How To Use System Restore In Windows 10 & 11

Does your computer suffer from any OS (Operating System) related issue, corrupted system files, incorrect registry values? Does it also suffer from constant BSOD?

Do you want to revert major changes on your computer? If your answer is yes to all these questions, you may want to use Windows’s essential feature named System Restore. Let’s quickly dive into what it is and how to use it on Windows 10 and 11.

What is System Restore, And What Does It Do?

System Restore is a useful feature in Windows that lets you revert your computer settings to the previous restore point. Figuratively speaking, a restore point works as a picture of computer settings that save system files and the Windows registry.

So, if a computer has some system-related issues, the System Restore uses the restore point to revert to those settings from the current one.

This is a handy feature that lets you solve any issues with the OS as long as you had a restore point when the OS was working properly. The only downside to this feature is that we need a restore point. A computer will not have the previous settings saved without a restore point.

What Happens If You Use a System Restore?

When we perform a System Restore, the Windows searches for the restore point and changes the Windows System Settings to the settings from the restore point. This means that all the application that you have installed after creating the restore point needs to be reinstalled.

Although System Restore will delete all your installed applications, it won’t delete personal files and folders. So, if you are performing a System Restore for the first time, there is no need to worry about files and folders getting deleted.

Although restoring the system settings will not delete any personal files, Windows wallpaper will reset. This may cause some confusion with personal files being deleted.

When you perform a System Restore, the OS will again create a restore point to undo the previous System Restore. It is done to revert back to the original version if we have some error after using the restore point.

How Long Does System Restore Take?

Depending on the computer’s RAM and the type of hard drive, the System Restore process usually takes 30 minutes to one hour. A computer will lower RAM may take a maximum of 45 minutes. If a computer has its OS saved on an HDD (Hard Disk drive) instead of an SSD (Solid State Drive), it may even take longer than 45 minutes to load a restore point.

However, considering all these factors, if a System Restore is not complete even after more than an hour, there may be something that is interfering with the System Restore.

Although it is not recommended, if a computer takes too long to complete system restore, rebooting the system is the only option. This may result in an OS that does not boot. However, Windows has another interesting feature called Automatic Startup Repair to restore any deleted system files during the reboot.

How to Perform System Restore Windows?

When performing a System Restore, the first thing we need is a restore point. Without it, we cannot start the process. Below, we have a step-by-step guide on creating a restore point for your system.

Now, to perform a System Restore, we can follow the steps mentioned below.

Open System Restore dialog box using Run or Command Prompt.
Open any one of these and type rstrui.exe without the quotation mark, and press enter.
Click Next.
Here, you will see the date and time of the Restore Point you created.
Select the desired restore point and click on Next.
If may give you a warning that says to restore the drive that contains Windows. Click Next.
Confirm your restore point by clicking on Finish.
It will give you a warning dialog box that says System Restore should not be interrupted. Click on Yes.
Now, the OS is preparing to restore your system.
Once this process is complete, System Restore will restore your registry. This step may take some time to complete.
Your computer will restart.
After the restart, once you are on the desktop, you will see a confirmation message that says, System Restore completed successfully.

If this restore point does not fix the issue you face, we can always choose a different restore point and perform a System Restore.

However, if the restore fails for some reason, we can undo the System Restore. You can follow these steps to undo a System Restore.

Follow above steps #1 and #2 to open the System Restore dialog box.
Check Undo System Restore and follow the steps above from step 6.

How to Create a System Restore Point?

Please follow this step-by-step guide to create a System Restore Point.

Press the Windows key and go to Settings.
On the left panel, ensure that you select System. Now, on the right panel, scroll down and click on About.
Click on Advanced system settings.
A dialog box named System Protection will open. Click on Create.
Then, name the restore point and click on Create.
Wait a few seconds for the OS to create the restore point.
Once this process is complete, you will get a message saying restore point created.

When to Create a System Restore Point?

It is ideal to create a System Restore Point every time before you install a new driver, software, or Windows update. We can also create a system restore point before making any changes to the Registry. Although we can backup the current Registry settings, setting a restore point is also a good idea.

Some system files may get corrupted due to unknown reasons. Therefore, we recommend creating a restore point every now and then. If we do not have a new application or driver installed between a restore point, we can delete the previous restore point. The topic explained below will help you with deleting a restore point.

How to Delete a System Restore Point?

There are a few ways to delete a system file from the Windows setting. Unfortunately, these settings will either delete all restore points or delete all with an exception for recent restore points.

We have listed a few ways you can delete a System Restore Point.

From System Properties

This process will delete all Restore points. Therefore, we do not recommend it.

Press the Windows key + I.
Go to System > About.
Click on Advanced system settings.
Go to the System Protection tab and click on Configure.
Click on Delete.
Then, select Continue.

From Disk Cleanup

It deletes all System Restore Points except recent ones. You can follow these steps to delete Restore Points from disk cleanup.

Press the Windows + R key to open Run.
Type cleanmgr and press Enter.
Select the C drive and click OK.
Disk Cleanup for C dialog box will open. Here click on Clean up system files.
Select C drive and click OK.
Wait a few minutes for Disk Cleanup to complete.
Now, go to the More Options tab.
Under System Restore and Shadow Copies, click on Clean up…
Select Delete.

Using Command Prompt

We can also use the Command Prompt to delete specific restore points. However, it does not display the name of restore points. Therefore, we must indicate the restore points according to the created date.

Follow these steps to delete restore points using Command Prompt.

Press the Windows + R key to open Run.
Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the command as administrator.
Type vssadmin list shadows and press Enter to list all the restore points.
Now, Copy the value of Shadow Copy ID of the restore point you wish to delete.
Type the following command and press Enter.vssadmin delete shadows /Shadow={"value of Shadow Copy ID"}
Replace “value of Shadow Copy ID” with the value you copied in step 4.
Press Y and press Enter.

Turning Off System Restore Windows

Before we start, please note that we do not recommend disabling the System Restore feature. However, there are some rare cases where you may have to turn off System Restore. You can follow these steps to turn off System Restore.

Press the Windows Key and go to Settings.
Click on System.
On the right panel, scroll down and click on About.
Then, open Advanced system settings.
Click on the System Protection tab.
Click on the drive that you want this feature to turn off.
Here, click on Configure.
Check Disable system protection.
Click Apply, then OK.

Note: If we disable System Protection and turn it back again, all saved restore points will be deleted.

Is System Restore a good idea?

Yes, System Restore is a good option if a computer suffers from constant BSOD (blue screen of Death). We can also use this feature to revert back if a computer starts to malfunction after installing a Windows update, driver, or any suspicious applications.

Does System Restore require an Internet connection?

No, System Restore does not require an internet connection.

As restore points that contain the snapshot of computer settings are stored inside System Volume Information, located in the root folder, the System Restore uses these computer settings to revert back. Hence, we do not need an internet connection to restore the system.

Does System Restore remove malware?

The System Restore will remove any software, whether malicious or not, if installed after a system restores point. However, any software installed before the restore point will not be deleted even if it is malware.

Does System Restore Delete Files?

No, performing a System Restore does not delete any personal file from your computer. Even if files or folders are created after the restore point, they are not deleted.

How far back does System Restore Go?

The Operating System allocates certain disk space for restore points. If said disk space is full, the oldest restore point will get deleted. So, if you have created a restore point, the system can revert to that point as long as the disk space is available.

However, we can allocate more space to store more restore points.

Finally,

So, the System Restore is a handy feature for any OS-related errors. However, without a System Restore Point, we cannot perform a System Restore. Therefore, after installing any application, driver, or Windows Update, we always recommend creating a Restore Point.