Microsoft has moved Windows Backup for Organizations out of preview and into general availability, rolling the enterprise-focused feature into the September cumulative updates so IT teams can now opt in to a cloud-first backup of Windows settings and Microsoft Store app inventories for Microsoft Entra–joined devices. The release is explicitly targeted at reducing friction during device refresh cycles and Windows 11 migrations by preserving user configurations, Start menu layouts and Store app lists in the customer’s Exchange Online tenancy—encrypted and held in the tenant region—so users can recover a familiar desktop experience during Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) or after a reset or reimage.
Windows Backup for Organizations was announced during the recent Windows servicing cadence as an enterprise-grade, opt‑in capability that focuses on preserving Windows settings, personalization, and the list of installed Microsoft Store applications, rather than providing a full-file or disk-image backup. It first appeared as a limited preview offering and has now been promoted to general availability as part of the cumulative servicing updates that Microsoft ships for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The feature is intended to be managed by IT via Microsoft Intune (tenant-level policies) and designed to integrate with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) identity to link backups to users and tenants. For organizations still racing to complete Windows 11 migrations before Windows 10’s end of servicing date, this tool is positioned as a way to reduce helpdesk work and shorten downtime when devices are replaced or reprovisioned.
The platform also enforces strict controls on employee access to customer data: role-based access, limited conditions for granting access, and oversight for any access granted for operational support or legal compliance.
However, this is not a silver bullet. Enterprises must not conflate this feature with comprehensive backup, disaster recovery, or data archival solutions. The offering is complementary—best used alongside OneDrive for files, traditional backup for images and servers, and application deployment tooling for Win32 software.
Strategically, Windows Backup for Organizations is valuable for enterprises committed to a cloud-first, Intune-driven management model and those prepared to accept Exchange Online as the storage locus for those backups. Organizations with strict sovereign-cloud requirements, offline-only policies, or those needing full image recoverability should plan to integrate this feature selectively and verify critical governance controls—encryption key management, retention, and access workflows—before broad adoption.
Enterprises standing up a migration program toward Windows 11 will find this tool helpful to lower helpdesk cost and improve user satisfaction—but only if it’s deployed with clear expectations and a layered backup posture.
Source: Windows Report Microsoft Announces General Availability of 'Enterprise-grade' Windows Backup
Windows Backup for Organizations was announced during the recent Windows servicing cadence as an enterprise-grade, opt‑in capability that focuses on preserving Windows settings, personalization, and the list of installed Microsoft Store applications, rather than providing a full-file or disk-image backup. It first appeared as a limited preview offering and has now been promoted to general availability as part of the cumulative servicing updates that Microsoft ships for Windows 10 and Windows 11.The feature is intended to be managed by IT via Microsoft Intune (tenant-level policies) and designed to integrate with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) identity to link backups to users and tenants. For organizations still racing to complete Windows 11 migrations before Windows 10’s end of servicing date, this tool is positioned as a way to reduce helpdesk work and shorten downtime when devices are replaced or reprovisioned.
How Windows Backup for Organizations works
What it actually backs up
Windows Backup for Organizations is narrowly focused by design. The backup payload includes:- Windows Settings and preferences (System, Personalization, and selected Settings categories).
- A catalog/list of installed Microsoft Store apps per user (the tool does not reinstall Win32 apps automatically).
- Some personalization assets, such as desktop/lockscreen images (where applicable OneDrive is used for image storage).
Where backups are stored
Backups are stored in Exchange Online within the customer’s tenant geography. During tenant creation the customer selects a Country/Region that Microsoft maps to a geo location; Windows Backup for Organizations leverages that Exchange Online storage mapping and supports Exchange Online Multi‑Geo when configured for a tenant. Data residency follows the tenant settings so the backup blobs remain in the tenant’s assigned region.Security and encryption
Customer backup data is protected using Microsoft’s standard cloud encryption practices: data is encrypted in transit with industry-standard protocols and encrypted at rest using mechanisms employed across Microsoft 365 and Azure. Microsoft’s cloud services use a layered approach to encryption—volume encryption (e.g., BitLocker), service encryption (Azure Storage Service Encryption and Microsoft 365 service encryption), and key management systems—so backups benefit from those protections by default.The platform also enforces strict controls on employee access to customer data: role-based access, limited conditions for granting access, and oversight for any access granted for operational support or legal compliance.
Scheduler, manual backups and restore flow
- Backups run automatically on a scheduled cadence (the platform schedules a backup task every eight days by default).
- Users can also trigger manual backups from the Windows Backup app in the Start menu.
- Restore is designed to occur during Windows OOBE when a user signs in with their Microsoft Entra account on a freshly provisioned or reset machine. For the restore option to appear in OOBE, IT must enable the restore setting in Intune tenant-level configuration.
System requirements and deployment constraints
Minimum OS and build requirements
Backup capabilities are available when users are signed into Microsoft Entra on devices meeting specific build thresholds. The documented requirements include:- Windows 10, version 22H2 — build 19044.6216 or later (backup only on Windows 10).
- Windows 11, version 22H2 — build 22621.5768 or later (backup and restore on Win11).
