MICROSOFT has introduced a “Cloud Rebuild” recovery option in Windows 11 preview build 26220.9343. Available through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), it is designed for systems that cannot boot or have severe corruption. With an Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection, the feature downloads a Windows system image and matching hardware drivers from Microsoft’s servers, avoiding reliance on a potentially damaged local recovery partition or a USB installation drive. Users can select the Windows edition, build version and language before starting the rebuild.
The option appears under Troubleshoot and Reset this PC in WinRE, which can be opened automatically after repeated boot failures or manually through Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup. This build can also inherit saved Wi-Fi profiles, reducing the need to configure networking within the recovery environment.
Microsoft’s preview release also includes a redesigned WinUI-based AutoPlay interface, File Explorer address-bar input changes, support for DIB desktop backgrounds and an option to back up photos and videos from connected mobile devices to OneDrive. The article presents Cloud Rebuild as a simpler alternative to locally stored OEM recovery images, although it is described as a feature of the preview build rather than a generally available Windows release.