CyberHappenings logo
☰
Home Browse Watchlists Experimental About

Track cybersecurity events as they unfold. Sourced timelines. Filter, sort, and browse. Fast, privacy‑respecting. No invasive ads, no tracking.

Microsoft Rolls Out Windows Backup for Organizations

First reported
Last updated
1 unique sources, 2 articles

Summary

Hide ▲

Microsoft has expanded the Windows Backup for Organizations feature to support more enterprise devices. The first sign-in restore experience now allows users to restore settings and Microsoft Store apps on first login to a new or reimaged Windows 11 device, extending support to hybrid-managed environments, multi-user device setups, and Windows 365 Cloud PCs. Originally announced in October 2025, Windows Backup for Organizations is designed to simplify backups and facilitate the transition to Windows 11. The feature is available for Entra-joined devices after installing the September 2025 Windows Monthly Cumulative Update. It backs up Windows settings, preferences, and Microsoft Store-installed apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems, and restores them on Windows 11 PCs during device setup. Data is stored in the Exchange Online cloud, with encryption and strict access controls. The feature must be enabled by IT administrators via backup and restore policy settings.

Timeline

  1. 26.02.2026 15:04 1 articles · 23h ago

    First Sign-In Restore Experience Expanded to More Enterprise Devices

    Microsoft has expanded the first sign-in restore experience to support hybrid-managed environments, multi-user device setups, and Windows 365 Cloud PCs. This update allows users to restore settings and Microsoft Store apps on first login to a new or reimaged Windows 11 device. The feature is managed through existing Windows Backup for Organizations policies and can be configured using Microsoft Intune or Group Policy. General availability begins with devices that have installed Windows updates released February 24, 2026, and later.

    Show sources
    Open in new tab
  2. 09.10.2025 17:56 2 articles · 4mo ago

    Windows Backup for Organizations Generally Available

    Microsoft has made Windows Backup for Organizations generally available. This enterprise-grade backup tool is designed to simplify backups and facilitate the transition to Windows 11. The feature is available for Entra-joined devices after installing the September 2025 Windows Monthly Cumulative Update. The tool backs up Windows settings, preferences, and Microsoft Store-installed apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems, and restores them on Windows 11 PCs during device setup. Data is stored in the Exchange Online cloud, with encryption and strict access controls.

    Show sources
    Open in new tab

Information Snippets

Similar Happenings

Microsoft February 2026 Patch Tuesday Addresses 6 Zero-Days and 59 Flaws

Microsoft's February 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 59 vulnerabilities, including 6 actively exploited zero-days and 3 publicly disclosed flaws. The updates include fixes for 5 critical vulnerabilities, with three being security feature bypass flaws in various Microsoft products. The zero-days span components such as Windows Shell, MSHTML Framework, Microsoft Word, Desktop Window Manager, Windows Remote Access Connection Manager, and Windows Remote Desktop Services. Microsoft issued an out-of-band patch for one of the zero-days, CVE-2026-21514, highlighting its urgency. The updates also cover a range of other vulnerabilities, including elevation of privilege, security feature bypass, remote code execution, information disclosure, denial of service, and spoofing flaws. Additionally, Microsoft has begun rolling out updated Secure Boot certificates to replace expiring 2011 certificates. Other vendors, including Adobe, BeyondTrust, CISA, Cisco, Fortinet, Google, n8n, and SAP, have also released security updates or advisories.

Open in new tab

Windows Updates Cause RemoteApp Connection Failures in Azure Virtual Desktop

Recent Windows updates, including the November 2025 KB5070311 non-security update and a recent Windows 365 update, are causing RemoteApp connection failures in Azure Virtual Desktop environments on Windows 11 24H2/25H2 and Windows Server 2025 devices. This issue primarily affects enterprise users, leaving full desktop sessions unaffected. The incident began on Tuesday at 19:00 UTC, with users experiencing sign-in failures and intermittent access issues to their Cloud PCs. Microsoft has provided temporary mitigations, including a registry key modification, a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) for Windows Pro and Enterprise devices, and workarounds such as accessing Cloud PCs through the Windows App Web Client or using the Remote Desktop client for Windows. Microsoft is working on a permanent fix but has not provided a timeline.

Open in new tab

Windows 11 KB5070311 Update Addresses File Explorer and Search Issues

Microsoft has released the KB5070311 optional preview cumulative update for Windows 11, addressing File Explorer freezes, search issues, and other bugs. The update includes 49 changes and is part of the monthly preview updates that precede Patch Tuesday releases. It fixes issues with explorer.exe process responsiveness, SMB share search problems, and LSASS instability. However, the update also introduced a new bug causing bright white flashes when launching File Explorer in dark mode. Microsoft has since fixed this issue with the December KB5072033 Patch Tuesday cumulative update. The update is available for manual installation and updates Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 devices to builds 26200.7309 and 26100.7309, respectively. Additionally, Microsoft announced there will be no preview update in December 2025 due to minimal operations during the Western holidays, with normal updates resuming in January 2026.

Open in new tab

Microsoft Introduces Cloud Rebuild and Point-in-Time Restore for Windows 11

Microsoft has announced two new recovery features for Windows 11: Cloud Rebuild and Point-in-Time Restore (PITR). These tools aim to reduce downtime and simplify system recovery from failures or faulty updates. PITR allows rolling back to a previous system snapshot, including files and applications. Cloud Rebuild enables remote reinstallation of Windows 11 via the cloud. Both features will integrate with Microsoft Intune by the first half of 2026. Additionally, Microsoft is enhancing Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) to improve boot failure resolution without physical access.

Open in new tab

Microsoft Enhances Quick Machine Recovery in Windows 11

Microsoft is testing an improved version of Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) in Windows 11, which now runs a single scan to fix booting problems instead of looping. This update is part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to enhance system recovery capabilities. Additionally, Smart App Control (SAC) can now be toggled on and off without requiring a clean Windows install. QMR allows IT administrators to resolve Windows boot failures remotely, eliminating the need for physical access. The feature was introduced in November 2024 as part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, following a major outage caused by a CrowdStrike Falcon update in July 2024. These changes are currently being tested with Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels.

Open in new tab