Microsoft has begun rolling out Windows Backup for Organizations, a tenant‑scoped, Intune‑integrated backup and restore capability designed to capture user preferences and Microsoft Store app lists so IT can restore a familiar Windows experience on Microsoft Entra‑joined devices during enrollment. This is not a full image or file backup: it saves settings and Store app manifests to the organization’s tenant and replays them during Out‑Of‑Box Experience (OOBE) enrollment on qualifying Windows 11 devices. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Microsoft first announced Windows Backup for Organizations during its preview timeline earlier in 2025 and moved the feature into broader availability as part of recent cumulative releases and Intune updates. The feature targets the operational pain of mass device refresh and OS migration—especially the wave of upgrades prompted by Windows 10 end‑of‑support—by decoupling user state (settings and Store app lists) from hardware and making it restorable via the tenant’s Intune enrollment flow. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
This capability sits alongside, not instead of, existing enterprise migration tools such as the User State Migration Tool (USMT) and third‑party migration products. Unlike USMT or disk‑image technologies, Microsoft’s offering emphasizes speed, cloud integration, and tenant control rather than complete filesystem or application image preservation. (learn.microsoft.com, windowsforum.com)
This tenant‑gated model provides strong control but also introduces a dependency: a misconfigured Conditional Access policy can block restores at the moment users need them most. Planning and pilot testing of Conditional Access rules for the OOBE window are therefore essential. (learn.microsoft.com)
Administrators should treat Windows Backup for Organizations as a useful new tool in the lifecycle toolbox: enable it where it helps, but continue to rely on proven backup and migration technologies for complete disaster recovery and app migration coverage.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft rolls out Windows Backup for Organizations
Background
Microsoft first announced Windows Backup for Organizations during its preview timeline earlier in 2025 and moved the feature into broader availability as part of recent cumulative releases and Intune updates. The feature targets the operational pain of mass device refresh and OS migration—especially the wave of upgrades prompted by Windows 10 end‑of‑support—by decoupling user state (settings and Store app lists) from hardware and making it restorable via the tenant’s Intune enrollment flow. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)This capability sits alongside, not instead of, existing enterprise migration tools such as the User State Migration Tool (USMT) and third‑party migration products. Unlike USMT or disk‑image technologies, Microsoft’s offering emphasizes speed, cloud integration, and tenant control rather than complete filesystem or application image preservation. (learn.microsoft.com, windowsforum.com)
What Windows Backup for Organizations actually does
Core functionality
- Backs up user settings and preferences — includes categories such as System, Personalization, Network & Internet, Accounts, Time & language, Accessibility, File Explorer, Bluetooth & devices, and Gaming (list varies by documentation and product stage). (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Stores the list of installed Microsoft Store apps — the service saves the manifest/list and can restore those Store apps to the user’s Start menu during OOBE on qualifying devices. It does not reinstall Win32 (MSI/EXE) apps. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, windowsforum.com)
- Saves backup artifacts in the organization’s tenant — backups are persisted in the tenant data store and are accessible only through the user’s Microsoft Entra identity at restore time. Cross‑tenant migration of backup data is not a supported scenario. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
What it does not do
- Not a disk image — it won’t create a bootable image, capture drivers, or allow full machine rebuilds from a single image.
