Admin was able to install Windows Server to automatically update .NET

The new option starts rolling out on April 13, 2022, and if you opt-in, it will add .NET Core 3.1, .NET 5.0, and .NET 6.0 to the auto-update channel as a third-party option. on Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and Microsoft Update Catalog.

"We are pleased to announce that starting April 2022, on an admin basis, we will be providing monthly updates to .NET (.NET Core) on Windows Server through Microsoft Update. ", said Jamshed Damkewala, Principal Technical Manager of .NET at Microsoft. "If you don't want your servers to be automatically updated, you don't need to take any action."

This new option was added in response to a request from customers who wanted a way to install .NET updates without using a deployment tool, just like on the Windows client platform.

How to enable automatic .NET updates

You can choose to update .NET automatically on Windows Server by setting the registry keys according to the table below (manually or with the help of Group Policy):

.NET version	Key Registry	Name	Value
All	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft.NET]	'AllowAUOnServerOS'	dword:00000001
.NET 6.0	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft.NET6.0]	'AllowAUOnServerOS'	dword:00000001
.NET 5.0	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft.NET5.0]	'AllowAUOnServerOS'	dword:00000001
.NET 3.1	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft.NET3.1]	'AllowAUOnServerOS'	dword:00000001

Besides this option for Windows Server, Microsoft is planning to launch a new Windows Autopatch service in July 2022. This service automatically updates Windows and Office software for Microsoft customers with Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 or later licenses.