Windows 11 Stops Automatic Restore Points after 60 Days

Microsoft recently confirmed that, starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, system restore points will now automatically delete after 60 days. This marks a notable shift—up from Windows 11's earlier inconsistent retention (ranging sometimes from 10 to 90 days), and down from the traditional 90 days in Windows 10 and earlier. Here's what this means for you—and how to protect your data.

Why the 60-Day Limit Matters

System Restore has been a critical "safety net" in Windows—capturing system files, registry settings, and drivers before updates or other changes. Within that 60‑day window, you can roll back if an update or installation breaks something. But once those restore points vanish, you're left without that safety fallback.

How to Protect Yourself

1. Ensure System Protection Is Enabled
• Go to Create a restore point → System Protection. Enable protection on your system drive and confirm a reasonable disk space allocation for restore points.
2. Create Manual Restore Points Regularly
• Especially before major changes like new drivers or software installations. Do it every 2-3 weeks to maintain at least a couple of restore snapshots.
3. Set Up a Backup Routine
• Relying solely on restore points isn't enough. Adopt a layered approach:
• File backups: Use File History, OneDrive, or tools like Macrium Reflect to back up documents, photos, and personal files.
• Full system images: Create full PC backups periodically to enable full system recovery—even beyond 60 days.
4. Check Disk Space Usage

Windows allocates a percentage of your drive for restore points. If it's too small, old points might be purged sooner. Adjust space allocation via Configure → Max Usage… in System Protection settings.

Best Practices for Data Protection

• Use 3-2-1 backup rule: Keep three copies (original + two backups), on two different media (e.g. internal HDD + external SSD), with one off-site (like cloud storage).
• Perform weekly incremental backups for personal files.
• Monthly or quarterly full-image backups to preserve your entire system environment.
• Test your backups by performing a trial restore to ensure they're working correctly.

Why This Change Matters

• The 60-day limit prioritizes disk space management and system stability, preventing clutter and ensuring restore points remain effective.
• But users who experience issues beyond 60 days will find themselves without a rollback option—unless they proactively maintain backups.
• This policy is baked into Windows 11 going forward, so manual intervention isn't optional—it's essential.

The Takeaway: Be Proactive

Windows 11 24H2 will now remove system restore points older than 60 days—no exceptions. To safeguard your system:

By combining restore points with regular backups, you guard against software issues, hardware failures, ransomware, and accidental deletions—with or without Windows' built-in safety net.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft's move to enforce a 60‑day expiration for Windows 11 restore points signals a shift: restore points are no longer a set-and-forget safety net. Instead, they're one layer of protection.

• proactively creating restore points,
• maintaining a strong backup routine,
• and verifying your backups regularly,

Working with a Managed Service Provider like Natural Networks can help ensure that your devices are backed up, and restoring lost data is easy. If you want to learn more about how partnering with Natural Networks for your backup and IT needs can help you, give us a call today!