Microsoft has released an emergency patch to fix a problem that left many Windows 11 users unable to use their USB keyboards and mice in the Windows Recovery Environment. The issue appeared after installing the October 2025 security update, KB5066835, which unintentionally disabled USB input devices when accessing WinRE. The Windows Recovery Environment is used for troubleshooting when the operating system fails to boot. Without USB input support, users couldn’t navigate repair tools, leaving them stuck if they didn’t have Bluetooth or PS/2-connected devices.
Microsoft confirmed the issue on its Windows release health dashboard and said it affected both Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, as well as Windows Server 2025. To resolve the problem, Microsoft has rolled out the KB5070773 emergency update, which restores full USB functionality within WinRE. The company advised users to install the fix through Windows Update or manually download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
According to Microsoft, this issue only affected the recovery environment and not normal Windows sessions, where USB devices continued to work. The company said the update is now widely available and should prevent future disruption to recovery tools. This quick fix follows a string of update-related problems in recent months, but this time Microsoft acted fast to minimize impact. If you rely on the recovery environment for troubleshooting, it’s worth updating immediately to make sure your input devices work as expected.