Starting with Windows 11, version 26H2, Microsoft enables Windows settings backup by default for eligible organizational devices whose backup policy is left Not Configured. Existing explicit enable or disable policies still take precedence. The change does not enable restore: administrators must configure that separately.
What changes with Windows 11 version 26H2?
Microsoft announced the default-on change in Microsoft 365 Message Center notice MC1483538 on September 30, 2026, following the Windows 11, version 26H2 release on September 29. It applies to eligible devices running 26H2 or later only when the organization’s backup policy is Not Configured. A policy explicitly set to enable or disable backup remains authoritative. See Microsoft’s Windows settings backup overview and the archived MC1483538 notice.
Which devices receive the default?
The default-on criteria in MC1483538 are Windows 11 version 26H2 or later, a region that is not privacy-sensitive, a cloud environment that is not sovereign or restricted, and a backup policy left Not Configured. Microsoft Learn separately lists general feature build and join requirements; those should not be confused with the narrower 26H2-or-later default-on criteria.
For the general backup feature, Microsoft Learn lists Microsoft Entra joined or hybrid-joined devices running Windows 10 version 22H2 build 19045.6216 or later, or Windows 11 version 22H2 build 22621.5768 or later, 23H2 build 22631.5768 or later, or 24H2 build 26100.4946 or later. These build thresholds describe the documented feature requirements, not which devices receive the new default.
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Microsoft’s documentation says the feature is not currently available for GCCH/Sovereign clouds or China. The newer notice describes the default-on exclusions as privacy-sensitive regions and sovereign or restricted clouds. Check the current applicability for your tenant’s geography and cloud environment rather than assuming all organizational devices are covered.
How policy state affects the outcome
| Backup policy | Effect of the 26H2 default change |
|---|---|
| Not Configured | Backup is enabled by default only if the device also meets the release, region, and cloud eligibility criteria. |
| Explicitly enabled | The existing enable policy remains in effect. |
| Explicitly disabled | The existing disable policy remains in effect; the default does not turn backup on. |
Does default-on backup also enable restore?
No. The change applies to backup policy only. Restore remains a separate administrator-controlled decision and is not enabled by default. Microsoft states that “admins must still configure restore policies” in its Windows settings backup overview.
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Where restore is configured, a user may be able to restore a profile during Windows out-of-box experience (OOBE) or first sign-in, subject to the supported device, enrollment, account, and backup-profile requirements. Restore has its own OS/build and enrollment requirements, so a device that meets backup criteria should not automatically be assumed to qualify for restore. Microsoft’s Intune guidance describes the related configuration options.
What does Windows settings backup preserve?
The feature backs up selected Windows user settings and preferences, along with a list of Microsoft Store apps, to help users move to a new or reset device. Once backup policy is applied, Microsoft says backup occurs automatically every eight days.
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This is a settings and app-list continuity feature, not a full system-image backup or a general backup of arbitrary user files. Administrators should not treat it as a replacement for their organization’s file-protection, endpoint-recovery, or disaster-recovery arrangements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should administrators manage the change?
Accept the default or opt out
- Review policy state for eligible Windows 11 26H2-or-later devices. Identify whether backup is Not Configured, explicitly enabled, or explicitly disabled.
- Leave the policy Not Configured if you want eligible devices to receive the default-on behavior. No policy action is required for that outcome.
- Explicitly disable backup through Microsoft Intune, Group Policy, or the organization’s MDM if you do not want the default applied. An explicit disable remains in force.
- Configure restore separately if your organization wants users to restore backed-up profiles. Do not infer restore availability from backup being enabled.
Microsoft documents backup management through the Intune Settings Catalog, Policy CSP, and Group Policy. Restore can be managed through an Intune enrollment setting or a device configuration policy/CSP; Group Policy is also documented for some restore cases. The available configuration path depends on the policy and deployment scenario. See Microsoft’s feature overview and Intune instructions.
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Avoid conflicting policy sources
Microsoft warns against mixing Group Policy and CSP policy sources for this feature because doing so may produce unexpected results. Also check the related activity and connected-device policies: Microsoft says they must not be Disabled for backup to occur. Review these dependencies as part of your policy assessment rather than assuming that the default alone guarantees backups.
What users can control
When IT has enabled backup or roaming, users can manage the preferences and app-list backup switches at Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. Administrators can use policy to prevent users from changing those options.
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Backup and restore are separate decisions
| Question | Backup | Restore |
|---|---|---|
| Enabled by the 26H2 default? | Yes, for eligible devices with policy Not Configured. | No. It requires a separate administrator policy. |
| What it does | Periodically preserves selected settings/preferences and a Microsoft Store app list. | Can offer profile restoration during OOBE or first sign-in when requirements are met. |
| What administrators should check | Windows release/build, join type, policy state, geography/cloud eligibility, and related policy dependencies. | Restore policy, plus its separate OS/build, enrollment, account, and backup-profile requirements. |
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