- Windows 11, version 23H2 — build 22631.5768 or later.
- Windows 11, version 24H2 — build 26100.4946 or later.
Management and enrollment prerequisites
- Devices must be Microsoft Entra joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid joined (most restore operations require Entra-joined Windows 11 devices).
- Intune service admin or Global admin roles are required to configure tenant-level backup and restore policies.
- The restore policy is an enrollment-time setting; changes do not retroactively apply to devices already enrolled.
- The feature is disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled by administrators via Intune.
Unsupported scenarios and limitations
- No support for Government Community Clouds (GCCH), sovereign clouds, or China (21Vianet) at the time of GA.
- Not supported for shared or userless devices.
- Restore is not available on Windows 10; Windows 10 devices can only create backups—they cannot initiate the OS-level restore that reinstates settings during OOBE.
- The restore flow is incompatible with several provisioning or enrollment methods such as Hybrid Azure AD Join (in some configurations), self-deploying Autopilot profiles, certain Autopilot pre-provisioning and reset flows, and manual or GPO-based enrollments.
- The tool does not capture Win32 application binaries, third-party application installers, or user file contents—those remain the responsibility of other backup or application deployment processes.
Why Microsoft positions this as “enterprise-grade”
Microsoft calls the offering “enterprise-grade” for several reasons that matter to IT leaders:- Centralized administration: tenant-level Intune policies control backup/restore behavior, so organizations can govern the experience at scale.
- Cloud-first storage mapped to tenant geography: Exchange Online provides built-in data residency mapping and integration with Microsoft 365 compliance tooling.
- Minimal user disruption: restore happens during OOBE so once a device is reimaged or replaced users get their settings brought back automatically—reducing helpdesk tearsheets and reconfiguration time.
- Security controls: standard Microsoft 365 encryption and access governance apply, plus the organization benefits from existing compliance artifacts and auditability in the Microsoft stack.
- Integration with Autopilot and modern provisioning: when used with user-driven Autopilot profiles, the restore path becomes a natural part of redeployment workflows.
Strengths — where this helps IT teams most
- Rapid user recovery after reprovisioning. Restoring settings and Store app lists during OOBE accelerates return-to-work time after device resets or replacements.
- Simplified migrations. Organizations moving users from Windows 10 to Windows 11 can carry forward personal settings and Start menu state, smoothing user experience during mass upgrades.
- Reduced support load. Automated restores reduce tickets for personalization and small configuration issues that traditionally consume endpoint support time.
- Tenant-level control and policy enforcement. Administrators can select which users/devices are able to back up and whether restores are allowed during enrollment, enabling consistent policy application for the estate.
- Integrated data residency. Backups live in the tenant region and align with Exchange Online’s geo and multi‑geo capabilities—helpful for multinational compliance.
- Encryption and access governance. Backups benefit from Microsoft’s layered encryption and personnel access controls, fitting into enterprise compliance regimes.
Risks and limitations — what IT must not assume
- This is not a full backup solution. The product name can be misleading: it does not back up documents, non‑Store apps, user profiles as full images, registry-level snapshots, or perform disaster recovery imaging. Relying solely on it for recovery of user data or complete device states will leave critical gaps.
- Restore is Windows 11–centric. Windows 10 devices can create backups but cannot be restored to the same degree; the full restore experience occurs on Windows 11 devices. Organizations still on Windows 10 should plan accordingly.
- Dependency on Exchange Online availability. Because backups are stored in Exchange Online, any tenant-level service issues or misconfigurations affecting Exchange could impact restore availability.
- Privacy and access considerations. Although Microsoft maintains strict procedures for personnel access, enterprise data will be stored in Microsoft’s cloud and is subject to the provider’s legal and compliance processes. Organizations with extreme sovereignty or on-premise-only policies must evaluate whether cloud storage meets their requirements.
- Sovereign cloud gaps. The feature is not currently available in China (21Vianet), sovereign or GCCH clouds; public sector and certain regulated customers will need alternate plans.
- Autopilot and enrollment limitations. The restore option must be enabled at enrollment to appear in OOBE. Devices enrolled earlier will not automatically gain the restore experience without re-enrollment, complicating phased rollouts.
- Unclear default retention and purge specifics for certain scenarios. Microsoft documents that data is retained while associated with an active account and device; organizations with specific retention or legal hold needs should confirm behavior and deletion/purge procedures for their tenant.
Practical deployment checklist for IT teams
- Inventory and prerequisites
- Confirm devices are on supported builds and Windows versions.
- Verify devices are Microsoft Entra joined or hybrid joined.
- Ensure Microsoft Intune tenant admins are available to configure policies.
- Policy configuration
- In Intune: Devices > Enrollment > Windows Backup and Restore > set "Show restore page" to On at the tenant level.
- Configure who can back up and whether restore is permitted during OOBE.
- Network and bandwidth planning
- Estimate the incremental cloud storage/egress for scheduled and manual backups (payload is small—settings and app lists—but still requires planning for massive estates).
- Ensure OOBE network connectivity for restore flows, and account for potentially slow initial app reinstallation via the Store.
