How to create restore points in Windows 11

Last update: 12/06/2025

  • Restore points allow you to revert Windows 11 to a previous state in the event of problems without losing your personal files.
  • Windows 11 can create backup points automatically, but you can also create backup points manually before any major system changes.
  • Restoring your system to a previous point is easy and helps eliminate errors caused by conflicting installations, drivers, or updates.
restoration points

Having problems with Windows? Sometimes your system behaves strangely for no apparent reason. Luckily, Microsoft has included an essential feature for several versions. In this particular article, we'll focus on the following: restore points in Windows 11If you don't use it yet, it's time to discover how it can get you out of more than one tight spot.

Imagine having at your disposal a kind of "time machine" capable of returning your PC to the perfect state it was in just days before. That's exactly what restore points do: they save a snapshot of your settings, system files, drivers, and installed programs. So, if something goes wrong after making a change, you have the control to roll back your system to that point and leave the problems behind without affecting your personal documents or photos.

What is a restore point in Windows 11?

Un restore point It's basically a backup of essential operating system files, the Windows registry, critical settings, drivers, and installed applications right at the moment the backup point is created. It's not a complete backup of your personal files, but it is a fantastic safety net against almost any problem related to Windows itself.

This function, known as System Restore, has accompanied users for many versions and It is especially useful when a fault starts to cause errors, slowdowns or even prevents Windows from starting normally.This is the ideal feature if you don't want to waste time reinstalling everything from scratch due to a conflict after an update or a rogue driver.

How to create restore points in Windows 11

What exactly does a restore point protect and recover?

When you activate and use a restore point, your computer reverts to the following:

  • System Settings: Everything is restored to its current state, including advanced settings that may have been changed without your consent.
  • Applications and programs: Apps and software installed after the restore point are automatically removed.
  • Controllers: If you changed a driver and the ordeal started, restoring it uninstalls the new ones and you go back to the old driver that worked.
  • Windows updates: All updates, both automatic and manual, are rolled back, allowing you to return to a more stable environment if something goes wrong.
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It does not affect your personal files such as photos, documents, or videos saved in user folders (such as Documents, Pictures, Music) or files on partitions other than the main system drive. So you can use it with complete peace of mind.

Why is it recommended to use restore points in Windows 11?

Windows 11 can crash at any time, even if you haven't done anything wrong. From errors following major updates, problematic driver or program installations, to failed registry changes, it's easy to run into conflicts that are difficult to resolve through normal means.

With restore points, You can fix most of these errors quickly and easily., Reverting your computer to a working state without losing a single personal file. Also, if you're going to be doing risky installations, trying out unreliable programs, or just want full control of your PC, enabling and knowing how to use this feature is almost mandatory.

new start menu windows 11-9

Enable system protection in Windows 11

Creating restore points in Windows 11 is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the window of System properties as we have seen before.
  2. Select the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:) and click on Setup.
  3. Check the option Enable system protection.
  4. Use the slider to adjust the maximum amount of space the system can dedicate to storing restore points. It is recommended to reserve between 5% and 10% of the disk for the function to work comfortably..
  5. Press on Accept and then in Apply.
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From this moment, Windows 11 will start creating restore points automatically. when it detects important events such as driver installations, system updates, or certain applications. To better understand how to create these points manually, you can visit .

How to create restore points in Windows 11 manually

While the system itself generates points at key moments, It is highly recommended to generate restore points manually just before making any major changes or risky installations.This way, you'll have an exact point to return to if something goes wrong.

  1. Please log in again System properties (from search: Create a restore point).
  2. Select the protected drive and click Create.
  3. Enter a description to easily identify the point, such as "Before installing AMD graphics drivers" or "Before major update."
  4. Press on Create and wait a few seconds for the process to finish.
  5. You will see a message confirming that the point has been created correctly and you can close the window.

How to restore system in Windows 11

How to restore Windows 11 from a restore point

If your system starts behaving erratically after installing a problematic update, driver, or application, Follow these steps to return Windows 11 to a previous time when everything was fine.:

  1. Open the window of System properties typing Create a restore point in the Windows search engine and clicking on the result.
  2. Click on System Restore.
  3. Balance Next to view the list of all available points created automatically or manually.
  4. Select the restore point you want to use. You can select the option Show more restoration points to see all the saved ones.
  5. You can use the option Find affected programs to find out which applications or drivers will be removed if you restore your system to that point.
  6. Review the information and, if you agree, click Next & AFTER Finalize.
  7. Confirm that you wish to proceed. The device will restart, and after a few minutes, your system will return to the state it was in at the time of the selected reset.
  8. When everything is finished, a message will be displayed confirming that the process was successful.
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What do I do if I can't boot into Windows 11 to restore my system?

Sometimes a critical problem can prevent you from logging in normally. If Windows won't boot, You still have alternatives to restore the system through the Windows recovery environment itself.. These are the options you can use:

  • Automatic repair mode: If your computer fails to boot three times, Windows will automatically launch its repair tools, where you can find the System Restore option.
  • Recovery disks or USB: You can create a recovery disk or USB drive from another computer to boot your PC and access advanced options, including recovery.
  • Windows Installation Drives: You can also boot from a Windows 11 installation USB and select the option to repair your computer to restore it to a previous point.

These alternatives allow that, even in extreme situations, you can recover your system without losing data.

What to do if the restoration does not solve the problem

In some very critical cases, even a restore may not be able to recover the equipment and the problem may persist. It is advisable to use other options such as factory reset or a clean reinstallation of Windows 11.When this happens, it's best to consider more in-depth options to restore system stability.

However, experience shows that for Problems caused by failed installations, incorrect drivers, problematic updates, or unwanted configuration changes, system restore usually works perfectly in most situations.

By properly managing restore points in Windows 11, you can maintain effective protection against unforeseen events and quickly resolve problems. Perform regular checks, create manual restore points when necessary, and understand the system restore process. This will allow you to have a more stable and reliable system with a lower risk of losing important data.