PC FixHow to use System Restore
System Restore undoes changes to Windows, drivers and programs by returning them to an earlier date. Your documents, photos and other personal files are left as they are.
What it does and does not do
Windows saves a snapshot of its system files, the registry, drivers and installed programs before updates and installations. Such a snapshot is a restore point. Restoring one puts those parts back as they were on that date.
| Changed by System Restore | Not changed |
|---|---|
| Windows system files and settings | Documents, photos, music, videos |
| Drivers | Files on other drives |
| Programs installed after the restore point (removed) | Emails and browser bookmarks, in most cases |
| Windows updates installed after it (removed) | Your password, unless you changed it after the point |
It is not a backup of your files, and it will not bring back a deleted document. For that see deleted files recovery.
First: is it switched on?
On many computers System Restore is off until you turn it on.
- Press the Windows key, type
create a restore point, press Enter. The System Protection tab opens. - Look at the list of drives. If Protection beside C: says Off, select C:, click Configure, choose Turn on system protection, set Max Usage to about 5 to 10 per cent, and click OK.
- Click Create, type a name such as "Before printer driver" and click Create, to make a point now.
Make a restore point by hand before installing drivers, registry "tweaks" or unfamiliar software.
Restore from inside Windows
- Open the same System Protection tab and click System Restore (or press Windows key + R and run
rstrui). - Click Next. Tick Show more restore points to see older ones.
- Choose a point dated before the trouble began.
- Click Scan for affected programs to see which programs and drivers will be removed and which may return.
- Next › Finish › Yes. The computer restarts and works for 15 to 45 minutes. Do not switch it off.
- After signing in, a message confirms whether the restore succeeded.
Restore when Windows will not start
- Reach the recovery screen: let the start fail three times, or hold Shift and choose Restart from the sign-in screen. See Safe Mode for the ways in.
- Troubleshoot › Advanced options › System Restore.
- Choose your account, enter the password, and pick a restore point as above.
If the restore fails
- "System Restore did not complete successfully": try a different, older restore point.
- Run it from Safe Mode or from the recovery screen instead of normal Windows; security software can block it in normal mode.
- Run
chkdsk C: /fand the other repair commands first. - No restore points listed: protection was off, or disk space ran low and Windows deleted them. Nothing can be restored this way; go on to the other repair steps.
Undoing a restore
If things are worse afterwards, open System Restore again: the first choice is Undo System Restore. (This is not offered when the restore was run from Safe Mode or the recovery screen.)
After a restore
- Reinstall any program you still want that was removed.
- Windows Update will offer the removed updates again. If one of them caused the trouble, pause updates for a week: Settings › Windows Update › Pause updates.
- If you changed your Windows password after the restore point's date, the old password may be needed for a local account.
System Restore, Reset and backup compared
| Tool | Use it when | Effect on your files |
|---|---|---|
| System Restore | A recent change broke something | None |
| Reset this PC | Windows is badly damaged or cluttered | Kept or removed, as you choose; programs removed |
| A backup | A file or the whole disk is lost | Brings files back |
Does System Restore remove viruses?
Not reliably. Malware can sit in personal files, which are not touched. Use a full scan.
How far back can I go?
As far as the oldest restore point Windows still holds, which depends on the disk space allowed: often two to four weeks.
How long does a restore take?
Usually 15 to 45 minutes, including the restart.
For Windows 11 and Windows 10. Written in November 2026. Menus move between updates; use the search box in Settings if a name differs. Back up important files before any step that resets, repairs a disk or opens the computer. This is an independent guide, not connected with Microsoft.