Microsoft has issued a patch for Windows 11 after an update released on October 14 quietly broke the Windows Recovery Environment on some systems. The new update, KB5070773, restores USB keyboard and mouse input inside WinRE for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, reversing a bug that left the recovery interface completely unusable on affected machines.
The issue, confirmed by Microsoft over the weekend, stemmed from cumulative update KB5066835. After installing it, users found that USB peripherals worked normally inside Windows proper but stopped responding inside the recovery environment. This is a pretty major failure, given that WinRE is the main route to Startup Repair, Reset this PC, and other tools needed when a machine won’t boot.
If you can still log into Windows, the fix is simple: just grab KB5070773 via Windows Update and reboot. Microsoft says the fix is also baked into future rollups, so anyone who missed the emergency patch will still get the correction eventually.
But for anyone stuck in a recovery loop or trying to service a dead system, you might be stuck. Without USB input in WinRE, you’re effectively locked out of your own recovery tools. Microsoft advises these users to utilize touchscreen or PS/2 ports where available, or use a USB recovery drive. OEMs and enterprises can use the Preboot Execution Environment in Configuration Manager.
Microsoft hasn’t explained how the bug made it through testing, but this is the second major WinRE issue in as many months. Back in August, security updates to Windows 10 and 11 broke the Reset this PC feature entirely. That bug was also handled via emergency releases, and the quick turnaround this time suggests Microsoft didn’t want to take any chances with November’s Patch Tuesday still weeks away.
While Microsoft is marking the issue resolved, this latest episode highlights just how brittle the company’s update cadence has become. WinRE is supposed to be the safety net when things go wrong, but with back-to-back failures knocking out recovery features, it’s not a good look.
KB5070773 is live now for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. If your system can still reach the desktop, install it before you need it.
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