How to Restore Your PC to an Earlier Point in Time

What System Restore Does and When to Use It

System Restore is a Windows feature that rolls your PC back to a previous date, undoing recent software changes without touching your personal files like photos, documents, or videos. It restores system files, drivers, installed programs, and Windows settings to the state they were in on a date you choose. This is useful when a new program, driver update, or Windows patch causes crashes, freezing, or other problems that started recently.

System Restore works by saving restore points—snapshots of your system configuration—automatically before major changes and when you manually create them. When you run a restore, Windows reverts to one of these saved points. The process takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on how far back you go and how much has changed.

System Restore is not a backup tool and will not recover deleted files or protect against ransomware. If a virus or malware infected your PC, restoring to a point before the infection may help, but you should also run a full antivirus scan afterward. If your hard drive is failing or you have a hardware problem, System Restore cannot fix it.

Key Takeaways

System Restore reverts Windows files, drivers, and settings to a previous date but leaves your personal files untouched.
You can start a restore from the Settings app, System Restore tool, or Safe Mode if Windows will not start normally.
Choose a restore point from before the problem began—usually a few days or weeks back—and write down the date so you can verify the fix worked.
System Restore takes 15 to 45 minutes and will restart your PC automatically; do not turn off the computer during the process.
If restoring does not fix the problem, you can undo the restore and try a different restore point or a different solution.

How to Start System Restore from Settings

Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I, then go to System in the left sidebar. Scroll down and click Recovery. Under "Recovery options," click the Restart now button next to "Reset this PC." Your PC will restart into the Windows Recovery Environment.

Once in the recovery screen, click Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then System Restore. Windows will ask you to choose a user account and enter the password. Select your account and type your password, then click Next. You will now see a list of available restore points with dates and times.

Look for a restore point from before the problem started. If you remember roughly when the issue began, pick a restore point from a few days before that date. Click the restore point to select it, then click Next and then Finish. Windows will warn you that the restore cannot be undone—this is not true; you can undo it later if needed. Click Yes to proceed. Your PC will restart and the restore will run.

Using System Restore Tool Directly (Faster Method)

If you want to skip the Settings app, you can open System Restore directly. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter. The System Restore window will open when ready, showing you a list of recent restore points with dates, times, and descriptions.

The restore points are listed newest first. Look for one dated before your problem started. Click to select it, then click Next. Review the details—Windows will show you what programs will be removed and what drivers will be changed—then click Finish. Click Yes when Windows asks for confirmation. Your PC will restart and the restore will begin. Do not turn off the computer; let it run to completion.

After the restore finishes and your PC restarts, log in and test whether the problem is gone. If it is, you are done. If the problem persists, you can try a restore point from further back, or undo this restore and try a different solution.

Restoring from Safe Mode When Windows Will Not Start

If Windows crashes or freezes so badly that it will not start normally, you can still run System Restore from Safe Mode. Restart your PC and when ready press F8 repeatedly as it boots (on some newer PCs, hold Shift and click Restart from the lock screen instead). You should see a menu with boot options.

Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt or Safe Mode with Networking depending on what you need. Once Safe Mode loads, open the Run dialog with Windows key + R, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter. Follow the same steps as above to choose and run a restore point. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers and services, so System Restore often runs faster and more reliably here if Windows is unstable.

Choosing the Right Restore Point

The most important step is picking a restore point from before the problem began. If you installed a program last Tuesday and your PC started crashing Wednesday, choose a restore point from Monday or earlier. If you are not sure when the problem started, pick one from about a week back and see if that fixes it. If it does not, try one from further back.

Each restore point shows a date, time, and description. Descriptions like "Windows Update" or "Installed [Program Name]" tell you what triggered the restore point. Avoid restore points created on the same day the problem started, because the issue may have already been saved into that snapshot. If you see only a few restore points available, Windows may have automatic restore point creation turned off—you can turn it on in System Properties, but that does not help you now.

What Happens During and After a Restore

Once you click Finish, your PC will restart and show a black screen with a progress bar. This is normal. The restore process runs in the background and can take 15 to 45 minutes depending on how far back you are going. Do not restart your PC, unplug it, or turn it off during this time. If the power goes out or the PC loses power, the restore may fail and leave Windows in an unstable state.

When the restore completes, your PC will restart again and boot into Windows normally. Log in with your password. Your desktop, files, and folders will look the same as they did on the restore point date. Programs installed after that date will be gone, but your documents, photos, and videos remain. Check whether the original problem is fixed by testing the thing that was broken—for example, if a program was crashing, try opening it again.

If the restore fixed the problem, you are done. If it did not, you can undo the restore by opening System Restore again, selecting Undo System Restore (if available), and clicking Finish. This rolls you back to where you were before the restore. You can then try a different restore point from further back, or explore other solutions like uninstalling a recent program or updating drivers.

Turning On Automatic Restore Points

Windows creates restore points automatically before major changes like Windows updates and driver installations, but you can also create them manually. To create a restore point right now, press Windows key + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter. Click the System Protection tab, then click Create. Type a name for the restore point (for example, "Before installing new software") and click Create. Windows will save a snapshot in a few seconds.

To check whether System Protection is turned on for your main drive, open the same System Properties window and look at the System Protection tab. If your main drive (usually C:) shows "Protection: Off," click it to select it, then click Configure. Select Turn on system protection, set the disk space to use (10 to 20 percent of your drive is typical), and click OK. Windows will now create restore points automatically before updates and major changes, and you can create them manually whenever you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will System Restore delete my files or photos?

No. System Restore only changes Windows system files, drivers, and installed programs. Your personal files—documents, photos, videos, music, downloads—remain untouched. Programs installed after the restore point date will be removed, but the files they created stay on your PC.

Can I undo a System Restore if it does not fix the problem?

Yes. Open System Restore again (press Windows key + R, type rstrui.exe, press Enter), and you should see an option to Undo System Restore at the top of the window. Click it and follow the prompts. Your PC will restore to the state it was in before the restore you just ran. You can then try a different restore point or a different solution.

What if there are no restore points available?

Windows may not have created any restore points if System Protection was turned off or if your PC is brand new. If you see no restore points, you cannot use System Restore. Check whether System Protection is on by opening System Properties (Windows key + R, sysdm.cpl, Enter) and clicking the System Protection tab. If it is off, turn it on, but this will not create restore points from the past.

How far back can I restore?

System Restore typically keeps restore points from the last few weeks to a few months, depending on how much disk space you have allocated to System Protection. Older restore points are automatically deleted to make room for new ones. If you need to go back further, you may need to use a full backup or recovery image instead.

Will System Restore fix a virus or malware infection?

Restoring to a point before the infection may remove some malware, but it is not a reliable antivirus solution. After restoring, run a full antivirus scan with Windows Defender or a third-party antivirus tool to make sure the infection is completely gone. If malware keeps returning, you may need to use a bootable antivirus tool or reinstall Windows.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.