Does Windows Update push the Malicious Software Removal Tool to Windows on ARM?

Question

We manage client updates using Windows Update for Business ("WUfB") and it works well. Recently, our third-party vulnerability management software indicated that some endpoint did not have the latest version of the Malicious Software Removal Tool ("MSRT") installed despite being otherwise up to date. Perplexed, I check Windows Update on one of these computers and indeed the MSRT was never installed, and Windows Update says the system is up to date. This is the case with several workstations that all have one thing in common - they are running Windows on ARM. The MSRT was installed via Windows update on other non-ARM managed machines, covered by the same WUfB policies, without incident.

Is the Malicious Software Removal Tool compatible with Windows on ARM? If it is, is there some reason in particular Microsoft chooses not to push it to Windows on ARM devices?

UPDATE (3/11/25): We are confident this is not caused by our WUfB policies, which are minimally configured using Microsoft best practice recommendations. We took a brand-new Windows on ARM computer and did not autopilot join it and set it up without any policies or links to our company's MDM or other management tools and also observed that Windows Update did not deliver the MSRT.

While I appreciate the feedback I've already received on this, I'm not looking for speculation and troubleshooting advice - I'm looking for (1) another admin using WUfB to confirm or deny that they are seeing the same behavior on any Windows on ARM devices they manage or (2) some official statement from Microsoft indicating whether or not this behavior is intentional.

Answer 1

The Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is indeed compatible with Windows on ARM devices. However, it appears that there might be some inconsistencies in how it is distributed via Windows Update for ARM devices.

One possible reason for this discrepancy could be related to the specific configurations or policies applied to your ARM devices. It's also worth noting that while MSRT is generally released monthly as part of Windows Update, there might be certain scenarios where it is not pushed automatically to all devices.

To ensure that your ARM devices have the latest version of MSRT, you can manually download and install it from the Microsoft Download Center. This way, you can verify that the tool is installed and up to date on your ARM devices.

If you continue to experience issues, it might be helpful to review your WUfB policies and configurations to ensure that there are no settings that could be preventing the MSRT from being installed on your ARM devices.

Answer 2

Hello,

The Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is compatible with Windows on ARM, but there have been reports similar to yours where the MSRT isn’t automatically delivered via Windows Update on ARM devices. Here are some points to consider:

1. Compatibility:

 • The MSRT is built to run on Windows platforms and there is an ARM version available. Reports and documentation indicate that it should work on Windows on ARM.

2. Distribution Differences:

 • Even though Microsoft generally distributes the MSRT on all supported platforms via Windows Update as part of the monthly Patch Tuesday cycle, there have been cases on ARM devices where the tool isn’t installed automatically despite other updates coming through on time.

 • There may be nuances related to the update servicing mechanism on ARM devices (potentially involving firmware, different processing for ARM versions of system components, or even regional/CSP configuration differences) that cause this inconsistency.

3. Windows Update for Business Policies:

 • The policies that work for traditional x86/x64 devices don’t always behave identically on ARM devices. It’s worthwhile rechecking that nothing in your WUfB configuration might be selectively affecting ARM devices.

 • Review your report settings or any filtering that might inadvertently exclude certain ARM-specific packages. Microsoft documentation or support channels may have updated guidance on managing ARM device configurations.

4. Manual Intervention:

 • If automatic delivery via Windows Update is not occurring consistently, one approach is to manually deploy the MSRT on ARM devices until Microsoft corrects any update stream disparities.

 • You can download the standalone installer from the Microsoft Download Center (ensure you select the correct ARM version if it’s offered separately or packaged within a unified installer).

In summary, while the MSRT itself is compatible with Windows on ARM, the delivery via Windows Update on these devices may not be as consistent as on other platforms.

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