Microsoft announces Windows Backup for Organizations in limited public preview

Microsoft has announced Windows Backup for Organizations in public preview. It’s designed to help IT teams speed up device recovery.

The new Windows tool allows organizations to backup user settings, pinned apps, and preferences from Windows 10 or 11 devices. Those backups can then be restored on a new or reset Windows 11 device, helping users resume work faster.

Microsoft says this Backup tool is especially useful for organizations planning to move from Windows 10 before support ends in October 2025. Remember, this feature is built for Microsoft Entra-joined devices that are managed through Microsoft Intune.

When users log in with their Entra ID, their layout and preferences will appear automatically. Admins can use Intune to set up and manage backup policies and control what gets restored. Backups are tied to user identity, not hardware. This means if a laptop is lost or replaced, the next device can be set up with the same user environment.

The new Windows Backup tool for organizations also supports app provisioning through Intune. That means pinned apps are restored with deep links to Microsoft Store, Win32, or enterprise apps.

It’s worth noting that organizations must enroll in Microsoft’s Management Customer Connection Program (CCP) to try the new Windows Backup tool. Besides that, their devices must also meet key requirements. Specifically, the source device must be running Windows 10 or 11 and enrolled in Intune.

That’s not all; the restore must happen on a Windows 11 device, version 22H2 or newer. As of now, the preview is limited, so access will be granted on a rolling basis. You can sign up to join the public preview through this link.