Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9492 and More: Restores PCs Without a USB Stick
Microsoft shipped four Windows 11 Insider Preview builds today, led by a major Cloud rebuild update that can restore a PC to a clean state even when Windows won't boot, pulling both the OS image and drivers straight from Windows Update. The standout additions are secure drive sanitization, which uses hardware-level erase to irreversibly delete data before reinstalling, and remote recovery controls letting IT admins trigger a rebuild through the Recovery CSP. Everyday users get smaller wins too, including a Magnifier contrast theme that darkens the interface without inverting photos, a refined Mouse indicator, Live Captions exclusions for screen readers, and a Start menu overhaul that renames "Recommended" to "Recent." The changes arrive across the Beta, Experimental, 26H1, and Future Platforms channels, though most Experimental features ship gradually and previewed tools can still change or be pulled before a public release.
Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9492 and More: Restores PCs Without a USB Stick
Microsoft has released four new Insider Preview builds for Windows 11, including a significant Cloud rebuild feature that allows users to restore their PCs without a USB stick, pulling the OS image and drivers directly from Windows Update. Key additions include secure drive sanitization for permanently deleting data before reinstallation, and remote recovery controls for IT admins to trigger rebuilds. Users will also benefit from accessibility improvements, such as a new contrast theme for the Magnifier and updates to the Start menu, which now renames "Recommended" to "Recent." While the builds come with various fixes, users should be aware of potential performance issues and that features may change before their public release
