Out

Furthermore, there is no way to deactivate this ‘feature’ as it is being imposed on everyone:

There are no admin controls for this feature. Microsoft is always optimizing your updates experience, and this thoroughly tested feature lives under the hood to make your life easier.

No Respect

Also, if you review the Microsoft Update history page:

Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps (listed by date) - Office release notes

Provides IT Pros with a complete list of Microsoft 365 Apps releases, organized by date, with links to release notes

notice how the announcement was made after all the impacted builds had already been release.  Therefore this announcement was after the fact.  I guess Microsoft has now adopted the “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission” philosophy.

Last, Have a Laugh

Microsoft have the audacity to state in the same breath:

thoroughly tested feature

I didn’t realize Microsoft was doing comedy routines now!  Have they paid any attention to Windows, Office update for the past, I don’t know, 5-10 years now!?

One has to seriously wonder if this statement is a big joke, or how is it that Microsoft can suddenly properly test this ‘feature’ and not everything else coming out of Redmond?

This is going to be interesting.  It sounds like a potentially beneficial thing, but with Microsoft’s update track record in the past several years, I’m very worried about how this is going to play out in reality!

I also don’t like the way this ‘feature’ is once again being forced upon the masses with no opt-out and no forewarning.  It show no respect whatsoever for the IT professionals, nor the end-users.