How to Create and Use a System Restore Point
Beginner
How-To · Windows
A safety net you can roll back to before making a risky change — driver installs, registry edits, or anything else you're not fully sure about.
- Search "Create a restore point" in the Start menu and open System Properties to the System Protection tab.
- Confirm protection is turned on for your main drive — click Configure if it isn't, and enable it.
- Click "Create" to make a restore point right now, before doing whatever risky change prompted you to look this up in the first place.
- Give it a clear, specific name (like "Before driver update") so you can identify it easily later if you have several saved.
- To actually roll back later, return to the same System Protection tab and click "System Restore," then choose the specific point you want to return to.
- Restore points affect system files and settings, not personal files like documents and photos — they're not a substitute for a real backup of your files.
Running into an error instead of just needing the how-to? Check our Windows troubleshooting guides or the error lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a restore point back up my personal files?
No — System Restore only affects system files, installed programs, and settings. It's not a substitute for backing up your documents, photos, and other personal files.
How many restore points does Windows keep?
It varies based on how much disk space is allocated to System Restore — older restore points get automatically removed to make room for newer ones once that space fills up.
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