Windows Backup for Organizations makes it easier for businesses to handle device upgrades and refreshes. It securely saves user settings and Microsoft Store app configurations so that moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11—or rolling out new AI-powered PCs—feels smooth and familiar for employees. The result: less disruption, faster setup, and stronger business continuity thanks to reliable backup and quick recovery.
What it’s designed to do:
- Speed up PC refreshes and upgrades, including the move to Windows 11 and AI-ready devices.
- Support a cloud-first strategy for managing devices and user settings.
Read the official Microsoft documentation here and here.
Requirements
There are seperate requirements for backup and restore.
Backup Requirements
To get started with backup, make sure your devices check these boxes:
- They’re Microsoft Entra joined (or hybrid joined).
- They’re running Windows 10 version 22H2 or Windows 11 version 22H2 (or newer).
- They’ve got the August 2025 security update (or later) installed. This update adds the Windows Backup app, which handles saving settings and your list of Microsoft Store apps.
Restore Requirements
To get started with restore, make sure your devices check these boxes:
- Be Microsoft Entra joined.
- Run Windows 11 version 22H2 or later.
- Be pre-provisioned with at least the August 2025 security update before users go through OOBE.
If not, they must be on one of these base versions during OOBE:
- Windows 11, version 22H2 build 22621.3958
- Windows 11, version 23H2 build 22631.3958
- Windows 11, version 24H2 build 26100.1301
Permissions & Setup
- You’ll need either Microsoft Intune service admin or Global admin rights.
- Make sure Windows Backup and Restore is set to “On” for the whole tenant:
- Go to Intune admin center > Devices > Enrollment > Windows >Windows Backup and Restore (preview). Switch the Show restore page to On and save the setting.
This tenant policy:
- Is required to enable the restore option during OOBE.
- Is only applied at enrollment time, and any changes to its configuration doesn’t apply to devices already enrolled in Intune.
- Finally, users must log in with the same Microsoft Entra account they used for the backup.
Setup it up with Intune
To setup the needed intune policy to enable the backup and restore option go to the Intune portal – Devices – Windows – Configuration – Create – New policy – Platform: Windows 10 and later – Profile type: Settings catalog – Create.
Give your policy a name and-or a description and click next – click Add setting and search for Sync your settings. Select Enable Windows Backup (Windows Insiders only) and enable the setting.
Click next and give scope tags if you want, click next and assign the policy to a user or device group of your choice. I have selected a user group. Click Create on the Review + create pane to finish. You are now ready to use the feature.
You can always configure the other settings in the policy if you want, the settings are basically self explanatory. If you want more info on these settings check out the docs here.
User Experience Backup
After a reboot my Intune policy is applied. It was applied in less then 5 minutes!
I’m running Windows 11 24H2 26100.4851
Now search for Windows Backup and open the app.
Or go to Settings – Accounts – Windows Backup
Toggle the switches on or off as you prefer, i will let everything on for now, click Back up.
The Back up process will now start.
For me it took a few minutes to complete.
So the backup setup part is super easy to do, i highly recommend to enable this feature.
User Experience Restore
Check out the video on the user experience during an Autopilot enrollment. As you can see the process is pretty straight forward. After completion my settings are all there, just look at the background.
And as always if you feel there is something in error or you want to add some stuff from your own experience don’t hesitate to contact me!
Such a great post! New subscriber here!
Thank you!!
Appreciate you sharing this, cheers!
I’ve been testing to see if the backup will come down naturally through the scheduled task. No back up has been created yet, but the devices I ran the Windows Backup application has, and I’m wondering if the user is required to create a backup initially or will it come naturally.