You can create a desktop shortcut and assign a keyboard shortcut to make it easy to create a system restore point. Here is how to do it.
One of the rules for a safe Windows 10 experience is always creating a restore point whenever you are changing a big system setting, installing crucial drivers, accessing system files, deleting threats, modifying the Registry, etc. For better protection, you also schedule system restore points at regular intervals.
When something goes wrong due to intentional or unintentional changes, a restore point helps you restore the system to a known good state. To put it simply, System Restore is one of those features that you don’t use that often. However, when you need it, you will thank yourself for creating a restore point.
Generally, to create a system restore point, you have to dig through menus and windows to find the appropriate option. It is not a big deal occasional use case. However, if you create a system restore point frequently or keep forgetting where its location is, creating a desktop shortcut for the System Restore tool will help you tremendously. If needed, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to trigger the System Restore tool.
This simple Windows 10 guide will show you how to create a desktop shortcut for the system restore point and add a keyboard shortcut.
Create System Restore Point Shortcut
To create a System Restore Point desktop shortcut, follow these steps.
- Go to the desktop.
- Right-click on the desktop.
- Select “New -> Shortcut.”
- Paste “%windir%\System32\SystemPropertiesProtection.exe” in the empty field.
- Click “Next.”
- Type “System Restore” in the empty field.
- Click “Finish.”
- With that, you have created the System Restore Point desktop shortcut.
You can create a new shortcut from the desktop itself. So, go to the desktop, right-click, and select the “New -> Shortcut” option. This action will open the Shortcut wizard.
Now, paste “%windir%\System32\SystemPropertiesProtection.exe” in the empty field and click “Next.”
In the empty field, type “System Restore” and click “Finish.” This is the name of the shortcut. In general, you can name it anything you want. Just make sure the title is descriptive for you. Otherwise, you might get confused if there are other shortcuts with a similar name.
With that, you have the System Restore shortcut on your desktop.
Double-click on the shortcut, and it will launch the System Restore tool. To create a system restore point, click on the “Create” button and follow the resulting wizard. Within no time, Windows will make a new restore point.
Open System Restore with Keyboard Shortcut
To open the System Restore tool a bit more quickly, you can assign it a keyboard shortcut. Here is how.
- Right-click on the System Restore shortcut.
- Select “Properties.”
- Click on the “Shortcut” field.
- Press the shortcut you want to assign.
- Click the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons.
- With that, you have assigned a keyboard shortcut to the system restore shortcut.
First, right-click on the shortcut we just created. From the context menu, select the “Properties” option.
In the properties window, click the “Shortcut” field and press the shortcut you want to assign. Keep in mind that the shortcut should contain both Ctrl and Alt modifier keys. After setting the shortcut, click the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons to save the shortcut settings.
From now on, whenever you want to open the System Restore tool, press the keyboard shortcut. As soon as you press the shortcut, the tool will open immediately. From time to time, the tool might not open immediately and takes a second on two. So, don’t spam the shortcut if you don’t see the tool pop-up immediately.
That is all. It is that simple to create a system restore shortcut and configure it to open with a keyboard shortcut.
I hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
This worked perfectly – thank you very much.