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How to Schedule System Restore Point in Windows (in simple steps)

Rather than depending on third-party programs or manual actions, you can configure Windows to schedule system restore point. Here’s how.

While using the system, you might perform several actions that directly or indirectly modify the system files and behavior. More often than not, these changes are irreversible. That is, once you or a program makes a change to the system file, configuration, or setting, normally, you can’t go back. When I say changes, I talking about even simple things like installing applications and updates to modifying, adding, or deleting system files.

For the most part, the changes made might improve your Windows experience. However, there will be times where things go haywire and the system doesn’t work as it should. In the worst-case scenario, you might not even be able to boot into windows. In those cases, the System Restore feature is very helpful.

Generally, most programs and even Windows will automatically create the system restore points. In fact, you also manually create system restore point when modifying system settings or files. When needed, you can boot into safe mode and restore the system to its known good state.

Though this is good enough, you can configure Windows to automatically create system restore point at set intervals. Compared to being at the mercy of other programs, it is far better to have predictable restore points. So, in this quick tutorial, let me show how you can use the task scheduler to schedule system restore points.

You need administrator rights to follow the below procedure.

Steps to Schedule System Restore Point

1. First, make sure the System Restore feature is turned on and configured.

2. Once you’ve confirmed the System Restore feature is enabled, search for “Task Scheduler” in the start menu, right-click on it and select “Run as Administrator” option.

Schedule-system-restore-points-open-task-scheduler

3. Click on the “Create Task” option on the rightmost panel.

Schedule-system-restore-points-select-create-task

4. In the main Create Task window, name the task anything you want and then select both the following options.

  • Run whether user is logged on or not
  • Run with highest privileges
Schedule-system-restore-points-general-tab

5. Now, go to the “Triggers” tab and click on the “New” button. Here, select how you want to start the task from the “Begin the task” dropdown menu. There are several different options like on Start-Up, on Schedule, etc. Depending on what option you chose, the rest of the options will be different.

After selecting the appropriate trigger options, click on the “Ok” button. In my case, I want to create a system restore point every week. So, I selected “On a schedule” and then selected “Weekly”.

Schedule-system-restore-points-new-trigger

6. After that, go to the “Actions” tab and click on the “New” button. In the Actions window, select “Start a program” from the drop-down menu and fill in the following fields as shown. After filling the fields, click the “Ok” button to save changes.

  • Program/script
 powershell.exe
  • Add arguments:
-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Checkpoint-Computer -Description \"TS Automatic Restore Point\" -RestorePointType \"MODIFY_SETTINGS\""

A quick tip: You can modify the sentence “TS Automatic Restore Point” in the above command. This is what you will see in the System Restore list when you are trying to restore the system.

Schedule-system-restore-points-new-action

7. Next, go to the “Conditions” tab. Here, uncheck “Start the task only if the computer is on AC power”. This makes sure that the task runs even when you are running on battery, like laptops.

Schedule-system-restore-points-set-conditions

8. Go to the “Settings” tab and select the “Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed” option. This setting makes sure that the task runs even if the schedule is missed for some reason.

9. Click on the “Ok” button to save changes.

Schedule-system-restore-points-new-settings

10. You will be asked to enter the administrator password. Enter the password and click on the “Ok” button.

Schedule-system-restore-points-type-password

That’s it.

Wrapping Up

You’ve done setting up the scheduled system restore point. You can find the task in the main window. To verify if the task is running as set up, right-click on the task and select “Run”. This action should create a new restore point.

Schedule-system-restore-points-run-task

Hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible.

3 thoughts on “How to Schedule System Restore Point in Windows (in simple steps)”

  1. Avatar for Judy

    used windows 10. step by step directions. got lost when it asked me for password for user acct. i have no clue where that is. don’t remember putting one on. however i picked default user or something. clicked ok and my system restore point is scheduled. win 7, create, sched click, click and you are done. old school. oh man, lots of old schools.

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