How to roll back PC to earlier state using Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11

• Point-in-time Restore is a new Windows 11 recovery feature that lets you roll back your computer to a previous system state, including apps, settings, and user data. You can enable it (currently via ViveTool), configure how often snapshots are made, and restore from restore points through the Windows Recovery Environment.

On Windows 11, you can use the Point-in-time Restore to recover your computer from a broken driver, buggy update, misconfiguration, malware, or a user mistake, and in this guide, I’ll outline the steps to complete this process.

Point-in-time Restore is a new recovery feature that Microsoft has introduced, starting with build 26220.7271 in the Dev and Beta Channels. The feature lets you restore your computer to the exact state it was in at an earlier point in time using restore points.

These restore points are triggered automatically at different intervals during the day (or week) using the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), and they include the entire operating system state, installed applications, system configuration, local files, passwords, secrets, keys, and credentials. However, this feature includes settings to customize restore point frequency, retention, and storage usage.

Also, the recovery feature comes enabled by default on Windows 11 Home and Pro as long as they have at least 200GB of storage.

In this guide, I’ll outline the steps to enable, configure, and use the Point-in-time Restore to recover your computer to an earlier system state.

• Enable Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11 (preview)
• Configure Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11
• Recover Windows 11 using Point-in-time Restore
• How System Restore and Point-in-time Restore differ
• FAQs about the Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11

Enable Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11 (preview)

To enable the Point-in-time Restore feature on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open the GitHub website.

2. Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to Point-in-time Restore in the operating system.

3. Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.

4. Click the Extract all button.

   

5. Click the Extract button.

6. Copy the path to the folder.

7. Open Start.

8. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

9. Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:

   cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x

   In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.

10. Type the following command to enable the Point-in-time Restore feature and press Enter:

    vivetool /enable /id:55324166,59673297

11. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, the feature will be availble through the Settings app, and you can proceed to configure it.

It’s important to note that these steps are only necessary during the testing phase and early rollout of the feature. Once the recovery feature is fully available, you have to configure it through the Settings app with the instructions below.

Configure Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11

To enable and configure the Point-in-time Restore feature, follow the steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Recovery.

3. Click the Point-in-time restore page.

   

4. Turn on the Point-in-time Restore toggle switch (if applicable).

   

5. Choose how often the system should create a restore point with the “Restore point frequency” setting.

   Quick tip: The default setting is “Every 24 hours,” but you can configure the feature to create snapshots every 4, 6, 12, or 16 hours.

6. Select how long to retain every restore point.

   Quick tip: The default setting is “72 hours,” but you can choose from 6, 12, and 24 hours.

7. Choose the maximum storage usage using the “Restore point disk usage” slider.

After you complete the steps, the system will create restore points at the configured intervals.

One thing to note is that the default configuration should suit most people. Only make changes if you have a good reason.

Recover Windows 11 using Point-in-time Restore

If you need to roll back your computer to an earlier state, you’ll have access to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). However, the method you use will depend on whether you can access the desktop.

The instructions below show you the steps to access WinRE from the desktop environment, but you can use these other methods, even if the operating system doesn’t start correctly.

If you’ll be using a recovery point while the device is working correctly, it’s recommended to disable Device Encryption (BitLocker) before proceeding to avoid having to enter the recovery key during the rollback process.

To access WinRe to use a restore point from Point-in-time Restore, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Recovery.

3. Click the Restart now button under the “Advanced startup” setting.

   

4. Click the Restart now button again.

5. Click on Troubleshoot.

6. Click on Advanced options.

7. Click on Point-in-time Restore.

   

8. Confirm your device recovery BitLocker key and click the Continue button (if applicable).

9. Select the restore point.

   

10. Click the Continue button.

    

    Quick note: This page will give you a warning that all the changes made since the selected restore point will be deleted, including settings, apps, data, and more.

11. Click the Restore button to proceed.

    

Once you complete the steps, the quick restore process to an earlier state will begin with the selected system snapshot. After several minutes, the recovery is complete, the computer will reboot, and the system should now be working as normal.

How System Restore and Point-in-time Restore differ

Point-in-time Restore is essentially the modern successor to System Restore, rebuilt to be consistent, predictable, and easier to manage.

The differences are substantial. Point in time Restore creates restore points automatically on a schedule, protects user files, enforces strict retention and cleanup rules, integrates with the Settings app, uses less storage, supports advanced remote management, and is designed for both home and enterprise environments.

System Restore, by comparison, only runs manually or during specific system events, doesn’t include user files, lacks retention controls, lives in the legacy Control Panel, consumes more storage, and offers very limited remote management capabilities.

FAQs about the Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about enabling and using Point-in-time Restore in the operating system.

What is Point-in-time Restore on Windows 11?

Point-in-time Restore is a recovery feature that lets you roll back your computer to a previous system state, including apps, settings, and user data created before the selected restore point.

What can Point-in-time Restore fix?

You can use the feature to recover from buggy updates, driver issues, misconfigurations, malware, corrupted system files, app problems, and accidental user changes.

Does Point-in-time Restore delete my files?

Yes. Any files, settings, apps, passwords, certificates, keys, and secrets created after the restore point will be removed. Files already synced with OneDrive are preserved.

Do I need to turn off BitLocker before restoring?

It’s recommended. If BitLocker or Device Encryption is enabled, WinRE will require the recovery key to continue. Turning it off temporarily avoids interruptions during rollback.

Can I choose how often restore points are created?

Yes. Windows 11 lets you choose the snapshot frequency, such as every 4, 6, 12, 16, or 24 hours, depending on your needs.

How long are restore points kept?

You can set the retention window to 6, 12, 24, or 72 hours. Older restore points are automatically cleaned up based on your retention settings and storage limits.

How much storage does the feature use?

The feature allows you to control the maximum storage through a disk usage slider. The operating system automatically manages cleanup to stay within your chosen limit.

Why don’t I see the Point-in-time Restore option in Settings?

You need Windows 11 build 26220.7271 or later in the Dev or Beta Channels. If you’re on a supported build and still don’t see it, you must enable it with ViveTool until Microsoft completes the rollout.

Is Point-in-time Restore better than System Restore?

Yes. It captures the full system state, supports scheduled snapshots, integrates with the Settings app, offers retention and storage controls, and includes user data. System Restore is more limited and only captures system files and registry changes.

Can I restore if Windows doesn’t start?

Yes. You can access WinRE automatically after failed boot attempts or manually using installation media, then use the Point-in-time Restore option to roll back.

Does this replace full system backups?

No. Although powerful, Point-in-time Restore isn’t a substitute for a full image backup. You should still maintain regular backups for disaster recovery or hardware failures.

Will this feature be available on all Windows 11 editions?

Yes. Microsoft enables it by default on Windows 11 Home and Pro on devices with at least 200GB of storage.

How long does the restore process take?

Most restores are complete within several minutes, depending on the system changes since the snapshot and your hardware speed.

Can malware survive a restore?

If malware existed before the restore point, it will still be present after rollback. You should choose a restore point created before the infection occurred.