Thought Leadership
With Windows 11 26H2, Microsoft will automatically back up Windows settings on enterprise PCs unless administrators choose otherwise. However, the change does not apply to devices in the European Union.
Microsoft has enabled Windows settings backup by default on enterprise devices. The change affects PCs that are joined to an organization through Microsoft Entra ID or in Entra hybrid mode and have been upgraded to Windows 11 version 26H2. The change was announced in an entry in the Windows Message Center.
The feature, previously known as Windows Backup for Organizations and now called “Windows Settings Backup and Restore,” stores users’ Windows settings as well as a list of apps installed from the Microsoft Store. If a device is reset, replaced, reimaged, or upgraded, this data can be restored.
This update makes settings backup a baseline resiliency capability. If user devices ever enter recovery, you don’t have to guess whether their Windows settings have a backup. With this feature on by default, users are more likely to have their settings and Microsoft Store app list available to restore after a device reset, replacement, or upgrade.
Microsoft
From Opt-In to Default
Microsoft introduced the tool at its Ignite conference in November 2024 as an optional feature that administrators had to enable manually. A public preview followed in May 2025, with general availability arriving in August 2025. In July 2026, Microsoft announced that the policy would be enabled by default with the fall update. Windows 11 26H2 became available on September 29.
Microsoft says the change is intended to eliminate uncertainty for administrators during an incident about whether a backup exists for a particular device. With the new default, the company expects a higher likelihood that settings and app lists can actually be restored after a reset or device replacement.
Not in the EU and Not When a Policy Already Exists
The new default only applies if administrators have not explicitly configured the policy. Existing settings, whether enabled or disabled, remain unchanged, according to Microsoft. Devices in countries and regions covered by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) are also excluded, as are systems operating in sovereign or restricted cloud environments. Companies in Germany are therefore generally not affected.
Only the backup itself becomes enabled by default. Restoration remains under administrator control and must still be explicitly authorized.
Organizations that do not want automatic backups can disable the feature through Microsoft Intune, other MDM solutions, or Group Policy. Any explicit configuration takes precedence over the new default setting.
(Editorial Team)
