Don't mess up your computer any time soon! At least until Microsoft fixes a small bug in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) that's currently making your USB keyboard and mouse incompatible.
The update released to Windows 11 computers on October 14, 2025, had some serious unintended consequences, particularly affecting the ability to repair and restore devices—and we're still waiting for a fix.
- Microsoft opens Windows 11 25H2 update for all Windows 10 and 11 users
Microsoft has broken the Windows Recovery Environment
That means you shouldn't mess up your computer right now.
Microsoft confirmed the issue on October 17, 2025, revealing that a recent Windows security update caused "USB devices, such as keyboards and mice, to not work in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)" .
Basically, if you enter WinRE, you cannot use any USB keyboard or mouse, making it very difficult to repair the device.
This is a huge problem. The lack of any navigation options in the Windows Recovery Environment essentially renders it useless to people when they need help the most. For anyone unaware of this temporary error, repairing a broken device becomes much more difficult and extremely difficult to boot.
Furthermore, it's not as if Microsoft isn't taking action. According to PC World, two recovery updates meant to fix the problem have failed to work, leaving anyone who needs to use WinRE frustrated and delayed.
So if you haven't installed the Windows security update KB5066835 yet, skip it and wait for Microsoft to come up with a solution.
There is an alternative
But you need specific hardware
There are a few alternatives out there, but many people haven't had a chance to try them yet, as their computers still work fine (and frankly, most people are still using Windows 10).
Theoretically, you could use an old PS/2 connector for a mouse or keyboard. But this only works if you have an old keyboard or mouse and your motherboard still has a PS/2 port. Since USB is now the default standard for most peripherals, this won't work for most people.
So, if possible, please don't damage your computer. Repairs can take a while, even if you know the best way to restore your system.