reinstallation process Archives

Winsage

September 11, 2026

Windows 11 can now reinstall itself from the cloud — Cloud Rebuild revives dead systems without secondary boot media, wipes broken installation and downloads a fresh copy of the OS

Microsoft has introduced Cloud Rebuild, a new recovery feature for Windows 11 users, available in beta through the Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9343. Cloud Rebuild simplifies the reinstallation process by downloading a fresh image of Windows and necessary drivers via Windows Update, independent of the current installation's health. Users can access it through the Windows Recovery Environment by selecting Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild. The feature also includes enhanced networking support, allowing PCs to connect to the internet using saved Wi-Fi profiles during recovery. Once connected, Cloud Rebuild checks for the appropriate Windows build and prompts users to confirm details before proceeding with reinstallation.

Winsage

August 21, 2026

Windows 11 26H2 will auto-enable Point-in-Time Restore by default, how to check yours

Microsoft is introducing the Point-in-Time Restore feature in Windows 11 26H2, which will be enabled by default. This feature allows users to create backup points for their PCs, enabling them to revert to a previous state, including applications, settings, and files. It uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to create backup snapshots while applications are in use and retains backups for up to 72 hours, generating new backups every 24 hours. The feature will be automatically activated for eligible systems with a Windows OS volume of 200GB or larger when Windows 11 26H2 is released, expected between late September and early October 2026. Users can manually enable it on smaller volumes, and enterprise administrators can block it via Group Policy.

Winsage

July 8, 2026

You can soon restore Windows 11 from scratch even if it can’t boot up

Microsoft is previewing a recovery tool called Cloud rebuild for Windows 11, which allows for a clean reinstallation of the operating system even if it fails to boot. This tool automatically downloads the latest updates and drivers, eliminating the need for manual installations after recovery. Unlike the existing "Reset this PC" feature, Cloud rebuild does not retain personal files, settings, or applications, requiring users to restore these independently. To use Cloud rebuild, users need the latest Windows 11 insider build (Preview Build 26300.8772 or higher) and must follow specific steps in the Windows Recovery Environment. The timeline for broader availability of Cloud rebuild is uncertain, depending on ongoing testing and feedback. Other recovery options in Windows 11 include recovery drives, reset functions, Quick Machine Recovery, and a testing feature called Point-in-Time restore.