Guide to Deleting OOBE Recovery Backups in Windows 11

Guide to Deleting OOBE Recovery Backups in Windows 11

How to Delete OOBE Recovery Backups on Windows 11

Managing backups during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) on Windows 11 can be crucial, especially if you’re reinstalling the operating system on the same device. In this guide, I will provide a step-by-step process for deleting unnecessary recovery backups to streamline your setup experience.

Why Manage OOBE Recovery Backups?

When setting up Windows 11, you might be prompted to restore from backups associated with your Microsoft account. This includes data related to backed-up apps and settings from all devices linked to your account. By default, the Windows Backup feature activates upon signing in, encompassing preferences like “Remember my apps” and “Remember my preferences.” If you utilize OneDrive, your files may also be backed up automatically under this configuration.

While these options sound convenient, they can also lead to a cluttered interface, especially when managing backups from multiple devices. Importantly, Microsoft currently does not offer an option to delete backups individually. However, you can clear all backups in one go, providing a fresh start or the ability to opt out of cloud backups entirely.

Step-by-Step Guide to Delete OOBE Backups

To safely remove app and settings backups (including passwords, preferences, language choices, and other configurations) on Windows 11, adhere to the following instructions:

  1. Access Settings: Open the Settings application on your Windows 11 device.
  2. Select Accounts: Navigate to the Accounts section.
  3. Visit Windows Backup: Click on the Windows backup link.
  4. Disable App Remembering: Turn off the “Remember my apps” toggle.
  5. Disable Preferences Remembering: Turn off the “Remember my preferences” toggle.
  6. Quick note: This action will disable backups for various settings, including Accessibility options, accounts, passwords, and personalization configurations.
  7. Open Microsoft Devices Page: Visit the Devices site on your Microsoft account.
  8. Clear Stored Settings: Under the Cloud synced settings section, select “Clear stored settings.”
  10. Complete the Clear Process: Confirm by clicking the Clear button.
  12. Final Confirmation: Press the OK button to finish.

Once you’ve finalized these steps, any backups in the cloud will be removed during the next backup cycle. Consequently, the next time you go through OOBE, you will not encounter a lengthy list of backups.

OOBE restore backup empty
OOBE restore backup empty

Important Note on OneDrive

Your OneDrive storage will remain unaffected by these procedures, meaning your personal files will still be safe and intact.

Configuring Backup Recovery in OOBE

If you wish to stop automatic backups to the cloud or entirely disable this feature, ensure that the Windows backup settings are turned off on all your devices. If you decide to re-enable backup functionality, follow these steps:

  1. Access Settings: Open the Settings application again.
  2. Select Accounts: Go to the Accounts tab.
  3. Open Windows Backup: Click on the Windows backup option.
  4. Enable App Remembering: Turn on the “Remember my apps” toggle.
  5. Enable Preferences Remembering: Turn on the “Remember my preferences” toggle.

Completing these steps will set the system to resume creating backups of your apps and settings, ensuring that your preferences are saved to the cloud going forward.

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Visual Summary of OOBE Backup Process

OOBE select backup restore
Image: OOBE select backup restore / Mauro Huculak

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