- Does not back up arbitrary user files — this is a settings and Store‑app list service; document and media backups continue to be the domain of OneDrive, third‑party backup, or traditional file‑level backup solutions. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Doesn’t migrate Win32 applications — any MSI/EXE desktop applications must be handled separately (deploy via Intune, SCCM, or a migration tool such as PCmover/USMT workflows where appropriate). (learn.microsoft.com, windowsforum.com)
Supported devices and prerequisites
Identity and management
- Devices must be Microsoft Entra joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid joined to perform backups. Restores are limited to Microsoft Entra‑joined devices. That tenant‑centric model ensures the Entra identity is the authentication boundary for restoring backups. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
OS and build requirements
Microsoft’s documentation specifies exact minimum OS builds for reliable backup and restore behavior. Administrators should validate build requirements in their Intune environment because Microsoft lists specific minimum builds and occasionally publishes slightly different “base build” numbers for OOBE scenarios in separate posts. Examples documented by Microsoft include:- Windows 10, version 22H2 — backup supported on build 19045.5917 or later. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Windows 11, version 22H2 — backup and restore flows require builds identified in Intune and TechCommunity posts; Microsoft’s platform guidance uses different sets of baseline build numbers for backup vs. preprovisioning/OOBE restore flows, so confirm the published minimums before you start a migration. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Enrollment and provisioning caveats
- The restore experience is surfaced during OOBE/device enrollment — users must sign in with the same Entra account used to generate the backup. Restores initiated outside of OOBE are not supported today. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- If Autopilot is used, the Autopilot profile must be user‑driven, not self‑deploying. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Certain provisioning and enrollment flows are explicitly unsupported (e.g., pre‑provisioned Autopilot modes, Enrollment via Group Policy or Configuration Manager co‑management), and some SKUs (Windows 11 SE, Holographic, certain IoT SKUs) are excluded. (learn.microsoft.com)
Administration and configuration
How admins enable it
- Opt‑in model — Windows Backup for Organizations is disabled by default. An Intune Service Administrator or Global Administrator must enable the backup and restore settings from the Microsoft Intune admin center. The restore toggle is tenant‑wide. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Policy surfaces — backup is enabled via the Intune Settings Catalog (Enable Windows backup). The restore page is shown by toggling Windows Backup and Restore in Devices > Enrollment > Windows > Enrollment options. The backup policy can also be set by Group Policy or MDM where appropriate. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Backup cadence and user control
- By default, backups run automatically every eight days, and users may also manually trigger a backup using the Windows Backup app if the EnableWindowsBackup policy is applied. This regular cadence is intended to keep settings reasonably fresh without overwhelming tenant storage or network resources. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Restore flow — OOBE
- IT enables the restore policy for the tenant. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- User powers on a new or reimaged device and proceeds through OOBE. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- User signs in with the same Microsoft Entra account that holds the backup. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Windows presents the restore option; user selects the backup and restores settings and the Store app list. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Security, conditional access, and compliance implications
Authentication and Conditional Access
Restore operations rely on the user’s Microsoft Entra authentication token and require the Microsoft Activity Feed Service to be reachable under Conditional Access policies during OOBE. If a Conditional Access policy blocks token acquisition from the Activity Feed Service, restore will fail. Admins must explicitly allow the Activity Feed Service in Conditional Access to permit restores during enrollment. (learn.microsoft.com)This tenant‑gated model provides strong control but also introduces a dependency: a misconfigured Conditional Access policy can block restores at the moment users need them most. Planning and pilot testing of Conditional Access rules for the OOBE window are therefore essential. (learn.microsoft.com)
Data residency and tenant custody
The backup artifacts are stored in the organization’s tenant data store. That means the enterprise retains custodial control over these artifacts, which can be an advantage for compliance and auditing when compared to consumer MSA backups. However, it also means restoring data across tenants or accounts is not supported—an important limitation for mergers, acquisitions, or employee tenant changes. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)Authentication hygiene and MFA
Because restores occur before a freshly provisioned device attains compliance status, Microsoft recommends ensuring Conditional Access allows non‑compliant devices to acquire the Activity Feed Service token or to explicitly opt in for MFA in a manner compatible with the OOBE flow. Virtual machine scenarios with phishing‑resistant MFA (security keys/smart cards) currently experience limitations during OOBE due to Hyper‑V passthrough constraints. Administrators must account for these edge cases. (learn.microsoft.com)Integration with existing migration and backup strategies
Where Windows Backup for Organizations fits
- Best suited for organizations primarily using Entra/Intune management and seeking a fast, tenant‑integrated way to restore user personalization and Store apps during device refresh or reimage. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Not a replacement for file backup or enterprise image management. Organizations must continue to rely on OneDrive/SharePoint, Azure Backup, third‑party backup, or disk imaging for files, full system recovery, and Win32 application binaries. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Comparison to USMT and third‑party tools
