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What the 26H2 default changes
Microsoft made the default-on behavior generally available on September 29, 2026, for eligible devices running Windows 11 version 26H2 or later. Microsoft’s Message Center notice MC1483538 says, “We honor any existing explicit enable or disable setting.” In practice, the outcome depends on the policy value:
| Enable Windows backup policy | Eligible Windows 11 26H2-or-later device |
|---|---|
| Not Configured | Backup is enabled by the new default. |
| Enabled | Backup remains enabled by explicit administrator choice. |
| Disabled | Backup remains disabled by explicit administrator choice. |
The policy can still be managed with Intune, Group Policy, or another MDM. The default does not override an explicit setting made through those management methods.
Which devices are eligible
Two scopes matter: the Windows versions that Microsoft documents as supporting the backup policy, and the narrower set that receives this new default automatically. Microsoft Learn lists policy support for Microsoft Entra-joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid-joined devices on supported Windows builds. The default-on change itself requires Windows 11 version 26H2 or later, along with the other eligibility conditions below.
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| Requirement or exclusion | What administrators should know |
|---|---|
| Join state | Supported devices must be Microsoft Entra joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid joined. |
| Build support documented for the backup policy | Microsoft Learn lists Windows 10 version 22H2, build 19045.6216 or later, and Windows 11 versions 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2 at documented build thresholds. The specific threshold numbers for those Windows 11 versions are not stated in the cited Microsoft Learn summary. |
| New default-on requirement | Windows 11 version 26H2 or later, with the policy set to Not Configured. |
| Geography and cloud | The default excludes privacy-sensitive countries or regions and sovereign or restricted cloud environments. Microsoft says the feature is not currently available for GCCH/sovereign clouds or China; Intune documentation also lists Government cloud and 21Vianet as unsupported. |
| Device type | Shared or userless devices are unsupported. |
Consequently, a device may meet the general Windows backup policy requirements without receiving the new 26H2 default. For example, a supported Windows 10 or earlier Windows 11 device is not brought into the default-on change merely because the policy is available to configure.
What Windows Backup saves
Windows Backup for Organizations preserves a user’s Windows settings and preferences, along with a list of installed Microsoft Store apps. It is not a full disk image or a general file backup. After the policy is applied, a scheduled backup runs automatically every eight days; a user can also start one manually from the Windows Backup app.
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Microsoft warns that disabling required connected-device or activity-feed policies prevents backup. Include those dependencies in policy review rather than treating the backup setting as the only relevant control.
How to opt in, accept the default, or opt out in Intune
- In the Intune admin center, create or edit a Settings catalog policy for the intended device or user group.
- Find Enable Windows backup and choose the policy intent: leave it Not Configured to accept the new default on eligible devices, set Enabled to make the choice explicit, or set Disabled to opt out.
- Assign the policy to the appropriate group and review its per-device status after deployment.
- Check that required connected-device and activity-feed policies have not been disabled.
For devices on which the organization does not want backup, an explicit Disabled value is the clearest opt-out; relying on Not Configured now means the default can enable backup for eligible devices.
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Backup and restore are separate controls
The 26H2 default applies to backup, not restore. Microsoft says restore behavior is unchanged and is not enabled by default. An organization can therefore enable backup while leaving the restore page off.
Enable the restore page during enrollment
Restore has a separate, tenant-wide Intune setting. To offer it during setup, an Intune Service Administrator or Global Administrator can go to Devices > Enrollment > Windows Backup and Restore and set Show restore page to On. This setting is not scoped in the same way as the backup policy, which can be targeted through device or user groups.
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Restore prerequisites and timing
- The destination device must be Microsoft Entra joined.
- The user must have at least one backup profile.
- If Windows Autopilot is used, the deployment must use user-driven mode.
- Restore can be presented during OOBE or, on supported builds, at first sign-in after enrollment.
Administrator rollout checklist
- Inventory devices running Windows 11 version 26H2 or later, and confirm their Entra join state and cloud geography.
- Review the Intune Settings catalog value for Enable Windows backup and decide whether to accept the default, explicitly enable backup, or disable it.
- Make a separate decision about enrollment restore; turn on the tenant-wide restore page only if users should be offered restore during setup.
- Verify the connected-device and activity-feed policy dependencies required for backup.
- Use Intune per-device reporting to investigate outcomes. Relevant statuses include Succeeded, Failed, No policy assigned, and No Backup Profiles.
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