How to Create a Restore Point in Windows 11

About to update a graphics driver, edit the registry or uninstall a stubborn utility? Make a restore point first. If the Create button is grayed out, System Protection is off, so turn it on for your C: drive and then select Create. The point can roll back system files, drivers, installed apps and registry settings. It doesn’t save your documents or photos.

This applies to Windows 11 24H2 and later, Home and Pro, with an administrator account.

Make one before these changes

Windows makes some restore points by itself, but it can’t predict every risky change you make by hand. A good habit is to make one whenever you are about to do something you couldn’t easily undo. Give it a name that says what you were about to do, because that is the only clue you’ll have later.

Change you’re about to make	Why a restore point helps	Name it something like
Installing or rolling back a graphics, audio or chipset driver	A bad driver can cause a black screen, no sound or crashes	Before GPU driver 2026-11
Editing the registry or Group Policy	One wrong value can break sign-in, Start or an app	Before registry edit for Explorer
Installing a system tweaker, cleaner or antivirus	These tools change services and startup items	Before installing cleanup tool
Uninstalling a VPN, anti-cheat or other tool with its own drivers	Leftover drivers can stop networking or games	Before removing VPN
Changing startup apps or services with msconfig or services.msc	A disabled service can stop sign-in, networking or sound	Before services change

Before updating drivers, it also helps to read how to update drivers in Windows 11 so you know which route you’ll take.

Turn on System Protection first

Microsoft notes that System Protection is not enabled by default but recommends turning it on. On many new PCs it is off, which is why the Create button won’t respond. Protection is set per drive, and the drive that matters is the one Windows is installed on, usually Local Disk (C:) (System).

1. Select Start, type Create a restore point, and select it in the results. The System Properties window opens on the System Protection tab.
2. Under Protection Settings, look at the C: drive. If it says Off, select it and then select Configure.
3. Select Turn on system protection.
4. Drag the Max Usage slider to set how much space restore points can use. Microsoft gives no figure; around 5% of the drive is a common starting point, and more space keeps more points.
5. Select Apply, then OK.

Once protection is on, Microsoft says Windows will create restore points automatically when needed. You still want a manual one before your own risky changes.

Create the restore point

You can reach the same System Protection tab three ways. Use whichever is quickest for you:

• Start search: type Create a restore point and select the result.
• Run box: press Windows + R, type systempropertiesprotection.exe, and press Enter.
• Settings: open Settings > System > About and select System protection under the related links.

Then create the point:

1. On the System Protection tab, select Create.
2. Type a description, such as Before GPU driver 2026-11. Windows adds the date and time on its own.
3. Select Create.
4. Wait for the message that the restore point was created successfully, then select Close.

It usually takes well under a minute. Microsoft’s System Protection page describes the same steps.

Make one from a shortcut or script

If you make restore points often, a command saves the clicks. The cmdlet is Checkpoint-Computer, and it lives in Windows PowerShell (the built-in version 5.1), so pick a Windows PowerShell tab rather than a newer PowerShell 7 tab.

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Open a Windows PowerShell tab if it isn’t the default.
3. Run Checkpoint-Computer -Description "Before registry edit" -RestorePointType "MODIFY_SETTINGS".

Microsoft’s Checkpoint-Computer reference lists the accepted types, including APPLICATION_INSTALL (the default) and DEVICE_DRIVER_INSTALL. It also says the cmdlet can’t create more than one restore point in 24 hours. If you try sooner, PowerShell shows an error saying one has already been created within the past 24 hours. The Create button in System Properties is the way around that.

To make a desktop shortcut that does the same thing:

1. Right-click the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
2. For the location, enter powershell.exe -Command "Checkpoint-Computer -Description 'Quick point' -RestorePointType MODIFY_SETTINGS", then select Next.
3. Name it Make restore point and select Finish.
4. Right-click the shortcut, select Properties > Advanced, check Run as administrator, and select OK twice.

For a weekly point with no clicks at all, open Task Scheduler, select Create Basic Task, choose Weekly, set the action to Start a program, and enter powershell.exe as the program with the -Command part of the line above as its arguments. On the last page, check Open the Properties dialog for this task when I click Finish, then on the General tab check Run with highest privileges. A weekly schedule stays well clear of the 24-hour limit.

Confirm it exists without restoring

It is worth checking that the point is really there before you start the risky change. You can look at the list without changing anything.

1. Press Windows + R, type rstrui.exe, and press Enter.
2. Select Next. If Windows suggests a recommended restore, choose the option to pick a different restore point first.
3. Find your description and time in the list. Check Show more restore points if you don’t see it.
4. Select Cancel. Nothing is restored unless you go on and select Finish.

On PCs with Virtualization-Based Security turned on, Microsoft says Windows 11 24H2 and later can restore only from points that pass its security checks after the July 2026 update, which is one more reason to make a fresh point right before a change.

If you ever do need to roll back, the full process, including running it from the recovery screen when Windows won’t start (you’ll need your BitLocker recovery key if the drive is encrypted), is in restoring Windows 11 to a previous date.

What stays and what goes

Restore points don’t last forever, and a few rules decide how long yours will be around.

• Space: when restore points fill the Max Usage limit, Windows deletes the oldest ones to make room. A small limit means a short history.
• Age: since the June 2025 update, Microsoft says Windows 11 version 24H2 keeps restore points for up to 60 days (Microsoft’s update notes), and points can also be gone after a major feature update. Don’t count on an old point; make a fresh one before each change.
• Per drive: a restore point covers drives with protection turned on. For most people, that’s just C:.
• Your files: documents, photos, music and downloads are not saved or restored. Rolling back won’t delete them, but it won’t recover deleted ones either.
• Same disk: the points live on the drive they protect, so a failed drive takes them with it.

To clear out old points, go to System Protection, select the drive, select Configure, and select Delete. That removes every point for that drive, so create a fresh one straight after.

For real protection of your files, pair restore points with a backup. Copying everything to another disk is covered in backing up Windows 11 to an external hard drive.

When Create fails or the options are grayed out

• Create is grayed out. Protection is off for every drive. Turn it on for C: as shown above.
• Configure and Create are both grayed out. System Restore may be turned off by policy. On a work or school PC, IT controls this, so ask them. At home, check that you are signed in as an administrator.
• “The restore point could not be created.” Open services.msc and make sure Volume Shadow Copy isn’t set to Disabled (Manual is normal). Free up some space on C:, and try again with third-party antivirus paused.
• You’re in safe mode. You can’t create restore points there. Restart normally first.
• The PowerShell command fails. Check that the terminal is running as administrator, the tab is Windows PowerShell, and no point was made in the past 24 hours.

Restore point questions that come up later

Why did my restore points disappear after an update?

Major updates and the space limit can both remove older points. If you see none at all, check that System Protection is still on for C:, since some changes can turn it off.

Do I still need restore points if I back up with OneDrive or File History?

Yes, they cover different things. Backups protect your files. Restore points protect Windows settings, drivers and apps. Each one fills the other’s gap.

Can I rename a restore point?

No. The description is set when you create it. Make a new one with a better name if needed.

Does a restore point cover my D: drive?

Only if you turned protection on for D: as well. For most PCs that isn’t needed, because Windows and its apps live on C:.

Can I undo a System Restore?

Usually, yes. Open System Restore again and, if Windows offers it, choose Undo System Restore. A restore run from safe mode or the recovery screen may not offer that option.

If a restore point doesn’t fix the problem, the next step is to reset Windows 11. On an older PC, the same tool works in Windows 10, covered in creating a restore point in Windows 10.