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WinRE, short for Windows Recovery Environment, is a dedicated system recovery mode that users access when encountering critical failures or when adjustments to certain system functions are required—such as removing recent updates, initiating system restore, or booting into Safe Mode.
Last week, Microsoft released the first cumulative update KB5066835 for Windows 11 version 25H2. This update was initially found to disrupt localhost authentication, preventing developers from performing debugging connections via localhost or 127.0.0.1. Now, a new and far more serious issue has emerged.
The problem, in fact, represents a major breakdown: within the WinRE recovery environment, users are unable to use USB keyboards or mice for any input whatsoever. This means that anyone entering WinRE becomes completely trapped on the recovery screen, forced to perform a hard shutdown and reboot—assuming, of course, that the system can still start normally afterward.
According to Microsoft’s Health Dashboard logs:
“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.”
Given that WinRE provides essential recovery tools—including troubleshooting, system reset, startup repair, and command prompt access—the inability to interact with these menus using standard peripherals poses a significant challenge, especially if the system is already inoperable.
While PS/2 keyboards and mice remain functional, modern PCs rarely include PS/2 ports, and virtually no laptops offer them. Even in rare cases where such ports exist, most users no longer possess PS/2-compatible peripherals.
At present, Microsoft has not provided any temporary workaround. It appears the company deems the issue too complex for an immediate fix—after all, if a system has already crashed and automatically boots into WinRE, the absence of input control leaves the user completely powerless to proceed.
Related Posts:
- Microsoft releases script to fix WinRE BitLocker bypass bug
- Your Keyboard May Be Spilling Your Secrets – Critical Flaws Expose Keystrokes of Millions
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