Distribution of KB5070773: USB fix for Win 11 recovery environment

[Billiam29]

I became aware of this patch from a post here about one week ago [link]. It is an out of band (OOB) update to fix USB keyboards and mice being unresponsive within the recovery environment of Win 11 24H2 and 25H2.

I am curious to know if you have received this update for your 24H2 or 25H2 systems. I cannot find a straight answer as to how this update is being distributed. My understanding of an out of band update is simply that it is an update released outside of the normal monthly “patch Tuesday” schedule. Availability shouldn't really be any different than routine updates other than when the patch first appears. Again, this is just my understanding.

I have three systems with Win 11 24H2 Pro Edition. Only one of them has received the KB5070773 update. The update has not appeared for the other two systems. I have performed manual “check for updates” on these two systems at least twice per day since the update was released but it has never appeared for them. I was not concerned for the first few days, but it has now been a week since this OOB update was released and I am now very much wondering why two of my systems are not receiving it.

The strange part for me is that my only system that *did* receive the patch is the one I would have thought least likely to get it in a timely fashion. It is my “tertiary” machine which is seldom powered on and running a Win 10 to Win 11 in place upgrade on unsupported hardware.

My primary and secondary computers that are powered on and actively used multiple hours per day are the ones that are not receiving the KB5070773 update. These two systems always receive monthly patch Tuesday updates within 24 hours so I'm baffled why they are not getting this potentially important out of band update.

 

[NickZ2016]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-of-band-0f533ed7-949a-4b89-8d0f-6ee751adfcd4

I think that states the update is bundled with your other stuff. Not on it's own

 

[Billiam29]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-of-band-0f533ed7-949a-4b89-8d0f-6ee751adfcd4

I think that states the update is bundled with your other stuff. Not on it's own

I've read the page you linked and have the opposite interpretation. The 0773 update is cumulative...a bundle of stuff...and not bundled inside of other things. See the "Improvements" section on the linked Microsoft page (emphasis mine).

Improvements

This out-of-band (OOB) update includes quality improvements. This update is cumulative and includes security fixes and improvements from the October 14, 2025, security update (KB5066835), in addition to the following:

[USB] Fixed: After installing the Windows security update released on October 14, 2025 (KB5066835), USB devices, such as keyboards and mice, do not function in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This issue prevents navigation of any of the recovery options within WinRE. Note that the USB devices continue to work normally within the Windows operating system.

In plain English, my take is that KB507773 is basically a re-issue of the October monthly cumulative update but also including a fix for the recovery environment USB issue. All three of my systems had the original October monthly cumulative update (6835) installed prior to this 0773 update being released.

 

[NickZ2016]

Microsoft combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the latest cumulative update (LCU)

Doesn't that imply you'll / we'll get the update with the next update. It's the update I received the 23rd.

I've got receive latest updates when available checked.

 

[Billiam29]

Microsoft combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the latest cumulative update (LCU)

Doesn't that imply you'll / we'll get the update with the next update. It's the update I received the 23rd.

I've got receive latest updates when available checked.

The servicing stack updates are updates to the Windows Update mechanism itself. They are not the patches/fixes for the bulk of the Windows OS. Scroll to the bottom of the Microsoft page and you will even see that the file content for the SSU is broken out independent from the “regular” cumulative update.

In my admittedly limited experience Microsoft includes the SSUs bundled with the monthly cumulative updates whenever there is an SSU ready for release.

 

[Robert Zanatta]

If your build number is 6900 it's supposed to show up. I got the update last week.

You could try booting into the recovery environment and see if your machines are affected. Perhaps they aren't.

You can also download the update and apply it manually.

Microsoft Update Catalog

 

[Billiam29]

If your build number is 6900 it's supposed to show up. I got the update last week.

My Windows build number is 2600.6899 for my two machines that are not getting the update. They most definitely have the original KB5066835 2025-10 cumulative update installed. The one from the original October patch Tuesday.

Any idea where build 6900 was introduced? I just spent a few minutes searching for it and couldn't find anything.

You could try booting into the recovery environment and see if your machines are affected. Perhaps they aren't.

I could certainly do that, but I'm not a big fan of conducting "hold down the power button" force reboots if I don't have to.

You can also download the update and apply it manually.

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5070773

If you look closely, you'll see that the offerings for manually obtaining the update are all labeled as "Update Preview." All my machines...including the one that *did* receive the 0773 update...have Windows Update set with "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" set to off. At least one of the stories posted about 0773 even shows a screenshot of their machine being offered 0773 with the same "as soon as they're available" being off [link]. My understanding is you shouldn't be offered preview updates with such a setting config.

Overall just way WAY too much mystery and/or Microsoft slop surrounding the distribution of this update considering its potential importance.

 

[BobKnDP]

2600.6899 isn't a correct build number. You have 26100.6899 (24H2) or 26200.6899 (25H2, which is the same as 24H2 but with an enablement applied).

24H2 build numbers:

category:w11-24h2 - Browse known builds - UUP dump

25H2 builds:

category:w11-25h2 - Browse known builds - UUP dump

The 7015 builds were for Release Preview insiders.

One way to update is to download an ISO from UUPDump.net and to use it to perform the update. (Double click on it to mount it as a virtual DVD. Launch Setup. Choose to keep your data and programs.)

(Building the ISO takes quite a while, even on a fast PC.)

I'm not sure what build you'd get if you used the Windows 11 system/recovery repair using Windows Update.

 

[Billiam29]

2600.6899 isn't a correct build number. You have 26100.6899 (24H2) or 26200.6899 (25H2, which is the same as 24H2 but with an enablement applied).

Yeah, typo on my part. My two systems that have not received 0773 have the correct build number for 24H2 with the original 2025-10 update applied: 26100.6899.

 

[Robert Zanatta]

Your are correct. I got my numbers mixed up.