Microsoft Enables Default Windows Settings Backup for Entra‑Joined Enterprise Devices
What Happened — Microsoft has turned on the Windows settings backup tool by default on all Microsoft Entra‑joined or hybrid‑joined enterprise devices that are upgraded to Windows 11 26H2, unless administrators explicitly disable the policy via Intune or Group Policy.
Why It Matters for Trust & Control Assurance
- Automatic backup of user settings aligns with the backup‑and‑recovery control objective that continuous‑control programs are built to satisfy.
- Organizations must record the policy’s enabled state and retain evidence of any overrides to demonstrate audit‑ready control assurance.
- The default‑on behavior introduces a new data‑handling element; risk assessments and privacy controls should be updated accordingly.
Who Is Affected – Enterprises across all sectors that run Windows 11 26H2 on devices joined to Microsoft Entra (cloud‑joined or hybrid‑joined).
Recommended Actions
- Review the Windows settings backup policy in your MDM console (Intune, Group Policy).
- Update your backup‑and‑recovery control documentation to reflect the new default.
- Capture the configuration state as evidence for audit readiness and continuous monitoring.
- Conduct a privacy impact assessment for the automatic backup of user settings.
Source: BleepingComputer
Technical Notes – The backup tool saves user settings and Microsoft Store app lists after a device reset, replacement, upgrade, or reimage. It is enabled only on devices in regions not subject to the EU Digital Markets Act, and restore remains admin‑controlled. Administrators can disable the backup policy via Intune or Group Policy, which takes precedence over the default. Source: same as above