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Can’t Use Your Mouse in Windows 11’s Repair Mode? Here’s the Effortless Update That Solves This Nightmare.
If your USB keyboard or mouse recently stopped working in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), a special update from Microsoft is now available to fix it. This problem affected users on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 after a recent security update. The new fix ensures your devices work correctly when you need them most.
The Problem Explained
The Windows Recovery Environment, or WinRE, is a special mode used to repair your computer when Windows won’t start correctly. A bug introduced in an October 14, 2025 security update (KB5067039) prevented USB keyboards and mice from functioning in this critical environment. This left many people unable to perform necessary repairs.
The issue was traced back to a faulty driver file named USBHUB3.SYS that was included with the update. Microsoft officially acknowledged this problem on October 17, 2025, after users reported being stuck in the recovery mode without a way to interact with the system.
How to Get the Fix
Microsoft released an out-of-band update, KB5070773, on October 20, 2025, to resolve this issue. Here is what you need to know.
- The fix is for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
- The update, KB5070773, will download and install automatically through Windows Update. You do not need to take any manual steps.
- Future cumulative updates for Windows 11 will also contain this fix.
- This update is quite large, around 3.9 GB, because it bundles other system features, including AI components.
After your system installs this update, your USB devices should function properly within the Windows Recovery Environment again.