Microsoft has confirmed that its November 10, 2026 Patch Tuesday updates break two things on some Windows PCs and servers: activation and licensing commands that fail with error 0x80041008, and printing of documents that contain zero-size images. For the activation bug, Microsoft shipped an out-of-band fix for Windows 11 version 23H2 on November 13. For the printing bug, none of the sources checked here describes a fix or a workaround yet. Here is who is affected, what the error looks like and what to do.
What is the Windows error 0x80041008 activation bug?
According to BleepingComputer, which reported Microsoft’s Windows release health alert (WI1549486) on November 13, affected devices “might encounter error 0x80041008, Invalid parameter (SWbemObjectEx)” when activating Windows, configuring KMS or managing product keys. The failures appear when someone runs the Software Licensing Management Tool with commands such as slmgr.vbs /skms-domain or slmgr.vbs /ipk.
The reported scope is narrow but matters to IT teams:
- Affected: organizations that automate Windows activation or use
slmgr.vbs. BleepingComputer lists Windows 10 21H2 and 22H2, Windows 11 23H2, and Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025. - Not affected: devices that are already activated stay activated, and so do customers whose images already contain the KMS client key and KMS configuration and who do not need to run the affected commands.
- Home users: the trigger is a command-line licensing tool, not normal Windows use, so most home PCs are unlikely to meet this error.
Is there a fix for the activation error?
Yes, for Windows 11 version 23H2. Microsoft’s support page for KB5136483 (OS Build 22631.7714), published November 13, 2026, describes a non-security, out-of-band update that fixes the issue where some slmgr operations could fail with error 0x80041008. Microsoft says it includes the fixes from the November 10 update (KB5131087) and the servicing stack update KB5132696, and that it is not currently aware of any issues with it.
You can get it in two ways, according to Microsoft:
- Open Settings, then Windows Update, then Advanced options, then Optional updates, and install KB5136483 if it is listed.
- Download the standalone package from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Microsoft says it is not offered through Windows Update for Business, and WSUS administrators must import it manually.
NTCompatible, which covered the release on November 14, says the fix is distributed mainly through the Update Catalog and lists a separate package, KB5136493, for Windows 10 and Server. That second KB number comes from a single outlet and was not confirmed on a Microsoft page opened for this article, so administrators should check the Update Catalog for the package that matches their build. NTCompatible also reports that Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1 and 26H2 are not affected.
What is the printing problem?
A separate alert, WI1549472, covers printing. BleepingComputer quotes Microsoft saying “printing might fail for documents containing images rendered with a height or width value of zero.” The bug mainly affects Microsoft Word through the Windows GDI printing path, but other applications may also be affected. Microsoft describes such images as part of certain complex document formatting, for example invisible watermarks or layout anchors. The reported scope is Windows 10 and later and Windows Server 2016 and later, and it starts with the November 2026 security update or later updates.
The BleepingComputer article gives no workaround and does not say a fix is available. Practical steps that are general, not from Microsoft: if a document refuses to print, check whether it contains hidden or zero-size images such as watermarks, and ask your IT team to track alert WI1549472 for a fix.
Should you uninstall the November update?
Microsoft has not told home users to remove the update, and the November release also carries security fixes. Our November Patch Tuesday guide covers the exploited Outlook zero-day it addresses, which is a reason to stay patched. If you manage many devices, test the out-of-band update on a few machines first, then deploy it through the Update Catalog or your management tool.
What is still unclear
- Whether and when Microsoft will release a fix for the printing issue.
- The exact out-of-band package numbers for Windows 10 and Windows Server.
- How many organizations were affected.
Sources: BleepingComputer, activation failures (Nov 13, 2026); BleepingComputer, printing issues (Nov 13, 2026); Microsoft support, KB5136483 (Nov 13, 2026); NTCompatible (Nov 14, 2026).
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