Microsoft rolls out Cloud Rebuild to restore broken Windows 11 systems over the internet

Microsoft has introduced Cloud Rebuild, a recovery tool that wipes and restores Windows 11 directly over an internet connection without requiring a bootable USB drive or local installation files. Released as part of update KB5127936 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2, the tool downloads a clean operating system image along with necessary device drivers straight from Windows Update, even if the computer fails to start normally. [1][2]

Users can launch the feature from Settings under Recovery as "Rebuild PC," or find it under Troubleshoot in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) after startup failures. Initiating the rebuild erases the entire primary drive, wiping local files, installed programs, and user accounts, while offering a sanitize mode for disk wiping and support for IT administrators to trigger resets remotely via Recovery CSP. However, the process requires a functional WinRE partition, active network access using supported Ethernet or saved Wi-Fi credentials, and relies on hardware drivers being available on Windows Update. [2]