Mouse and Keyboard not working when in windows recovery mode.

Question

My brother updated his Windows 11 PC to version 25H2, and after that, none of his peripherals work in the recovery environment. When he first reboots, the keyboard still responds, but a few seconds after “Preparing Automatic Repair” appears, both the keyboard and mouse stop functioning completely.

Is anyone else running into similar issues on 25H2?

We tested the same peripherals on a Windows 10 22H2 machine and everything works normally, so the problem seems tied to the 25H2 update. We also tried the 30-second power drain method, but the issue still persists.

Answer 1

The issue you're experiencing with USB peripherals (mouse and keyboard) not functioning in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) after updating to Windows 11 version 25H2 is a known problem. This issue occurs specifically after installing the Windows security update released on October 14, 2025. The keyboard may initially respond, but it stops working shortly after the "Preparing Automatic Repair" message appears.

This problem has been resolved by an out-of-band update (KB5070773) released on October 20, 2025. It is recommended to install the latest updates for your device, as they contain important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one.

If your brother's device cannot boot into Windows to install the latest update, there are a few workarounds:

1. Use the touchscreen's touch keyboard if available.
2. Connect a PS/2 keyboard or mouse if the device has a PS/2 port.
3. Boot from a previously created USB recovery drive, which should restore USB functionality in WinRE.

Make sure to check for and install the latest updates to resolve this issue permanently.