- Security and compliance review
- Confirm tenant geographic settings and Exchange Online data residency align with corporate compliance.
- Decide whether to use Customer Key / Customer‑managed keys for Exchange Online where required by policy.
- Pilot and validate
- Run a small pilot with representative user personas.
- Test full reprovisioning and OOBE restore scenarios, including Autopilot user-driven flows.
- Verify behavior on virtual machines and special configurations.
- Documentation and support
- Update runbooks for helpdesk to reflect the new restore path.
- Train service desk staff on how restores are initiated and troubleshooting steps.
- Complementary backup strategy
- Ensure OneDrive or equivalent is protecting user files.
- Maintain third-party backup or endpoint backup tooling for Win32 apps, images, and critical data.
- Rollout and monitoring
- Stagger rollout to manage load on Exchange Online and Store.
- Monitor Intune policy application, backup success auditing and restore attempts.
Recommendations: how to use Windows Backup for Organizations safely
- Use this feature as part of a layered approach, not as a replacement for existing backup and disaster recovery tooling. Combine it with OneDrive for user files and dedicated backup solutions for servers and critical endpoints.
- Treat the Intune tenant-level restore setting as a deliberate enrollment-time decision—consider enabling it for new device enrollments or selected pilot groups first, not the entire organization at once.
- Validate Customer Key (CMK) and Exchange Online encryption options for tenants with strict key sovereignty needs. Because backups are stored in Exchange Online, organizations that apply Customer Key to Exchange can increase their control—however, verify coverage for the Windows Backup payload specifically in your environment and with Microsoft support because product documentation may not explicitly list every service interaction.
- Maintain logs and auditing for backup and restore operations. Ensure your compliance tooling and eDiscovery processes can surface Windows Backup artifacts when required.
- Keep a migration plan for Windows 10 devices: Windows 10 can create backups but cannot participate in the same restore UX, so organizations should plan for staged hardware refreshes or alternative restore strategies for older endpoints.
Technical caveats and items requiring confirmation
- Customer-managed key support: Exchange Online and Microsoft 365 services support Customer Key (CMK) which provides tenant-controlled root key management via Azure Key Vault for several workloads. Because Windows Backup stores its payloads in Exchange Online, organizations can likely leverage Customer Key protections for those backups if they already use CMK for Exchange; however, this mapping is an inference based on Exchange storage behavior and should be explicitly validated with Microsoft support or account teams for environments with strict key-management policies.
- Data purge and retention specifics: Microsoft documents that backup data is retained as long as an account and device remain active; further details about explicit purge commands, retention periods for dormant accounts, or cross-tenant portability should be reviewed with legal/compliance and Microsoft support for regulated workloads.
- Personnel access processes: Microsoft states that personnel access is restricted and subject to oversight and legal processes; organizations with highly sensitive data should confirm particulars of the Customer Lockbox / access request workflows for their tenant and consider contractual or compliance artifacts if required.
Use cases and real-world scenarios
- Rapid fleet refresh: When rolling out new hardware, IT can use Autopilot user-driven enrollment with the Windows Backup restore page enabled to automatically restore user settings and Store app lists during OOBE. This reduces manual reconfiguration for each user.
- Post‑incident recovery: After a security incident that requires wiping a device, the restore path returns users to a familiar state more quickly—helpful for business continuity in distributed workforces.
- Controlled migration to Windows 11: Organizations still on Windows 10 can back up settings, so when users are moved to Windows 11 devices they see similar personalization and Start menu layout. Since full restore is Windows 11‑centric, migration plans should prioritize device replacements or upgrades to Windows 11 first for the best experience.
- Hybrid estates: For tenants that use Multi‑Geo Exchange Online, backups will respect the tenant’s geography mapping, which simplifies governance for multinational organizations.
Final assessment — what this means for enterprises
Windows Backup for Organizations is a pragmatic, targeted addition to the enterprise toolkit: it addresses a repetitive but time-consuming administrative pain point—restoring user settings and Store app lists during reprovisioning. By storing metadata in Exchange Online and surfacing the restore experience in OOBE, Microsoft reduces the friction associated with device refresh and Windows 11 migration at scale.However, this is not a silver bullet. Enterprises must not conflate this feature with comprehensive backup, disaster recovery, or data archival solutions. The offering is complementary—best used alongside OneDrive for files, traditional backup for images and servers, and application deployment tooling for Win32 software.
Strategically, Windows Backup for Organizations is valuable for enterprises committed to a cloud-first, Intune-driven management model and those prepared to accept Exchange Online as the storage locus for those backups. Organizations with strict sovereign-cloud requirements, offline-only policies, or those needing full image recoverability should plan to integrate this feature selectively and verify critical governance controls—encryption key management, retention, and access workflows—before broad adoption.
Enterprises standing up a migration program toward Windows 11 will find this tool helpful to lower helpdesk cost and improve user satisfaction—but only if it’s deployed with clear expectations and a layered backup posture.
Source: Windows Report Microsoft Announces General Availability of 'Enterprise-grade' Windows Backup