Recovery features aren’t something you think about until you’re stuck in a situation where you need them. But if you’ve used Windows for long enough, you probably already know about System Restore and how it’s an “undo” button for your entire system in case something has gone wrong.

Windows 11 now has another feature that’s similar, but slightly more thorough. Besides reverting system files and settings, it removes personal files and apps too, which makes it a more accurate rewind than System Restore ever was.

Point-in-time restore is different than System Restore

It’s more thorough

System Restore has been a lifesaver for Windows users for over two decades. Any time you want to undo recent changes made to your PC, it lets you roll back to an old state without losing any personal files. It works as advertised, sure, but there are two problems with it.

The first is that it isn’t enabled by default, so most users never find out about it until it’s too late. The bigger issue is that it only creates a restore point before a Windows update or other major event, which means you might not always have a recent restore point. Sure, you can create restore points manually, but that’s not always practical.

Windows 11’s point-in-time restore is different because it’s enabled by default and creates a restore point every 24 hours. That means you’ll always have a recent restore point to fall back on. You can even reduce that duration to every 6 or 4 hours if you’re on the Enterprise edition of Windows. The good thing is that it auto-deletes restore points older than 3 days, so you don’t need to worry about storage. And, of course, there’s the option to control how much storage the feature can use in the first place, much like System Restore.

The biggest difference here is that point-in-time restore doesn’t just revert system files and settings. It also deletes any apps you’ve downloaded and personal files you may have created after the restore point. This is what makes it more effective.

Setting up point-in-time restore barely takes seconds

There’s not much to configure here

Point-in-time restore comes pre-enabled on most PCs. The only exceptions are systems with less than 200GB storage and those managed by an organization where admins control everything. So yes, most people won’t need to enable it, but you can manage your preferences and specify how much storage it can take.

Head to Settings > System > Recovery > Point-in-time restore. Click the View or edit button and you’ll see a pop-up. From here, you can adjust the restore frequency and retention if your system supports it. Unless you’re using the Enterprise version of Windows 11, these two drop-down menus will be grayed out. Most people won’t need to change them, really, but it’s strange that Windows 11 Home and Pro users can’t edit these.

What you can control is the storage part. The slider lets you specify the maximum storage the feature can use. It also shows the current space already used, which gives you a rough idea of how much to allocate. If you’ve got room to spare, it’s worth setting that number a little higher, so Windows isn’t forced to delete older restore points before the usual 72-hour window is up.

You’ll also see the list of all the restore points in the same menu, but you can’t use them from here. If something goes wrong, you’ll first have to boot your PC into recovery mode. Then, go to Troubleshoot > Point-in-time restore and you’ll get all the restore points. You’ll also need to keep your BitLocker key handy if your drive is encrypted. After that, you simply have to choose a restore point and follow the prompts. It’s not that difficult, but you’ll need to take a few extra steps than System Restore.

I wouldn’t disable System Restore yet

Two is better than one

Point-in-time restore is a great addition to Windows, but that doesn’t mean System Restore is completely useless. The biggest difference is the retention period. Point-in-time restore automatically deletes recovery points older than 72 hours, which means if you don’t notice something’s wrong within that window, your chances of undoing the damage with it are slim.

This isn’t a problem with System Restore since its retention largely depends on how much storage you’ve allocated to it. That gives you a bit more flexibility to hang on to older restore points for longer. It’s also slightly easier to trigger. You can do it right from the Control Panel without needing to boot into recovery mode.

The good news is Microsoft isn’t forcing you to pick one, at least for now. You can keep both features enabled and use them as needed. They barely take up any meaningful storage space for the peace of mind they offer.