Microsoft is testing Point-in-Time Restore, a new recovery feature for Windows 11 that offers a more comprehensive system snapshot than the traditional System Restore. The feature was first seen in the Windows 11 Insider Experimental preview released on April 24, 2026, and was originally announced in 2025.
Microsoft explains that the goal of Point-in-Time Restore is to "minimize downtime and simplify troubleshooting when disruptions occur." The feature appears in the Windows Recovery Environment troubleshooting window when a PC encounters issues and can also be accessed and configured from the Windows Settings app.
What Point-in-Time Restore Backs Up and How Snapshot Scheduling Works
Unlike System Restore, which backs up system files, registry settings, drivers, and installed applications, Point-in-Time Restore includes user files, applications, settings, passwords, secrets, certificates, and keys. Files stored in OneDrive or other cloud services are not affected by the restore.
Reverting to a Point-in-Time snapshot restores the entire PC, so any local changes made after the snapshot will be lost. This includes local file edits or new files saved outside of cloud storage.
Point-in-Time Restore follows an automated schedule instead of offering the option for manual snapshot creation. Snapshots are kept for up to 72 hours and can be set to retain for shorter periods such as six, twelve, sixteen, or twenty-four hours. Depending on user preferences, new snapshots can be created every four, twelve, sixteen, or twenty-four hours.
Storage Requirements and the Windows 365 Enterprise Version
On PCs with at least 200GB of drive space, Point-in-Time Restore is enabled by default. Devices with smaller drives need to be set up manually. Storage usage is set to 2% of the total drive capacity, with options for different percentage allocations. At least 2GB must be reserved for the feature to work properly. For consumer Windows installations, this feature is optional and can be turned on or off by the user.
A different version of Point-in-Time Restore is available for Windows 365 Enterprise cloud PCs managed via Intune. This enterprise feature is always active, keeps restore points for up to a month, allows for manual creation of restore points, and relies on scalable cloud storage instead of local drive space.
Remote Management Support and Availability
Remote management support for Point-in-Time Restore is in development but not yet available in the current preview. Microsoft has said it will be included in future updates, although no specific timeline has been announced. The feature is now limited to Windows 11 Insider Experimental channel builds.
Microsoft has not provided any information on when Point-in-Time Restore will be accessible to a wider group of Windows 11 users.
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