To avoid data loss users are prompted with on-screen advice on how to safely update their device.

The Recovery tool requires the telephone to have 70-80% battery charge and works only with Windows Phone 8 or higher devices.

Its primary aim is to restore lost data after failed update installation attempts.

[18] Microsoft issued an update to the Windows Phone Recovery Tool in April 2015 to address difficulties for Nokia Lumia 520 and other low-memory devices while installing the Windows 10 technical preview, because their limited (512 MB) memory caused these devices to become "bricked".

The update resolved these issues by lowering the data blocks being fed to the device from 2MB to 128kBs at a time while recovering these defective models.

[23] In November 2015 Microsoft added additional support for another non-Microsoft made Windows mobile device, the LG Lancet.

[30][31] It was later reported that Microsoft would close the majority of their care facilities in Poland and other European countries in favour of having more large centralised facilities as opposed to smaller ones being a part of the larger restructuring within Microsoft's mobile devices strategy based on their plan of laying off former Nokia employees.