When I help organizations refresh their Windows endpoints (and that happens a lot now that Windows 10 has reached end of support), one question comes up almost every time. Can we keep our users' familiar settings and Store apps when a device is replaced or reset? Windows Backup for Organizations was built for exactly that. It syncs user-level settings and Microsoft Store apps to the cloud so they can be restored during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) on a new or freshly wiped PC. From what I've seen, this takes a fair amount of friction out of large deployments and cuts down on helpdesk tickets about missing Start menus, wallpapers or app pins.

The feature backs up user settings and Store apps, but not everything

The feature targets modern, cloud-managed Windows 11 devices. Once it's enabled, it backs up user profile settings in the background (the Start layout, personalization, Wi-Fi and more) together with the Microsoft Store apps linked to the user's Entra ID account. When a new or reset device goes through OOBE, the user gets the option to restore those settings and apps, so moving to a new machine is far less disruptive. Where I notice the biggest difference is with users coming from Windows 10 devices, or when hardware gets replaced in waves. Handing out new laptops no longer means everyone has to rebuild their favorite settings by hand.

There are some clear limits, though. Windows Backup for Organizations does not cover classic Win32 applications, so Office, older line-of-business apps and anything else outside the Store still have to be redeployed via Intune or another method. User files (Documents, Desktop, Pictures) aren't included either. OneDrive with Known Folder Move enabled is the better fit for those, and I've written up the pitfalls and best practices in my article on OneDrive Known Folder Move with Intune. The feature really concentrates on user experience settings and Store apps, the small things users spot immediately when they're gone.

Deployment depends on Entra join, Windows 11 and two Intune settings

Based on the current announcement, Windows Backup for Organizations has these prerequisites:

  • Device is Entra-joined (not hybrid, not local accounts)
  • Windows 11 (22H2 or later, Home edition not supported)
  • Intune configuration: enable backup via Settings catalog, and restore via Windows enrollment settings

This causes a lot of confusion in practice. If a device isn't Entra-joined, Windows Backup for Organizations simply won't appear, even when other cloud services work fine. A clean Intune policy rollout matters as well, because inconsistent settings can stop the restore option from showing up during setup.

Intune needs one setting for backup and another for restore

To turn on Windows Backup for Organizations, open the Intune admin center and create a device configuration profile in the Settings catalog with Enable device backup set to Enabled. Then, as a separate step, check that the restore feature is switched on in Windows enrollment settings. If one of the two is missing or set incorrectly, users won't see the restore option when they set up the device. Many admins miss the fact that this is a two-part job, especially in pilots. The diagram below shows the sequence:

flowchart TD
    Start["Device enrolled with Intune policies"] --> Backup["Enable backup in Settings catalog"]
    Backup --> RestoreSetting["Enable restore in Windows enrollment settings"]
    RestoreSetting --> UserOOBE["User starts setup (OOBE)"]
    UserOOBE --> SelectOption["Restore option appears in OOBE"]
    SelectOption --> Done["Settings & Store apps are restored"]

Figure: How Windows Backup for Organizations is set up and restored in Intune-managed environments.

Pro tip: Whenever you change the backup or restore policies, run through OOBE on a real device. It's the only reliable way to find policy gaps before you roll out to the whole company.

Classic apps and user files still need other tools

Windows Backup for Organizations makes restoring user settings and apps during a device refresh much simpler, but it is no substitute for a proper backup or migration plan. Classic apps and user files still need their own solutions: Intune for app deployment, OneDrive for file sync and the native Windows Backup for full system recovery (see the official documentation). If you're moving users off Windows 10 or planning refresh cycles, add Windows Backup for Organizations to your checklist, and keep the OneDrive and Intune methods you already rely on.

This short PowerShell check confirms the backup setting on an Intune-managed Windows 11 device:

# Check if Windows device backup is enabled
Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DeviceBackup" -Name "IsEnabled"

I find it useful as long as you know where it fits

For IT teams running modern Windows 11 fleets, Windows Backup for Organizations is a welcome addition, particularly for the upgrades and device swaps that follow the end of Windows 10. It won't solve everything on its own. Paired with OneDrive for documents and Intune for app deployment, though, it makes the experience noticeably smoother for users. As usual, it comes down to tidy policies and testing on real hardware. If you get those right, the tool has a solid place in your Windows device lifecycle.