- Microsoft expands Windows Backup to organizations
- This will include recovery on first login as a ‘second chance’
- Currently in private preview, the feature is set to debut in ‘early 2026’
A new feature set to be released by Microsoft will add new capabilities for administrators with Windows Backup for Organizations expanded to include first-login recovery as a “second chance”.
This means that Windows 11 users will be able to restore their Microsoft Store apps and Windows settings on the very first login. This will help organizations streamline transitions to the latest Windows versions by preserving the Windows settings as well as the Start menu pins and the list of installed Microsoft Store apps.
The new option will be presented during first login, and the update means users will have a ‘second chance’ to restore their environment should they have missed the option the first time during the out-of-box experience (OOBE).
User preferences are respected
This update is set to roll out sometime in ‘early 2026’, but is currently only available as a private preview. Microsoft Extra hybrid connected devices, multi-user setups and Windows 365 Cloud PCs will be included in the update.
Microsoft confirms that if users “intentionally choose to skip the recovery option during OOBE, their preference will be respected.”
The update aims to provide broader coverage for organizations to securely recover devices, as well as provide a user-centric recovery process and the ‘same seamless experience’, minimizing downtime and accelerating productivity.
“With first sign-in recovery, your users get back to work faster with their preferred settings and Microsoft Store app list ready to go,” Microsoft said in its blog update.
Anyone interested in testing the preview can sign up for it by joining the private preview – fill out an interest form, which will remain open until February 13, 2026.
‘To be eligible for the preview, you must be part of the Microsoft Management Customer Connection Program and have a signed non-disclosure agreement (NDA). If you are not a current member of the program, join today.’
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
