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Fix: Windows 10 can’t find a restore point

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

The first thought that comes to the user’s mind when something goes awry with anything Windows isSystem Restore. This feature is as old as the Windows platform itself and it provided a safe exit for many concerned Windows users.

As you probably know, System Restore creates restore points you can use to rewind time.

But what happens when you just can’t access any restore point? Some users reported this issue in Windows 10, but it’s frequently occurring in previous iterations, as well.

How do I restore Windows 10 if there is no restore point?

1. Make sure System Restore is enabled

After that, your system will keep track of changes and create restore points accordingly. Basically, after every newly installed program or major system change, the system will create a restore point.

With Windows 10, Microsoft decided to disable the System Restore feature by default in order to preserve storage space and lower the requirements.

Restore points can take a lot of storage space and, with them running in the background, the minimum of 16GB of free space Windows 10 actually requires, would be impossible to work with.

For that reason, make sure that automatic restore maintenance is enabled. Of course, if you’re trying to repair your already damaged system, enabling System restore won’t help you too much.

2. Create restore points manually

There’s a scenario where you are certain that there were some restore points but they’re gone for no apparent reason. Sadly, that’s not unusual.

Sometimes they’re wiped out by system updates, configuration changes, or even third-party antivirus solutions. And the worst thing is that you are, most of the time, unaware of that.

And when the dire times come and you’ll need to restore PC and fix the errors – not a single restore point is there to answer your call.

If this is a repeating occurrence, your best bet is to leave the automatization behind and do it manually. You can create a restore point whenever you deem it needed, but you can’t move it from the default location which complicates things.

The only thing you can do to avoid possible absence at the time of need is to create them as often as you can.

Need more details on how to create a system restore point in Windows 10? Read this guide.

3. Check the HDD with Disk Cleanup

Of, course, you can uninstall old or unused programs or games to get even more free space.

Many users use third-party tools to delete temporary and unnecessary files, but our advice is to stick withDisk Cleanupin order to avoid critical damage.

4. Check the HDD state with command prompt

5. Rollback to previous Windows 10 version

Via Recovery

The previous steps were mainly intended to fix the issues with missing restore points. But, what to do when you’ve already bumped into a critical system issue and there’s no restore point you can turn to for help?

Luckily, there are a lot of alternative recovery options in Windows 10. It’s just like they predicted the possible problems that might occur.

The first one is mainly introduced to repair an abundance of issues that often emerge after a major update. It enables you to restore to a previous build version.

You’ll eventually update again (just Windows 10 thing, we guess), but waiting for patches with the fully functional system is a much more pleasant experience.

Via Advanced Startup

If the first option is missing, there’s an alternative way to utilize this recovery tool. Follow the instructions above.

Instead of a restore, try factory-reset Windows 10. We’ll guide you through the process.

7. Reset your PC

This recovery option enables you to reset your PC to default settings, restoring everything in the process to the default values. It’s analog to reinstallation of the system, with the exception that you can keep your files untouched.

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, you can always perform a clean reinstallation. Make sure to check out our detailed explanation in ourguide.

That should do it. In case you have questions or suggestions in regards to System restore and/or missing restore points, don’t forget to tell us in the comments section below.

Fix: Windows 10 can’t find a restore point#

How do I restore Windows 10 if there is no restore point?#

1. Make sure System Restore is enabled#

2. Create restore points manually#

3. Check the HDD with Disk Cleanup#

4. Check the HDD state with command prompt#

5. Rollback to previous Windows 10 version#

7. Reset your PC#