System Restore is a long-serving Windows component that provides a one-click way to backup your PC and then revert back to the saved state later on. Although rather buried in Windows 10, System Restore is still alive and well.
You should consider using the tool before making any potentially destructive system changes, ensuring you’ve got an easy way to clean up any unintended side effects. System Restore backs up programs, drivers and settings, leaving your files unaffected.
The easiest way to create a new restore point is to search for “system restore” in the Start menu. Select the first option which appears. The System Protection page of the System Properties dialog will appear.
Make sure System Restore is actually enabled before continuing. On many newer machines, Windows 10 ships with System Restore turned off. If that’s the case, you’ll see “Off” in the Protection field for your C: drive.
Click the drive, then click the “Configure” button. In the dialog which appears, click “Turn on system protection.” Next, adjust the “Disk Space Usage” slider to an acceptable value – System Restore will use the amount of space you allow, deleting older restore points as it runs out of space for new ones.
We advise setting this to several gigabytes, depending on your machine’s storage capacity. Some restore points can be large if many changes have been made (e.g. a round of Windows updates was applied).
Click “OK” to enable System Protection. Back in the main System Protection dialog, now click the “Create” button to add a restore point. You’ll need to name your new restore point – make sure to choose something descriptive, so you what you’ll be reverting to in the future.
Your new restore point will now be created. This may take a little while, depending on the size and your storage drive’s performance. You’ll see a message box appear when the process is complete.
To use System Restore to recover your PC, return to the System Protection dialog and click the “System Restore” button at the top. Follow the prompts to choose a restore point and apply the changes to your system.