Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Guides

How to use System Restore in Windows 7

By

how to use windows system restore in 7 header copy
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If your computer is on the fritz, acting weird, or behaving sluggishly, you may be able to revert to a time in your PC’s history when it was symptom free, using System Restore in Windows.

System Restore essentially acts like an undo button for your PC, tapping into automatically saved restore points.

Recommended Videos

Here’s our breakdown of System Restore and how to use it. Additionally, feel free to check out our guides for recovering deleted files and making an administrator account on Windows 8, along with our in-depth comparison of the best cloud storage services.

Related

What does System Restore do?

System Restore automatically creates markers on your computer called restore points, which are made regularly without input from you, though you can also create restore points manually. When you do decide to use System Restore, it will provide you with a list of points to revert your PC to. You can always try multiple restore points in the event that you’re still experiencing issues when you revert to a particular state. Keep in mind that System Restore always creates another restore point prior to reverting, so you can always reverse the changes if need be.

How to use System Restore in Windows 7

Step 1: Open System Restore — Click the Start button (or press the Windows key on your keyboard) and enter “System Restore” in the search bar at the bottom. It should be the first result that pops up. Click on it.


 Step 1 final

Step 2: Revert to a previous state  — Click “Next,” and select your desired restore point from the list of options. Each restore point tells you what type of restore it is, and has a time stamp that tells you when the point was created. If you want to see all of the available restore points, click the box at the bottom labeled “Show more restore points.” Once you pick a point to restore to, click “Next,” and then click the “Finish” button to begin the process. Once done, you’ll be placed back at the desktop.

Select Restore State
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Manually create a restore point (optional) —  To manually create a restore point, press the Windows key (or click the Start button), type “Create a restore point,” and click the option of the same name. Click “Create” at the bottom of the System Protection tab in the new “System Properties” window that pops up, and enter a description for your restore point. Then, click “Create” to begin.

Create Restore State
Image used with permission by copyright holder

[Image courtesy of Serg64/Shutterstock]

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Emily Schiola
Emily Schiola
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Emily Schiola is an editorial assistant at Digital Trends where she covers mostly social media and how-to pieces. In her…
How to keep your Microsoft Teams status active
Man uses Microsoft Teams on a laptop in order to video chat.

Keeping your Microsoft Teams status as "Active" can be a stressful experience if your boss is constantly looking over your shoulder. It might not be the most common Teams problem, but it's one we've all experienced at some point. While you might be getting on with something productive, if the person in charge doesn't know that and doesn't take kindle to "Busy" statuses, you may want to try some tricks to keep your status active when using Microsoft Teams.

Fortunately there are a number of ways you can do that, from the honest and transparent, to the slightly sneaky. No judgement here. You do what you need to do. We're just here to teach you how to keep your Team status active.

Read more
How to use concatenate in Excel
A man using a PC to view an Excel spreadsheet.

The concatenate function may not be as well known as other common Excel features such as IF and VLOOKUP, but it’s still effective, even though it performs a more simple function in nature. If you are using Microsoft Excel, you can use concatenate to merge the data you have inserted into columns into a single cell or column. For example, you could combine columns detailing revenue and profit for a given month into one cell.

Read more
How to create a drop-down list in Excel on Windows and Mac
A man using a PC to view an Excel spreadsheet.

Implementing a drop-down list in Excel is a quick and efficient way to choose predefined data. In the process, you’re able to save time compared to manually entering such data into a given spreadsheet. Drop-down lists are perfect for several purposes, such as inputting information into a form.

Here's how to create a drop-down list using Microsoft Excel on Windows and Mac.

Read more