Fix: ‘System Restore Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10

This article will show you how to Fix ‘System Restore Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10. System Restore is the main recovery tool in Windows. When it is turned on, it makes “restore points.” When your system isn’t working right, you can use the restore point to get the system files, program files, data, etc. back to a time when everything was working. System Restore is a tool of Windows that lets you put your computer back to a point in time before you changed it. This can help if your computer isn’t working right and you need to take back changes you just made.

System Restore was added to the previous version of Windows and is now a part of Windows 10. It lets you roll back your Windows installation and important system files or undo changes you made when you installed Windows Update, device drivers, an app, or changed system settings in the wrong way using the Registry or other tools. Most of the time, it works well. But people sometimes say it doesn’t work right.

The problem could be that Windows 10 isn’t making restore points, that system restore didn’t finish with a different error code (like 0x80042308), that a shadow copy couldn’t be made, that system restore failed, etc. But sometimes System Restore doesn’t work and gives you a warning message. Here, we’ll talk about the most common reasons why System Restore doesn’t work and how to Fix ‘System Restore Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10. If you want to know more information about this Visit Official Microsoft Website for further Support.

What is System Restore?

The first version of Windows to include the System Restore tool was Windows Me. Since then, all versions of Windows (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11) have had it as well. The tool can back up system files, loaded apps, the Windows Registry, and system settings automatically or by hand. Then, this information can be used to rebuild the operating system if the system fails or something else goes wrong.

Common causes of System Restore failure

1. If there isn’t enough: free room on the disc where System Restore is being saved, the restore process may fail.
2. Corrupted system files: If important system files are broken or corrupted, System Restore may run into problems and not finish.
3. Interference from antivirus or security software: Some antivirus or security programs may get in the way of the System Restore process, making it impossible for it to run or finish.
4. System Restore has been turned off: System Restore may have been turned off on your computer, either on purpose or by accident, which would make it impossible to use.
5. Software conflicts: If you have loaded programs that don’t work well together or don’t work with each other, this can make it hard to use System Restore.
6. Hardware problems: Sometimes, System Restore won’t work because of hardware problems, like bad hard drives or memory modules.
7. Incompatible or old restore points: If the restore points System Restore is using are not compatible with your system or are old, the process of restoring may fail.
8. System instability: If your system has other problems or is unstable, this can make it hard for System Restore to work.

Ways to Fix ‘System Restore Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10

Check your disk space usage

If changing the group policy doesn’t help, make sure you have at least 300MB of free room on your hard drive. To do this, follow the steps below –

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Scroll down and click on Recovery, then Open System Restore, and then Next.
3. Click Make a Restore Point at the bottom of the list.
4. The System Properties window will pop up. Then, click the Configure button in that window.
5. Next, move the scale to set the maximum amount of disk space you can use to at least 300MB.
6. To save the changes, click OK.

Disable antivirus software

If you still have the same problem, it’s likely that your protection software has stopped you from using System Restore. We think the best way to fix this problem is to temporarily turn off your antivirus software and see if it works. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Use the Windows + I keys to open the Settings app.
2. Now, go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat prevention.
3. Click the Manage settings button under the Virus & threat defence tab.
4. Now, turn off the switch that says “Real-time protection.”

Run System Restore in safe mode

When you use the reset point, it sometimes just loops back, no matter how many times you try it. Well, in that case, you can put your device into Safe mode and do the following:

1. Click “Start,” type “System Configuration,” and choose the first result.
2. Go to the Boot tab, check the box to the left of “Safe boot,” and then hit OK.
3. If System Configuration asks you to restart your computer, click Restart.
4. Your machine will go to safe mode in Windows 11/10.
5. Start system restore now.

Run System File Checker

System repair doesn’t always work because some system files are missing or have been changed. Run a Sfc check and see if it works to fix files that are missing or broken on your computer.

1. Find the command window by clicking the Start button and looking for it.
2. Right-click on the result of your search and choose “Run as administrator.”
3. If User Account Control asks you to, click Yes.
4. Now type the next command and press the Enter key.
   • sfc /scannow
5. Then wait until the process is finished properly.

Make sure System Restore is enabled

If System Restore doesn’t work on your computer, you should open Group Policy Editor and make sure that system restore is turned on. To do this, do the following:

1. Start, type “gpedit,” and then click on the first result, which is Local Group Policy.
2. On the next screen, go to the right pane and double-click the Turn off Configuration choice.
   • Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > System Restore
3. Check Not Configured on the next page.
4. Now click OK to save your changes.

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