In this article, we will discuss the methods to restore Windows 10 computers to a previous date or earlier date.
Note:If you want to restore windows 10 to an earlier date to recover your files then it won’t work. This method will work to restore the system settings, not the files. Your files will be unaffected after the completion of the process.
Suppose you are working on your computer and something goes wrong with it. It could happen due to a new software installation or computer settings modified by you. And you hope you could undo all things and your computer will work like before.
The good news for you it is possible if you are working with Windows 10 computer. Windows 10 has an amazing feature called “System Restore”. Using this feature you can easily restore Windows 10 to a previous date.
It is like pressing the ctrl+Z button and undoing all the settings on your computer. Using the System Restore Point to reset your Windows 10 computer to an earlier date is very simple.
In Windows 7 the system restore point is by default enable but in Windows 10 you need to enable the system restore point manually. So, in this guide, I am going to explain the 3 important steps-
- How to enable system restore point
- How to create a system restore point
- How to use System Restore to restore your computer to the previous date
How To Enable System Restore Point To Restore Windows 10 To a Previous Date
To take advantage of the System Restore Point you need to enable it from the settings.
Step 1: Search “Create System Restore” from the start menu.
Step 2:Now a small window will open where you need to go to the “System Protection” tab.
Step 4:After opening the system protection tab you will see “Properties Settings”. Here you need to select the drive.
Windows 10 will create the system restore point on the drive you select here so, choose it carefully. My advice is not to choose “C Drive”. Choose from D or E to easily restore Windows 10 to an earlier date.
Step 5:Below the properties settings section you will find the “Configure” button, you need to click on it.
Step 6:Now a new page will appear here select the “Turn on system protection” option.
Step 7: Finally click “Apply” and then “OK”
That is all you have enabled the system restore point on your Windows 10 computer.
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How to Create a System Restore Point on Windows 10 To Reset Your Computer To An Earlier Date
Once you have enabled the System Restore feature on your computer. The Windows 10 system will automatically create a system restore point when it detects changes on your system.
If you want to create a system restore point manually then you can do this too. You might want to do this before making some risky changes in your computer settings so that if something wrong goes you can take back your computer to its previous state.
Step 1:Search “Create System Restore” from the search button and click the first result.
Step 2:Now go to the “System Protection” tab and find the “Create” button.
Step 3:Here a new small window will pop up Here you can enter the name of your system restore point. This is just for your convenience so that you can recognize the name of the restore point later when you will restore your Windows computer to a previous date.
Step 4:After entering the name click the “Create” button and then click OK.
That is it, you have created a system restore point of your own choice and you can restore your Windows 10 system to this point if something goes wrong with your computer.
How To Restore Windows 10 To A Previous Date Using The System Restore Point
Follow these steps to easily reset your Windows 10 computer to an earlier date-
Step 1:Type “System Restore” from the search box near the start button.
Step 2:Now go to the “System Properties” page and go to the “System Protection” tab.
Step 3:Here you will find the “System Restore” button, you need to click on it. If your system does not have a system restore point then this option will be grayed out.
Step 4:Now a new window will appear and you will see automatically made system restore points or the system restore point created by you.
It is possible that you will see multiple restore points if your System Restore setting is enabled for a long time.
Step 5:Now click on any of the points (You will see the date and time of every point).
Step 6:Click “Next” and then “Finish”.
That is it you have restored your Windows 10 Computer to a previous date.
Also Read: How To Recover Permanently Deleted Videos On Windows, Android & iPhone
How To Reset Your Computer To An Earlier Date Using The Command Prompt
You can perform the same steps using the command prompt. Using the command prompt you can open the system restore app and the rest steps will be the same.
Follow these steps to restore windows 10 to an earlier date:
Step 1: Type Windows+R simultaneously and type “cmd” in the box.
You might see something else already entered in the box you can delete it with backspace and then type cmd.
Step 2:Now the window of the command prompt will open. Here type “rstrui.exe” and hit enter.
Step 3:This will open the system restore window. Now you can perform the same steps as before to take your computer back to a previous date.
These were the simplest steps to restore your Windows 10 computer to a previous date. In Windows 7 you don’t need to enable the system restore feature but in Windows 10 you must enable the feature to use it later to reset your Windows 10 computer to an earlier date.
Also Read: How To Schedule Auto Shutdown On Windows 10 PC
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I restore Windows 10 to yesterday?
Answer: If you created a system restore point yesterday then it is possible. But if you have not created it manually then it is up to your luck. If you are lucky Windows 10 might have created a system restore point earlier yesterday. Otherwise, you will find a restore point of an earlier date.
How do I restore Windows 10 to a previous date from the command prompt?
Answer: Just type rstrui.exe in the command prompt and hit enter. Then follow the guide to restore your Windows 10 at an earlier date.
Does System Restore recover files?
Answer: No, It will not recover your files, it will only restore the system settings.
Where is the Windows 10 restore point stored?
Answer: It is stored in the “System Volume Information folder on each drive”.
How to recover permanently deleted photos on Windows 10?
Answer: I have made a complete guide for Windows computers read here
Priyanka Sharma is a technical content writer at SoftAppWorld. Her keen interest is in testing different kinds of software and writing reviews about them. Her goal is to help people with software reviews and how-to guides. In her free time, she likes to create different kinds of sketches and designs. You can find her on LinkedIn