- USMT: a long‑standing toolkit that captures user accounts, files, OS and application settings and can be made to run offline as part of large scripted migrations; it is powerful but complex and generally requires an AD/ADK deployment model. USMT can move many settings and files but does not automatically migrate installed desktop applications. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Third‑party migration tools: products like PCmover Enterprise aim to transfer applications, profiles and files with fewer manual steps, and can be indispensable when migrating legacy Win32 apps or moving between identity or tenant models. Windows Backup for Organizations is complementary: use it for fast personalization restore in cloud‑managed fleets and pair it with a separate application migration plan where needed. (enterprise.laplink.com, news.laplink.com)
Real‑world operational impacts — strengths and practical benefits
- Reduced desk‑side work: restoring settings and Store apps at OOBE will save valuable IT hours by reducing manual personalization steps after device refresh. This is especially impactful for large fleets undergoing Windows 11 migrations. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Tenant control and auditability: storing backups in the enterprise tenant means restores are subject to tenant RBAC and compliance controls—aligning the capability with enterprise governance practices. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Short‑term resiliency for ransomware and wipe scenarios: while not a substitute for a full data restoration strategy, the ability to quickly wipe and restore settings and Store app lists can accelerate recovery time for sanitized devices following an incident. Third‑party or file backups remain essential for full data recovery. (theregister.com, windowsforum.com)
Key risks, limitations, and practical caveats (critical analysis)
- Not a full backup solution — the most important operational caveat is that administrators or decision‑makers who assume this service replaces image‑level or file‑level backups will be disappointed. Forensic recovery, driver restoration, hardware‑specific configs, and Win32 app binaries remain outside its remit. Treat Windows Backup for Organizations as a complementary tool, not a single‑pane backup replacement. (windowsforum.com, learn.microsoft.com)
- Identity and tenant lock‑in — the requirement to sign in with the same Entra account and tenant to restore makes cross‑tenant migrations or account reassignments complex. M&A, contractor transitions, or tenant consolidations need bespoke migration plans. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Conditional Access fragility during OOBE — because restore relies on the Activity Feed Service token during OOBE, strict Conditional Access policies can accidentally block restores. This is a classic availability vs security trade‑off during enrollment; test and document the allowed exceptions for the OOBE window. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Provisioning and SKU exclusions — a number of provisioning methods and SKUs are unsupported, and Cloud PC/Windows 365 scenarios are either not supported at launch or have unclear coverage in Microsoft’s docs and press coverage. Some independent outlets have reported Cloud PC limitations; administrators must validate whether Cloud PCs are accepted by the current feature set in their tenant before assuming coverage. Flag: Cloud PC support was reported differently across outlets and isn’t clearly documented in the core Intune article at the time of writing—treat Cloud PC support as unverified until confirmed in Intune or Windows 365 documentation. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, theregister.com)
- Delivery complexity across diverse fleets — heterogeneous fleets with legacy drivers, OEM customizations, or regional/cloud partitions (for example, 21Vianet/China tenants) may experience edge‑case behavior. Microsoft explicitly notes no support for 21Vianet at launch. Pilot accordingly. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Practical rollout checklist for IT teams
- Pilot, pilot, pilot. Start with a small group of Entra‑joined devices that match your target hardware and Autopilot model. Verify backup cadence, manual backup, and OOBE restore flows end‑to‑end. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Confirm OS build baselines. Validate that target devices meet the minimum OS/build numbers published in Intune docs and TechCommunity posts. If devices are older, plan Enrollment Status Page settings to deliver quality updates during OOBE. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
- Audit Conditional Access. Ensure the Microsoft Activity Feed Service is allowed for the OOBE token acquisition path, while preserving MFA and risk controls appropriate to your compliance posture. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Retain full backup and app deployment plans. Keep OneDrive/third‑party backups for user files and a separate application deployment/migration strategy for Win32 apps (Intune Win32, SCCM, or PCmover/USMT workflows). (learn.microsoft.com, enterprise.laplink.com)
- Document tenant‑wide implications. Remember the restore toggle is tenant‑wide and opt‑in: communicate impacts across helpdesk, security, and procurement teams before enabling. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Plan for exceptions. Catalogue unsupported SKUs, enrollment flows, and VM/MFA scenarios, and create a fallback procedure for those devices. (learn.microsoft.com)
Longer‑term outlook and where Microsoft is likely to go next
Microsoft positions Windows Backup for Organizations as an evolving, cloud‑native complement to its migration toolbox. Public commentary and the Windows IT Pro roadmap suggest Microsoft will iterate on supported provisioning modes, restore fidelity, and integration with other Microsoft services (for example Enterprise State Roaming and OneDrive). Expect gradual feature additions—possibly broader support for hybrid join restore, expanded Cloud PC compatibility, or richer app restoration mechanics—but treat these as forward‑looking and verify availability as the product matures. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)Conclusion
Windows Backup for Organizations fills a clear operational gap: it gives Intune‑managed enterprises a simple, tenant‑controlled path to restore user settings and Microsoft Store app lists during device enrollment. For organizations that are predominantly Entra + Intune driven and need to accelerate Windows 11 migrations or speed up device refreshes, it will reduce friction and help users get productive faster. That said, the feature is deliberately narrow in scope: it is not a substitute for full file backups, disk imaging, or Win32 application migration tools. Careful piloting, Conditional Access planning, and retaining existing backup/application deployment strategies remain non‑negotiable. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)Administrators should treat Windows Backup for Organizations as a useful new tool in the lifecycle toolbox: enable it where it helps, but continue to rely on proven backup and migration technologies for complete disaster recovery and app migration coverage.
Source: theregister.com Microsoft rolls out Windows Backup for Organizations
