How to Use System Restore to Fix Windows Problems

Published 2026-10-16 · Marion Remote Fix

Your computer was working fine yesterday and now something is wrong — a program crashes on launch, a driver is causing blue screens, a Windows update broke something, or the system is noticeably slower or unstable. System Restore lets you roll the computer back to an earlier point in time when everything was working, without affecting your personal files. It is one of the most useful and underused troubleshooting tools built into Windows.

What System Restore does and does not do

Understanding what System Restore actually changes prevents surprises:

What it restores

  • System files. Windows system files, DLLs, and executables are reverted to their state at the restore point
  • Registry. The Windows registry — the database that stores system settings, program configurations, and driver information — is rolled back
  • Installed programs. Programs that were installed after the restore point are removed. Programs that were uninstalled after the restore point are reinstalled (though they may not work correctly and could need a fresh install)
  • Drivers. Hardware drivers are reverted to whatever version was installed at the restore point
  • Windows Updates. Updates installed after the restore point are removed

What it does NOT change

  • Personal files. Documents, photos, videos, music, downloads, and anything in your user folders are not affected. System Restore does not delete, modify, or revert your personal data
  • Emails. Email messages in Outlook, Thunderbird, or webmail are not affected
  • Browser bookmarks and history. These are stored in user profile folders and are not touched by System Restore
  • Passwords. Saved passwords in browsers and Windows credential manager are not changed

The short version: System Restore fixes system-level problems without touching your personal stuff. It is safe to use and does not risk your files.

Check if System Restore is enabled

System Restore is not always enabled by default, especially on systems with small SSDs where Windows disables it to save space:

  1. Right-click the Start button and select System (or search for Create a restore point in the Start menu)
  2. In the System Properties window, click the System Protection tab
  3. Look at the Protection column next to your system drive (usually C:). If it says On, System Restore is active and creating restore points. If it says Off, it needs to be enabled

How to enable it

  1. Select your system drive (C:) and click Configure
  2. Select Turn on system protection
  3. Adjust the Max Usage slider — 5 to 10 percent of the drive is usually sufficient. This controls how much disk space Windows can use to store restore points. More space means more restore points are kept before old ones are deleted
  4. Click OK
  5. Back in the System Protection tab, click Create to make your first manual restore point. Give it a descriptive name like Before driver update or Working state Oct 2026

When restore points are created automatically

Once enabled, Windows creates restore points automatically before certain events:

  • Windows Updates. Before installing cumulative updates, feature updates, and driver updates through Windows Update
  • Software installation. Many installers (though not all) trigger a restore point before making changes. Programs that use Windows Installer (MSI packages) typically create one
  • Driver installation. Installing a new driver through Device Manager or a manufacturer's installer usually creates a restore point
  • Scheduled interval. If no other restore point has been created in the last 7 days, Windows creates one automatically (this interval is configurable via Group Policy but the default works well)

You can also create a manual restore point at any time — before making a major change (installing new software, updating drivers, editing the registry), click Create in the System Protection tab and name it something descriptive. This gives you a known good state to return to if the change causes problems.

How to run System Restore from Windows

If the computer boots to the desktop and you can use it (even if something is not working right), run System Restore from within Windows:

  1. Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu and open it
  2. Click the System Restore button on the System Protection tab
  3. The System Restore wizard opens. Click Next
  4. You see a list of available restore points with dates, descriptions, and types (System, Install, Manual). Select the one from just before the problem started. If you are unsure, click Show more restore points to see older ones
  5. Click Scan for affected programs — this shows which programs will be removed and which will be restored. Review this so you know what to reinstall afterward
  6. Click Next, then Finish. Confirm the restore. The computer restarts and the process takes 10 to 30 minutes
  7. When Windows boots back to the desktop, it shows a message confirming the restore was successful

How to run System Restore when Windows will not boot

If the computer cannot reach the desktop — it is stuck on a blue screen, a boot loop, or the Automatic Repair screen — you can access System Restore from the Recovery Environment:

  1. If Windows shows the Automatic Repair screen with an Advanced options button, click it. If the computer just loops, force-interrupt the boot three times (hold power button for 10 seconds during boot, repeat) to trigger the Recovery Environment
  2. Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then System Restore
  3. Select your account and enter your password if prompted
  4. Choose a restore point and proceed as described above

Running System Restore from the Recovery Environment is particularly useful for fixing problems caused by driver updates or Windows updates that prevent booting.

What to do if System Restore fails

System Restore can fail for several reasons. If you see System Restore did not complete successfully:

  • Try a different restore point. The restore point you selected may be corrupted. Choose an older one and try again
  • Antivirus interference. Some antivirus programs block System Restore from modifying files they are protecting. Boot into Safe Mode (Advanced options, Startup Settings, Restart, press 4) and run System Restore from there — Safe Mode does not load third-party antivirus
  • Insufficient disk space. System Restore needs free space to work. If the drive is nearly full, delete temporary files or move large files to free up space, then try again
  • Corrupted system files. Run sfc /scannow from an elevated Command Prompt. If SFC finds and repairs corrupted files, try System Restore again
  • No restore points available. If System Restore was disabled or the drive was recently formatted, there may be no restore points. In this case, System Restore cannot help — consider resetting Windows (Settings, System, Recovery, Reset this PC, Keep my files) as an alternative

Undoing a System Restore

If System Restore made things worse instead of better, you can undo it:

  1. Open System Restore again (search for Create a restore point, click System Restore)
  2. The wizard shows an option to Undo System Restore. Select it and click Next
  3. Confirm and let the process complete

This returns the computer to exactly the state it was in before you ran System Restore. It is a safe undo — another reason System Restore is low-risk to try.

Remote System Restore help

Marion Remote Fix walks you through System Restore over a remote session when you need guidance on which restore point to choose or when the process fails. For systems that will not boot, we guide you through the Recovery Environment steps to access System Restore, and once the system is running, we connect remotely to verify everything is working correctly and help reinstall any programs that were removed during the restore.

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