Microsoft: Out-of-band update for Windows Recovery Environment
An unscheduled update for the Windows Recovery Environment makes it usable again – including with USB keyboards and mice.
(Image: heise online / dmk)
Microsoft released an unscheduled update for the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) overnight on Tuesday. After application, it should be usable again, including with USB keyboards and mice. The update requires a computer restart.
A dedicated entry in the Windows version history describes the update beyond the usual series. It has received the KB entry KB5070773 and brings Windows to version numbers 26200.6901 and 26100.6901, respectively. It is a cumulative Windows update that also includes the previous patches from the October Patch Day.
The description for the Windows update reads simply: “Fixes: After installing the Windows security update (KB5066835) released on October 14, 2025, USB devices such as keyboards and mice no longer work in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This issue prevents navigation to recovery options within WinRE. Note that USB devices continue to function normally within the Windows operating system.”
Automatic Update Installation
Microsoft is making the out-of-band update available via Windows Update. It will therefore download automatically to affected Windows computers and install itself. Users may therefore be greeted with a prompt to restart their computer. The update is available for Windows 11 25H2, 24H2, and Windows Server 2025.
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Microsoft has already acknowledged several issues with the security updates from October. In addition to the error in the Windows Recovery Environment, which has now been resolved, there were problems with IIS websites, for example on http://localhost/. Furthermore, switching from the Certificate Service Provider (CSP) to the Key Storage Provider (KSP) for RSA-based smart card certificates leads to error messages in some cases that administrators must actively address.
(dmk)
