Windows 10 issues like crashes can arise unexpectedly in our digital lives, causing data loss. Fortunately, Windows 10 has a robust system restore tool to recover your PC. It creates restore points allowing you to revert to a previous stable system state. However, some users don't know how to do system restore on Windows 10. This guide will teach you how to use the Windows 10 System Restore and Windows recovery environment to fix system problems.
What Should I Do Before System Restore?
Before performing a system restore, you must ensure system protection is enabled, and regular restore points are created. Follow these steps:
Turn on System Protection
Step 1: Type "system protection" in the Windows search box and click on Create a restore point from the results.
Step 2: In the System Protection dialog box, click on your (C:) drive and select Configure.
Step 3: Check the Turn on system protection option and adjust the max usage to what you want. Click Apply and OK.
Tips:
The max usage setting controls the drive space used to store restore points. Keep it between 5-20% based on your storage capacity. The more space you allocate, the more restore points are maintained.
Create Restore Points:
Step 1: Open System Properties as Step 1 in the previous section.
Step 2: Click on Create... to open the Create restore point window.
Step 4: Enter a restore point description like "Before Software Update" and click Create.
Tips:
Establishing a manual restore point weekly and before significant activities such as software installations, driver updates, or system configuration changes is advisable. This will provide ample options to revert back in case of any problems that may arise.
By enabling system protection and regularly creating restore points, you ensure system restore can recover your PC when needed.
How to Access System Restore in Windows 10? (3 Common Ways)
Here are the three main methods to access the system restore utility in Windows 10:
Method 1: From Windows Search Box
Step 1: Type "system restore" in the Windows search box and click the top result to open the "System Properties" window.
Step 2: Click on System Restore…
Step 3: The System Restore wizard will open. Click Next to proceed.
Tips:
This is the fastest way to access system restore in Windows 10. Just hit the Windows key, type "system restore", and open it.
Method 2: Using Command Prompt
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2: Type rstrui.exe and hit Enter.
Tips:
The command rstrui.exe automatically launches the system restore GUI. This method works if searching from the start menu isn't responding.
Method 3: Through the Control Panel
Step 1: Open Control Panel and go to the Recovery option.
Step 2: Under Advanced recovery methods, click on System Restore to open the wizard.
Tips:
The control panel offers the most organized way to access system restore. But it involves a few more clicks compared to searching directly.
These methods ensure you can open system restore in Windows 10 through whichever way works best for you. Next, let's look at how to use system restore to recover your PC.
Steps to Use System Restore on Windows 10
Follow these steps to use system restore for recovering your Windows 10 system:
Step 1: Open System Restore through any of the above methods.
Step 2: Choose your restore point from the list and click Next.
Step 3: Confirm the restoration on the confirmation screen and click Finish.
Step 4: Confirm your selection and wait patiently as your system restarts and reverts to the restore point. Once complete, you can resume working.
Tips:
Based on your specs and restore point size, the system restoration process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour. Be patient and let it finish.
Once done, your Windows OS should boot up normally as it was at the selected restore point. Verify system stability and functionality. If issues persist, repeat system restore and choose an earlier point.
Why Does My Windows 10 System Restore Take a Long Time?
There are a few reasons why system restore may take a long time to complete in Windows 10:
System restore gets interrupted
If the process is interrupted, it may take longer or fail. Interruptions can occur for various reasons, such as power outages, system crashes, or user intervention. If the process is interrupted, it may need to start over from the beginning, which can prolong the restoration time.
Hard drive is full
If your hard drive runs out of space, the system restore process can slow down. This is because System Restore needs free space to create restore points and store backup files. The process may take longer than usual if there isn’t enough free space.
Old backup is too big
If you’re restoring from an old backup that contains a large amount of data, it can prolong the restoration process. This is because System Restore needs to copy all the data from the backup to your hard drive. The larger the backup, the longer it will take to restore.
System crash
If your system has experienced a crash or other critical issues, restoring it to its previous state may take longer. This is because System Restore needs to scan your hard drive for errors and repair any damaged files before restoring them. The scanning and repairing process can take a long time, depending on the size of your hard drive and the number of errors found.
Anti-virus software
Anti-virus software can interfere with the system restore process and slow it down. This is because anti-virus software may block certain files or processes that are required for System Restore to work properly.
Hardware issues
Hardware issues such as failing hard drives or faulty RAM can also slow the system's restoration process. This is because System Restore needs to read and write data to your hard drive and RAM during the restoration process. If there are hardware issues, it may take longer for System Restore to complete.
Choose New Office Software after System Restoration – WPS Office
After recovering your system using restore points, you may need to reinstall missing or corrupted software programs. I recommend trying WPS Office as an alternative to Microsoft Office.
WPS Office is a free office suite that lets you easily open, create, edit, and save Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. It is fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats. I particularly like WPS's clean interface, smooth performance, and handy PDF tools.
Here are some key benefits of using WPS Office:
Free to use: WPS Office is 100% free, including for commercial use. No trials or hidden paid features.
Full MS Office compatibility: Properly open and edit DOC, DOCX, XLS, PPT, and other Office files. Maintains formatting.
Lightweight software: Installs quickly with under 150MB size. Runs smoothly on old PCs.
Cloud support: Allows directly saving documents to Google Drive or Dropbox. Easy to access files online.
Secure and stable: No tracking or data collection. Reliable functionality for daily office use.
Compared to cumbersome Microsoft Office, WPS Office provides a fast and flexible free alternative to get back to work after a system restoration. Users like students, home users, and small businesses can benefit from its no-cost full features.
How to Free Download WPS Office
Downloading and installing WPS Office only takes a few minutes:
Step 1: Go to the official WPS Office Download Page: https://www.wps.com/download/.
Step 2: Click on the Free Download button for the Windows version.
Step 3: The installer .exe file will download. Double-click to open it.
Step 4: Follow the setup wizard prompts to install WPS Office on your Windows PC.
Once installed, WPS Office is ready for all your doc editing needs. Its familiar interface and features make it easy to transition from Microsoft Office.
FAQs
How often should I create restore points?
It is advisable to establish a manual restore point every week and prior to any significant system modifications. This will provide ample options for rolling back changes if necessary.
Is System Restore the same as reinstalling Windows?
It's important to note that System Restore differs from a complete Windows reinstall. Instead, it allows you to roll back system files and settings to a previous state without affecting your personal files or installed programs.
Can I pick an older restore point if a recent one doesn't fix issues?
Yes, absolutely. If restoring to a recent point doesn't resolve problems, try again with an older system restore point. Keep going back until issues are fixed.
Summary
System Restore is a valuable recovery tool in Windows 10. By turning on system protection and regularly creating restore points, you can use it to revert your PC to a previous stable condition when problems occur. Just enable system restore, choose a restore point before issues start, and patiently let it complete. Consider lightweight software like WPS Office to get back up and running after recovery.
