How to Enable or Disable System Restore in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10
System protection is a feature that allows you to undo unwanted system changes by being able to do a System Restore. System Restore enables users, in the event of a problem, to restore their computers to a previous state (restore point) without losing personal data files.
System Restore is enabled by default in Windows. If disabled, System Restore is turned off, and the System Restore Wizard cannot be accessed. The option to configure System Restore or create a restore point through System Protection is also disabled.
See also:
- System Restore | Microsoft Docs
- Monitored File Name Extensions | Microsoft Docs (Files with these extensions are monitored by System Restore.)
- Restoring the System | Microsoft Docs ("To restore a system, System Restore undoes file changes made to monitored files, recapturing the file state at the time of the selected restore point.")
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable System Restore for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable System Restore.
If you disable System Restore, any created restore points will not be automatically deleted in the process.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable System Restore using Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable System Restore using a REG file
EXAMPLE: System Restore disabled
In Windows 7, the Local Group Policy Editor will only be available in the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.
In Windows 8, the Local Group Policy Editor will only be available in the Pro and Enterprise editions.
In Windows 10, the Local Group Policy Editor will only be available in the Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\System Restore
3 In the right pane of System Restore in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Turn off System Restore policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\SystemRestore
DisableSR DWORD
(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_System_Restore.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_System_Restore.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- How to Enable or Disable System Restore Configuration in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10
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- How to Do a System Restore of Windows 10
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- How to See List of All Available System Restore Points in Windows
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- How to Change System Restore Point Creation Frequency in Windows 10
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Enable or Disable System Restore in Windows
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New #1
System restore has saved me so many times in the past, however starting Windows 8 I got a small SSD and turned system restore and fast startup off due to space constrictions, early compatibility problems with fast startup and SSD writes endurance.
But now with SSD's being so cheap, the minimum size on most systems are about 250GB, and with the maturity of Windows 10; it's more than worth it to enable system restore and fast startup with reduced size even on SSD's.
System restore creates a maximum percentage of the disk set by the user, once it hits the maximum it erases the first one or two restores to make space for a new last place one, system does not write the entire restore space reserved each time.
The number of restores created depends on the space reserved for system restore, the writes to the SSD in minimal considering the preventative measures system restore offers in the case Windows does not boot, writes only happen when registry changes are made, like installs and such...
Of course I take other preventative measures such as full system backups to a secondary hard drive but the point I'm trying to make is system restore is worth enabling even on systems with SSD's, the amount of writes when compared to the protection it provides is minimal depending on how to use your computer.
Thanks Brink for this tutorial.Last edited by Nemix; 26 Dec 2018 at 15:03.
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New #2
Just to note, this will only enable or disable the ability to turn on system restore using an option in the tutorial below.
Turn On or Off System Protection for Drives in Windows 10 | Tutorials
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New #3
This didn't work for me in Windows 10. I found this PS C:\> Disable-ComputerRestore -Drive "C:"
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/syste...estore-windows
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New #4
Hello Zefy,
That PowerShell command will only turn off System Protection for the specified drive instead.
Turn On or Off System Protection for Drives in Windows 10 | Tutorials
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New #5
Unfortunately, the image of win 10 I have no control over and have to do all my tweaks after I install the OS on the PC. It's a pain when the Main I.T. does a half ass job on the image that they deploy.
Thanks for your site it's been great help for me.
Zefy
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New #6
Will disabling System Restore speed up Windows updates? I noticed that a restore point was created each time a cu was downloaded. I've got plenty of space, but using macrium reflect seems to dispense with the need of restore points. I was also under the impression the System Restore was being predicated.
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New #9
I vaguely remember reading it hear on the forums. Someone was talking about using Macrium Reflect and that it was more reliable than System Restore. And that System Restore was being predicated. I searched for it on the forums but it didn't come up with anything. Maybe I'm wrong. Probably. Since windows update uses it before updating, it makes sense that Microsoft would keep it.
P.S. I sit corrected. It was 'system image backup', not system restore, that was being predicated. Sorry.
Last edited by RichardC; 31 May 2019 at 00:05.
Enable or Disable System Restore in Windows
How to Enable or Disable System Restore in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: Backup & Restore
10 Sep 2022
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