Microsoft adds Cloud Rebuild Recovery to Windows 11 in latest preview update

Microsoft introduced Cloud Rebuild, a recovery option that can erase and reinstall Windows 11 by extracting a new image and PC drivers from Windows Update, even when the system refuses to boot. It comes with KB5127936, the optional preview update released on October 28 for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, and its rollout is gradual. If Windows is still loading, the option can be found under Settings > System > Recovery under the name “Rebuild PC.” If not, the PC reverts to Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) after a few unsuccessful starts, where Cloud Rebuild appears in the Troubleshoot menu.

The “Reset this PC” menu has had a Cloud download mode for a while. According to Microsoft, cloud rebuilding goes a step further by also recovering drivers and not depending on the integrity of the installed copy of Windows. However, this is a clean slate. The system drive is reformatted, erasing apps, settings, user accounts, and local files, and only data synced to services like OneDrive survives. Anyone handing over the PC can choose a cleanup mode in which the disk is securely erased first, and IT administrators can initiate a remote rebuild via the Recovery CSP.

WinRE must be healthy and the PC must connect from within via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, using a network driver included by the manufacturer. The same update allows WinRE to reuse Wi-Fi profiles already saved in Windows. Microsoft also notes that the rebuild fails if the device drivers are not published on Windows Update. WinRE itself hasn’t always been reliable either, as an October 2025 update left keyboards and mice inside unresponsive.