If you’re looking for the best free system restore software for Windows, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of top-rated tools that let you restore your PC to an earlier state all for free. This guide is similar to our list of the best Deep Freeze alternatives that help recover Windows after crashes or malware attacks.
System restore tools are important when your Windows PC runs into issues due to newly installed software, system crashes, or registry changes. Sometimes, all it takes is a bad update or a broken app to trigger problems. In case of registry issues, registry cleaner software can help, but for full system restoration, you’ll need dedicated tools.
While many system restore tools are premium, there are still some reliable and completely free options. At NaijaKnowHow, we’ve handpicked the best free system restore software for Windows.
List of Free Windows System Restore Software
Whether you’re using Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11, these tools will help you roll back your PC to a working state. Even if your antivirus software fails after a virus attack, these programs can help you recover lost data or restore system settings.
1. Comodo Time Machine
Key Features:
- Free to use
- Easy rollback process
- Restores system files, documents, and settings
- Useful after crashes or corruption
Comodo Time Machine is one of the best options for system restoration. The good news about it is that it is free. With Comodo Time Machine, you can restore your system to a previous state if you encounter any issues or if your system becomes corrupted. One of the best features is how easy it is to use Comodo Time Machine.
You can roll back the changes to all your documents, and it’ll restore your PC back to its previous state regardless of the breakdown. Comodo Time Machine is free, and that’s one of the advantages it has over some of its alternatives.
2. Paragon Backup & Recovery CE
Key Features:
- Free for personal use
- Supports full system or selective backup
- Works on both HDD and SSD
- Backup compression to save storage
It is advisable to always use a virtual machine tool to avoid system breakdowns. But if that’s not the case, Paragon Backup & Recovery is one of the best options you can use. This tool is one of the best free system restore software for Windows. It’ll help you restore files, folders or your entire PC if you want it to.
What makes the Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition stand out is that it is completely free. You can create backups from time to time, schedule backups, automatically delete old backup images based on specified values, manage your backups and recover what you need. The software works for both HDD and SSD users. Backups that are created by Paragon Backup & Recovery 16 are always compressed to save space.
3. MiniTool ShadowMaker Free
Key Features:
- Free version available
- Supports system, disk, file, and partition backup
- Scheduled backups
- Compressed backup storage
MiniTool ShadowMaker Free is another free tool you can use to restore Windows. This is one of the best utility software that’ll let you back up and restore your PC. If your PC breaks down after you make a change or install new software, you can use MiniTool ShadowMaker Free to restore the affected areas on your PC. This tool will restore drivers, core system files and your personal files and folders.
MiniTool ShadowMaker Free works for almost all versions of Windows, from Windows 7 to the latest ones. You can schedule the time you want this tool to create backups. One more thing: the backup files are always compressed. MiniTool ShadowMaker Free is one of the best free system restore software for Windows.
4. Windows System Restore
Key Features:
- Built-in (no download needed)
- Restores Windows settings and system files
- Works best for minor issues or software glitches
Windows comes with a built-in restore tool called System Restore. It’s available on Windows 10 and Windows 11 and is easy to use. This is a bonus for Windows users, but when it comes to effectiveness, it’s not that effective. Depending on the issue your PC ran into, if it’s a minor one. When Windows System Restore can handle it perfectly.
With the Windows System Restore tool, you can recover your PC to its previous state before a glitch. The only downside of this free tool is that you’ll either lose files or apps. That depends on the option you selected. But the point is that you won’t be paying to use Windows System Restore.
5. Recuva
Key Features:
- Free to use
- Restores deleted files from drives, memory cards, and USB
- Preview feature before recovery
- Deep scan for harder-to-find files
Recuva, developed by Piriform (the makers of CCleaner), is a file recovery tool rather than a full system restore software. But it’s still useful if you’ve accidentally deleted important files. With Recuva, you can restore deleted files from your hard drive, memory card, or other storage devices. This can be helpful if you accidentally delete a critical file or if a virus or other malware deletes files from your system.
Recuva has a simple interface that is easy to use, and the software provides a preview of the file before you restore it. If you’re looking for one of the best free system restore software for Windows, Recuva is a great option.
Conclusion
System breakdowns happen; however, you don’t always need to spend a lot of money to fix them. Whether it’s a virus attack, bad installation, or registry corruption, these free system restore tools for Windows will help you recover your PC without stress. Each tool in this list offers something special, so choose the one that fits your needs best.
Have you used any other system restore software for Windows that worked for you? Kindly let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to share this article using the social share buttons to help others find this helpful guide.
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