Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Remediate system updates and patches recommendations

4 September 2026Doc update+9 / −6 lines

In brief

The article now calls out prerequisites before verification or remediation, renames the **Fix option** to **Fix**, clarifies that updates are applied as a one-time fix, and simplifies navigation instructions and heading structure.

What Defender admins need to know

Administrators get clearer guidance for reviewing update details and applying missing updates.

Summaries are generated from the documentation change itself.

Documentation change

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Prerequisites

Before you verify or remediate system updates, make sure the following prerequisites are met:

Defender for Servers Plan 2 must be enabled.
To verify system updates, machines must meet the Azure Update Manager support requirements.
On-premises machines must be connected as Azure Arc-enabled VMs.

In Defender for Cloud, open the Recommendations page.
Select the recommendation System updates should be installed on your machines (powered by Azure Update Manager).
Review the recommendation.
Select ~~the~~ Fix ~~option~~ to doinstall the missing updates. The updates are applied as a one-time ~~installation of missing updates through the Update Manager portal.~~fix.

:::image type="content" source="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/fix-updates.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows where the fix button is located." lightbox="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/fix-updates.png":::
In Defender for Cloud, open the Recommendations page.
Select the recommendation System updates should be installed on your machines (powered by Azure Update Manager).
~~Locate~~Review the ~~relevant system~~ update ~~recommendation.~~details.
~~Review~~On the ~~recommendation.~~
~~In the recommendation~~ details page, select View recommendation for all resources.

:::image type="content" source="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/view-recommendations.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows where the view recommendation for all resources button is located." lightbox="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/view-recommendations.png":::
Select Fix.

Next stepsteps

[!div class="nextstepaction"] Use Azure Update Manager to manage updates

@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ title: Remediate system updates and patches recommendations description: Understand and remediate Defender for Cloud recommendations for missing system updates and patches. This article covers assessment powered by Azure Update Manager and configuration requirements. ms.topic: how-to-ms.date: 06/02/2026+ms.date: 07/03/2026+ms.custom: msecd-doc-authoring-1013 #customer intent: As a <role>, I want to learn how to enable system updates on my servers so that I can keep them secure and healthy. ai-usage: ai-assisted ---@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ These recommendations rely on [Azure Update Manager](/azure/update-manager/overv  ## Prerequisites +Before you verify or remediate system updates, make sure the following prerequisites are met:+ - [Defender for Servers Plan 2](defender-for-servers-overview.md) must be enabled. - To verify system updates, machines must meet the [Azure Update Manager support requirements](/azure/update-manager/support-matrix). - On-premises machines must be [connected as Azure Arc-enabled VMs](quickstart-onboard-machines.md).@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ To remediate system update recommendations, complete the following steps: 1. In Defender for Cloud, open the **Recommendations** page. 1. Select the recommendation `System updates should be installed on your machines (powered by Azure Update Manager)`. 1. Review the recommendation.-1. Select the **Fix option** to do a one-time installation of missing updates through the Update Manager portal.+1. Select **Fix** to install the missing updates. The updates are applied as a one-time fix.      :::image type="content" source="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/fix-updates.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows where the fix button is located." lightbox="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/fix-updates.png"::: @@ -66,9 +69,8 @@ You can remediate recommendations on many machines at the same time.  1. In Defender for Cloud, open the **Recommendations** page. 1. Select the recommendation `System updates should be installed on your machines (powered by Azure Update Manager)`.-1. Locate the relevant system update recommendation.-1. Review the recommendation.-1. In the recommendation details page, select **View recommendation for all resources**.+1. Review the update details.+1. On the details page, select **View recommendation for all resources**.      :::image type="content" source="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/view-recommendations.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows where the view recommendation for all resources button is located." lightbox="media/enable-periodic-system-updates/view-recommendations.png"::: @@ -76,7 +78,8 @@ You can remediate recommendations on many machines at the same time.  1. Select **Fix**. -## Next step+<a name="next-step"></a>+## Next steps  > [!div class="nextstepaction"] > [Use Azure Update Manager to manage updates](/azure/update-manager/overview)