System Restore is a lifesaver feature that lets you revert your system to a previous state when something goes wrong. However, what many don’t realize is that it can accumulate gigabytes of data over time. By deleting old restore points, you can free up space and recover lost GBs for meaningful use.
Why System Restore Takes Up So Much Space
System Restore is a built-in Windows feature that captures snapshots of your system before major changes, such as driver installations, software updates, or new program installations. Each snapshot, known as a Restore Point, can consume several GBs of space. Over time, Windows keeps generating new restore points, gradually using up more storage space.
While it’s a useful safety net against unexpected system hiccups, it can still consume a decent amount of storage space, even with the new 60-day limit. You can reclaim this space in two ways: by deleting all older restore points while keeping the most recent ones, or by limiting the amount of storage space allocated to System Restore so it doesn’t exceed your set limit.
Check How Much Space System Restore Is Using
By default, Windows limits the amount of storage that System Restore can use for creating snapshots. Once that limit is reached, older restore points are automatically deleted to make room for new ones. This means your system might already have a restricted allocation with only one or two restore points stored. Before assuming this feature is eating up your storage, it’s best to check how much space it’s actually using.
To check this, open the search bar, type Create a restore point, and select the matching option. In the System Properties window, navigate to the “System Protection” tab, choose your system drive, and click “Configure.”
Under “Disk Space Usage,” you’ll see how much storage System Restore currently occupies next to “Current Usage.” If the amount seems higher than you’d like, you can review how many restore points are taking up space. Click “System Restore” to view them. If there are too many, delete the older ones to free up additional space.
Remove Old Restore Points and Keep Only the Latest One
Windows offers a built-in option to delete all older restore points while keeping only the most recent one. This is a great way to reclaim maximum storage—especially if you’re sure you no longer need previous restore points. Keeping just one ensures you still have a recovery option while freeing up valuable space that this feature unnecessarily uses.
To do this, open the Start menu, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter. Select your system drive and click “OK.” In the Disk Cleanup window, click “Clean Up System Files.” If prompted, select the drive again, then switch to the “More Options” tab. Under “System Restore and Shadow Copies,” click “Clean Up,” and then hit “Delete” to confirm.
Delete a Few Restore Points Individually
If you prefer to keep a few restore points for future use, you’ll need to manually delete the ones you no longer need. This allows you to retain multiple restore points, which is helpful if you want the flexibility to revert to different system states while still freeing up space. However, removing individual restore points manually can be a bit technical.
To do this, type Command Prompt in the Windows search bar, right-click on it, and select “Run as Administrator.” Then, enter the following command and press Enter:
Vssadmin list shadows
This will display all available restore points, including their creation dates and Shadow Copy IDs. To delete a specific restore point, use this command:
Vssadmin delete shadows /shadow={Shadow Copy ID}
Replace {Shadow Copy ID} with the actual ID of the restore point you want to remove. Repeat this step for each restore point you wish to delete.
Adjust the Space Allocated to System Restore
While the steps above help you clear existing System Restore data, your job isn’t done yet. To avoid repeating the same cleanup in the future, you should adjust the amount of storage allocated to System Restore. This is important because Windows only removes old restore points when it runs out of space to create new ones.
If you had to delete several restore points earlier, it likely means that too much space was allocated to this feature. To limit it, use the slider located under Current Usage (the same place where you checked storage consumption earlier). Move the slider to reduce the allocated space if it seems excessive. That said, don’t reduce it too much.
Windows still needs enough room to create at least one whole restore point as your system and data grow. Keeping the allocation of around 8% of your total drive space is generally ideal.
While restore points are worth keeping as a safety net, they shouldn’t occupy more space than needed. The steps above will help you review how much storage they use and delete unnecessary ones. Freeing up this space not only creates room for important data but also helps keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.