Microsoft’s out-of-band (OOB) updates are designed to fix serious problems quickly — and this time, they’ve had to step in for a major one. Following October’s Patch Tuesday update (KB5066835), many users running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 encountered a critical issue with the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE): the keyboard and mouse stopped working completely. This meant users couldn’t perform essential recovery actions such as restoring, resetting, or repairing their systems.
To address the issue, Microsoft released KB5070773 on October 20, 2025, an emergency patch that upgrades affected builds to 26100.6901 (for 24H2) and 26200.6901 (for 25H2).
What Went Wrong with KB5066835?
The KB5066835 update introduced a bug that disabled USB input devices inside WinRE. While the peripherals continued to work normally within Windows itself, they stopped responding entirely in the recovery interface — a major problem if your PC couldn’t boot properly.
The issue was quickly detected by users and tech outlets, and Microsoft acknowledged it soon after. The newly released KB5070773 fixes this by restoring USB keyboard and mouse functionality within the WinRE environment, allowing users to once again access crucial repair and recovery options.
Versions Affected and Fixed
- Affected builds:
- 26100.6899 (Windows 11 24H2)
- 26200.6899 (Windows 11 25H2)
- Fixed builds:
- 26100.6901 (Windows 11 24H2)
- 26200.6901 (Windows 11 25H2)
These updated versions fully restore normal operation within the recovery tools.
How to Get the Fix
Microsoft has categorised KB5070773 as an “out-of-band” emergency update, meaning it was pushed outside the usual monthly schedule to quickly address the problem.
Here’s how it rolls out:
- It may appear as an optional update at first, but it installs automatically through Windows Update for most systems.
- For manual installation, the patch can be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalogue.
- The fix will also be included in the next regular Patch Tuesday update on November 11, 2025, for anyone who hasn’t yet installed it.
The Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is the system’s last line of defence when something goes wrong — whether it’s boot failures, malware infections, or major configuration errors. Without a functioning keyboard or mouse input, users lose access to critical options like system restore, safe mode, or troubleshooting tools.
Tech outlets and user forums raised alarms about this bug over the weekend, prompting Microsoft to act swiftly. The company’s rapid release of KB5070773 shows how seriously it takes reliability and recovery access, especially for devices running the newest Windows builds.
While KB5070773 fixes the issue promptly, it’s another reminder that even small updates can lead to unexpected side effects. Microsoft’s quick reaction this time prevented a potentially widespread recovery failure for users.
Hopefully, with this patch in place, WinRE is back to full strength — and future updates will go through more careful validation to avoid similar surprises in upcoming Windows 11 monthly releases.
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