Windows update breaks USB support in recovery mode

Microsoft’s October security update has disabled USB mice and keyboards in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), a change documented in the KB50 66835 October 2025 updates as Microsoft revealed: “After installing the Windows security update released on October 14, 2025 (KB5066835), USB devices, such as keyboards and mice, do not function in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).” The issue affects both client platforms (Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 11 25H2) and Windows Server 2025, meaning recovery mode may be unusable for some users.

The article notes that, if you can boot normally, you may uninstall the update via Start > Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, selecting KB5066835 or a version around October 14, 2025. If Windows cannot boot, you can use WinRE to uninstall the latest quality update.

A workaround mentioned is booting from a USB recovery drive, which restores USB functionality in WinRE, and the piece highlights that Bluetooth or USB peripherals are generally not supported in WinRE, with PS/2 connectors being a rare exception.