Every IT team knows the challenge: a user gets a new laptop, or their existing device has to be wiped for troubleshooting or a security incident. The traditional experience is painful: hours of reinstalling apps, recreating personal settings and hunting for documents. Productivity drops, IT overhead spikes, and users feel like they are starting over.
In a hybrid workplace, a smooth, secure and consistent move between devices directly affects three things:
- User productivity: people expect to pick up where they left off.
- IT efficiency: less manual work in every migration.
- Security and compliance: corporate data stays inside controlled cloud services.
Microsoft offers three features that, combined, make the move nearly seamless: Windows Backup for Organizations, OneDrive Known Folder Move and Enterprise State Roaming. Let’s go through each.
1Windows settings backup and restore: restoring the familiar
Windows Backup for Organizations (now called Windows settings backup and restore) works with Intune so that system and personalization settings follow the user from device to device. According to Microsoft, from Windows 11 version 26H2 backup is on by default on eligible devices, but you still have to turn on restore in Intune, and that is one tenant-wide setting. According to Microsoft’s catalog of backup items, it covers:
- Wi-Fi and network profiles Saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, proxy settings.
- System personalization Desktop background, themes, taskbar layout, language packs, regional formats, notification settings.
- Credentials and authentication Windows Hello configuration and credentials saved in Windows Credential Manager.
- System settings and app list File Explorer Quick Access and the list of installed Microsoft Store apps. Microsoft’s FAQ says backup covers only Windows settings and the Store app list, not other apps’ settings. Edge favorites and settings sync through Edge enterprise sync.
- Accessibility and input Narrator, Magnifier, high contrast, handwriting personalization, speech models.
- Device-specific preferences Printer setup and power settings.
In short: Windows Backup covers the “experience layer” of the OS, the things that make a device feel personal and familiar. What it does not back up:
- Apps and their settings: apart from the Store app list, redeploy them through Intune, Company Portal or Autopilot.
- User files: redirect and protect them with OneDrive Known Folder Move.
How restore works: when a user signs in to a new or reset device during OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience), they can pick a previous backup. Wi-Fi profiles, taskbar layout, personalization and Store apps are restored automatically.
Known limitations from Microsoft’s FAQ:
- Not supported in Government cloud or 21Vianet regions.
- Doesn’t work on shared or userless devices.
- Restore requires Windows 11, version 22H2 or later.
- In Hyper-V VMs with phishing-resistant MFA enforced, security keys and smart cards don’t pass through.
- Restore works only on Microsoft Entra joined devices. It isn’t supported with Microsoft Entra hybrid join, Workplace Join, Autopilot pre-provisioned, Autopilot reset, GPO enrollment or ConfigMgr co-management.
- Not supported on some Windows SKUs (listed in the catalog).
- Retention Backups are kept as long as the account and the device are active.
- User-driven restore only IT cannot restore a backup on a user’s behalf.
- Multiple devices Users can back up more than one device, but pick a specific backup during setup.
- Account-bound Works only with Entra ID accounts, not personal Microsoft accounts.
2OneDrive Known Folder Move: files are always there
Settings continuity matters, but nothing frustrates users more than lost documents. That is where OneDrive Known Folder Move (KFM) comes in:
- It redirects the Desktop, Documents and Pictures folders to OneDrive.
- Files stay in their familiar paths but sync to the cloud.
- On a new device, once the user signs in to OneDrive, their files sync back automatically.
Why it matters: users often save critical files locally without realizing it. With KFM on, files are always backed up to OneDrive, protected by retention, version history and compliance policies, and available right after sign-in on a new or reset device. Together with Windows Backup, both system preferences and user data come back.
3Enterprise State Roaming: settings continuity from the cloud
Enterprise State Roaming (ESR) completes the picture by syncing user and app settings through Entra ID. Since July 2026, ESR is managed as part of Windows settings backup and restore:
- It syncs personalization such as Start menu layout and Windows themes. Edge favorites don’t go through it; they sync through Edge enterprise sync.
- It gives a consistent experience across devices joined to Entra ID.
- It encrypts data at rest in Azure and in transit.
Why it matters: traditional roaming profiles needed on-premises infrastructure and were often unreliable. ESR is a secure, cloud-native alternative that scales globally and keeps settings consistent from the first sign-in.
Putting it all together
| Feature | What it brings back for the user | Through |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Backup for Organizations | System and personalization settings | Intune |
| OneDrive Known Folder Move | Files in Desktop, Documents and Pictures | OneDrive |
| Enterprise State Roaming | Preferences and app settings, consistent across devices | Entra ID |
The result: a user moves to a new or freshly reset device, signs in, and is productive again within minutes, with familiar settings, their preferences and their files exactly where they left them.
Conclusion: a foundation for the modern device lifecycle
Replacing or reimaging a device no longer has to disrupt work. With Intune, OneDrive and Entra ID, Microsoft delivers a cohesive, cloud-first experience that balances productivity, IT efficiency and compliance.
These features are the foundation, and they are worth combining with Windows Autopilot, Conditional Access and Microsoft Defender for a secure, automated device lifecycle. If you own endpoint management, now is the time to pilot them in your environment.
Want to know which security settings are missing on your devices and in your tenant? Griffin31 checks your tenant continuously and shows you what to fix first.
Sources
- Microsoft: Windows Backup for Organizations in Microsoft Intune
- Microsoft: Windows settings backup and restore overview
- Microsoft: Windows Backup catalog
- Microsoft: Windows Backup FAQ
- Microsoft: Redirect Windows known folders to OneDrive
- Microsoft: Enable Enterprise State Roaming in Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft: Configure Microsoft Edge enterprise sync