Microsoft has begun gradually rolling out Cloud rebuild, a new way to reinstall Windows 11 over the internet. It is included in the optional KB5127936 preview update released on October 28 for versions 25H2 and 26H2.
Cloud rebuild downloads the Windows image and device drivers from Windows Update, removing the need for a USB installation drive or a custom system image. It can also reinstall a PC when Windows will not boot by running in the Windows Recovery Environment, or WinRE. The process requires a healthy WinRE with a compatible network driver and internet access.
The reinstall reformats the system drive and removes locally stored files, accounts, apps and settings. An additional option uses the storage hardware’s erase capability to sanitize data. That erasure is irreversible and does not affect files stored in cloud services such as OneDrive.
