How to Enable System Protection in Windows 10 and Windows 11
System Protection in Windows allows you to create restore points, which let you revert to a previous system state in case of issues. This feature is useful for preventing data loss during software installations, updates, or system errors. In this guide, we’ll walk through enabling system protection in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Steps to Enable System Protection in Windows 10 and Windows 11
1. Open the Control Panel
Start by opening the Control Panel. You can do this by typing “Control Panel” in the taskbar search and selecting the appropriate result.
2. Go to the “System” Section
In the Control Panel, find and open the System section. In Windows 11, you may need to select System and Security to access these settings.
3. Open “Advanced System Settings”
In the System window that opens, locate the Advanced system settings link on the left and click it.
4. Adjust System Protection Settings
Go to the System Protection tab. Here, you’ll see a list of available drives and their protection status. Select the system drive (usually C:) and click Configure....
5. Enable System Protection
In the new window, choose the option Turn on system protection. You can also adjust the amount of disk space allocated for restore points by moving the slider. Setting aside 5-10% of the disk space is generally recommended.
6. Create a Restore Point
Once protection is enabled, click the Create... button and give your restore point a name. This allows you to return to this system state later if issues arise.
7. Save Your Settings
Click Apply and then OK to save changes and exit all windows.
Verifying System Protection Functionality
To ensure system protection is enabled and that restore points are being created automatically, you can:
- Open the Control Panel and go to the Recovery section.
- Select Open System Restore and check if there are restore points available, either created manually or automatically by the system.