We're excited to announce the next evolution of Windows settings backup and restore (formerly, Windows Backup for Organizations). It's built to support continuity as organizations refresh hardware, reimage devices, or prepare for recovery scenarios. Now, the experience is evolving into a baseline resilience capability across Windows.
At a glance, the four improvements are:
How it all started
In August 2025, the then-called Windows Backup for Organizations became generally available. It gave your organization a policy-controlled way to back up Windows settings and the list of installed Microsoft Store apps, then restore them on eligible Windows devices. Soon after, first sign-in restore scenarios expanded these capabilities beyond OOBE to support more device types and hybrid-managed environments.
Each milestone served one simple vision: when employees transition to a new, reset, or reimaged PC, their familiar Windows experience should be ready to move with them. This vision now extends beyond protection to making the experience easier to manage, more transparent, and more resilient by design.
The four-phased evolution
A clearer name: Windows settings backup and restore
Windows Backup for Organizations is now Windows settings backup and restore. The updated name more clearly reflects the capability's scope and its role within the broader Windows resilience experience. It's your unified approach to Windows settings continuity that brings backup, restore, and roaming together. Use it to preserve and restore supported Windows settings and Microsoft Store app list during device transitions, while supported settings continue to roam across devices.
What it means for IT: No action. No policy migration or reconfiguration is required. Existing settings, Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs), and Group Policy paths remain unchanged.
Enterprise State Roaming (ESR) management, now unified
You'll now manage Enterprise State Roaming (ESR) through Windows settings backup and restore. This brings roaming alongside backup and restore within the same policy-based management experience.
ESR enables eligible Windows settings to roam across devices associated with a user's Microsoft Entra ID account. The two capabilities address different moments in the continuity journey:
-
Roaming helps supported settings stay consistent across devices.
-
Backup and restore preserve supported Windows settings and Microsoft Store app list through device transitions.
What it means for IT: The set of settings supported by ESR is unchanged. Only the management experience has moved. Following the transition period that ended in June 2026, Windows settings backup and restore policies are now the supported management path for ESR. ESR continues to be subject to applicable licensing requirements.
Windows settings backup becomes the default
Windows backup is becoming a new resilience baseline. Starting with Windows 11, version 26H2, backup is enabled by default on eligible devices. This way, supported Windows settings and Microsoft Store app information are protected before they are needed.
IT remains in control. Any explicitly configured backup policy, whether enabled or disabled, continues to be honored. Importantly, this change applies to backup only. Manage the restore capability separately as it requires explicit administrator configuration. Learn more about the default-on experience.
PowerShell scripts to manage backup profiles
The default-on experience makes it increasingly important for you to have visibility and control over backup profiles. To simplify backup-profile management, Microsoft provides the WindowsBackupAdmin PowerShell module. It gives appropriately permissioned administrators an easier way to manage Windows settings backup data without working directly with the underlying Microsoft Graph beta APIs. Use the PowerShell scripts to:
-
View attributes to understand the backup profiles associated with users. Access to the settings or app data within the backup isn't included.
-
Export backup information when needed for administration and governance.
-
Delete a user's backup data or profiles to support lifecycle-management scenarios, such as cleaning up backup data that is no longer required.
The scripts wrap existing Microsoft Graph beta APIs, providing a simpler management experience. Access them through the PowerShell Gallery or GitHub.
What it means for IT: You're in control. Once you decide the backup default for your environment, use the PowerShell module to manage the backup profiles that accumulate over time. These practical controls for administrators support the stronger backup baseline for users.
Restore becomes visible with restore summary
Starting with Windows 11, version 24H2, Windows settings backup and restore introduces restore summary. Moving to a new PC should feel like picking up where you left off, not starting over. By making restore outcomes visible, restore summary helps make device transitions more transparent and predictable. Users can quickly understand what was restored from their personalization settings and Microsoft Store app list. Then they'll validate their setup and get back to being productive with confidence.
During device setup or at first sign-in, users select a backup profile and complete the restore process.
Then, there are two ways to access restore summary:
-
Restore summary notification: After the restore process, a restore summary notification appears on the new device.
Selecting View takes users to the Settings page, where they can select the Restore summary link. The summary opens in the browser to help users review what was restored.
-
Restore summary settings page: Alternatively, users can access restore summary by going to Settings > Accounts > Windows backup and selecting a link next to Restore Summary. It opens in the browser as shown.
Note: Restore summary becomes available approximately one hour after a successful restore. Access it from the Windows notification or from Settings for a limited period of 7 days following device setup.
What it means for IT: Clarity about what was restored reduces the uncertainty that often follows a device refresh or replacement. Use it for smoother onboarding and recovery, helping reduce avoidable support requests.
The journey continues
New device. Same setup. Less friction.
In just over a year, Windows settings backup and restore developed a clearer identity, a stronger default, a unified policy experience, and a visible restore outcome. This improved experience is simpler for employees, smarter for administrators, and more resilient for organizations.
We've also experienced the value of this approach within Microsoft, where backup policies have been deployed across the organization.
|
"Windows Backup for Organizations is changing how device refresh works. Pressure tested inside Microsoft on a global scale, it enables Microsoft Store apps and user settings to move seamlessly with our people and free IT teams from the heavy lifting of device reimaging. The result is a simpler, more resilient experience." — Brian Fielder, Vice President, Microsoft Digital |
This internal deployment reinforces what we continue to hear from organizations: resilience works best when protection is already in place, recovery operates within organizational policy, and users can return to a familiar experience and productivity with less uncertainty.
Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping these experiences. We look forward to evolving the product based on what matters most to you and your organization.
Learn how Windows settings backup and restore fits into the overall Windows device recovery framework.
Additional resources:
Continue the conversation. Find best practices. Join the Windows Tech Community.
For updates on new releases, tools, and resources, bookmark the Windows IT Pro Blog and follow @WindowsUpdate on X. For the latest on how Windows is evolving for organizations and the people who support them, follow Windows at Work on LinkedIn.
Microsoft