Microsoft Launches Windows 11 Point-in-Time Restore and Cloud Rebuild

Microsoft Corporation announced the general availability of point-in-time restore for Windows 11 client PCs running version 24H2 and later. Available for Home, Pro, and Enterprise editions, the feature automatically creates local restore points every 24 hours and retains them for up to 72 hours. This allows users and administrators to roll back systems after app corruption or driver issues, notably including local user files in the recovery process.

Alongside this release, the company introduced Cloud rebuild, a recovery feature currently available in Insider Preview builds. Unlike the Reset this PC tool, Cloud rebuild downloads a fresh Windows image and hardware-specific drivers from Windows Update. This enables a clean reinstall without external USB media, even if the current operating system is corrupted or unbootable, although it wipes the system disk of all local files.

For corporate environments, devices managed via Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot can automatically re-enroll and restore policies after a rebuild. While restores for both features currently require local initiation via the Windows Recovery Environment, the company plans to introduce remote initiation through Intune recovery. Additionally, Microsoft noted that Windows 11 version 26H2 is planned for general availability in the second half of 2026.