Microsoft has an image problem with November's Windows security update
Printing with Windows has always been something of a choose-your-own-adventure, and November's security update has added another unwelcome plot twist: documents containing certain images might not print.
Key points
- The printing problem remains under investigation, but Microsoft says a fix for the activation issue is due in the coming days.
- "The failure has been observed while executing the command ' slmgr.vbs /skms-domain ' and ' slmgr.vbs /ipk '." The notice (WI1549486) currently lists Windows 11 23H2, Windows 10 22H2 and 21H2, and Windows Server 2025, 2022, and 2019 as affected.
- It primarily affects organizations that use command-line tools or automated processes to manage Windows activation and licensing.
After installation of the November 2026 security update, Microsoft warned that "certain Windows activation and licensing operations performed using the Software Licensing Management Tool (SLMGR) might fail." This one is a little more niche, but it could be a headache for affected administrators.
Additional details
- After the update, those invisible objects can apparently make the printed document disappear too.
- Microsoft says document-generation tools can insert them even when no graphic is visible.
- Administrators needing an interim workaround must contact Microsoft Support for Business.
- The issue affects images rendered with a height or width of zero at the selected printing resolution.
- These might not be visible to users, but can form part of a document's watermarking or layout.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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