System Restore
Applies To
With System Restore you can revert your PC's state to a previous point in time. This can be particularly useful when troubleshooting issues caused by recent changessuch as software installationsdriver updatesor system settings modifications. By using System Restoreyou can undo these changes without affecting your personal filesproviding a safe way to resolve problems without losing important data.
System Restore works by utilizing restore pointswhich are snapshots of the system's configuration and settings at a specific moment. These restore points can be created automatically by the system during significant eventslike software installations or updatesor manually before making major changes. To learn moresee System Protection.
When a restore point is selectedSystem Restore reverts the system filesregistry settingsand installed programs to the state they were in at the time the restore point was created. This helps maintain system stability and can be a valuable tool for recovering from unexpected issues.
Recover your PC from a system restore point
You can apply a restore point when you are signed in to Windows or from the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE).
Select the option that best suits your needs:
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To open System Restoreyou can use one of the following methods:
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From the Control Panel, select Recovery and choose Open System Restore.
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Use the keyboard shortcut +Rtype rstrui.exe and press Enter.
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In the Restore system files and settings boxselect Next.
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Select the restore point that you want to use in the list of results. If you don’t see the restore point that you want to useselect the Show more restore points check box to see more restore points.
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Optionallyselect Scan for affected programs.
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Once you find the proper restore pointselect Next and choose Finish.
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After the restore point is appliedWindows restarts automatically.
Note: If you’ve encrypted your deviceyou’ll need your BitLocker key to complete this task. If you don’t know your BitLocker keysee Find your BitLocker recovery key.
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Once in Windows RE, select Troubleshootchoose Advanced options and then System Restore.
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Select the restore point that you want to use in the list of results. If you don’t see the restore point that you want to useselect the Show more restore points check box to see more restore points.
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Optionallyselect Scan for affected programs.
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Once you find the proper restore pointselect Next and choose Finish.
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After the restore point is appliedselect Restart.
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