How to delete individual system restore points in Windows

Windows automatically creates system restore points up to a set limit, which can leave you with dozens of restore points you never use. Deleting all restore points at once is easy, but how do you delete only selected ones? For example, restore points that take up too much space or expose sensitive data. This guide will show you how to delete individual restore points in Windows.

Delete individual restore points using Command Prompt

The most reliable way to delete restore points in Windows is to use the vssadmin command line tool, which is used to create and delete shadow copies. This tool can list all of your current restore points and delete them individually.

To determine the restore point in the command line, we will have to use the date the restore point was created. Here's how to find it:

Press Win + R keys and type rstrui.exe in the Run dialog box to open System Restore . Here, select the Choose a different restore point option and click Next .

How to delete individual system restore points in Windows — Open the System Restore wizard

Then, select the Show more restore points option to view all the restore points. Make a note of the date and time of the restore points you want to delete.

Now, search for “cmd” in Windows Search, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator . Type the following command here and press Enter .

vssadmin list shadows

This command will list all restore points along with a bunch of information about them. You'll need to look at the creation time to find the restore point you want to delete. Once you've located it, copy the Shadow Copy ID of that restore point (including the curly brackets), which in our example is {5e5429e7-e601-4e8a-b94f-5ec1df105b12} .

Next, use the following command and replace the ID at the end with the ID of the shadow copy you want to delete:

vssadmin delete shadows /shadow=(Shadow Copy ID)

The resulting command will look like this:

vssadmin delete shadows /shadow={5e5429e7-e601-4e8a-b94f-5ec1df105b12}

You will be asked to confirm the action, type Y , then press Enter to confirm deleting the restore point. You can repeat the process to delete all the restore points you want to delete.

Use a third-party tool to delete each restore point

While vssadmin is fairly straightforward, deleting multiple restore points one by one can become tedious if you have to do it frequently. A third-party tool can make this process easier by automatically identifying all restore points and allowing you to delete them with a single click.

You should use CCleaner for this purpose. While CCleaner's main function is to clean up junk data, it also has a secondary tool for managing restore points.

Open CCleaner, go to Tools -> System Restore , you will see all the restore points currently saved. Select the restore point you want to delete and click Remove at the bottom to delete it. You can hold down the Ctrl key and select multiple restore points to delete at once.

For safety reasons, CCleaner will not allow you to delete the latest restore point to ensure you always have a point to revert to. You are free to delete all other restore points individually.

Bonus Tip: Use Windows Disk Cleanup

If you're deleting restore points to create disk space but don't want to risk deleting all of them, you can also use Disk Cleanup to delete only the old restore points while keeping the latest restore point. Open Disk Cleanup using Windows Search, go to the More Options tab , and click Clean up under System Restore and Shadow Copies .

Managing restore points is important, especially as data can continue to grow in size. You should use vssadmin if you only have one restore point to delete; installing a third-party application may not be suitable for a single task. If you're having trouble with a restore point, here are all the ways to troubleshoot System Restore .

Tags: #System

Try these Wi-Fi tips while on vacation to reduce roaming costs!

Coming home to expensive data roaming charges probably isn't what you want. Luckily, there are some handy ways to cut those roaming costs.

How to fix network adapter not found error on Windows 10

Many people have encountered the problem of network adapter disappearing from Device Manager or receiving a missing network adapter message. This article will guide you on how to fix the missing network adapter driver problem on Windows 10.

Must-Have Windows Desktop Visual Enhancement Tools

If you're tired of staring at the same interface every day, these tools will enhance your desktop experience.

Windows 11 wont respect your privacy until you make these changes!

Windows 11 has a reputation for being a privacy-poor operating system, with many default settings that can cause privacy problems. But don't worry - there are ways to regain some control in this area.

How to View All Accounts on Windows 11

On Windows 11, checking all the accounts on your computer can be useful in many cases. Here is a guide to view all accounts on Windows 11.

Learn about dark web tracking service F-Secure ID Protection

Many people never considered the dark web a real threat until one of their favorite services issued a warning about a data breach.

Fix error of not being able to open Windows Security on Windows 11

This article will help you fix the error Windows Security cannot run on Windows 11.

12 Most Useful PowerShell Commands for Windows

Most IT admins use PowerShell for scripting and automation, but it's not just for IT pros—anyone who deals with messy folders needs these commands.

12 Best Custom PC Building Websites

Building a custom PC is no easy task, especially for beginners. Luckily, there is plenty of help available on the Internet.

How to delete old Windows restore points to free up space

By checking your storage usage, deleting old restore points, and setting reasonable storage limits, you can keep your storage under control without sacrificing its protection.

How to fix Microsoft Store not working error

Microsoft Store (Windows Store) is not the most popular app store, as it is full of bugs, issues, and tends to be unstable.

What is Windows Superfetch (SysMain)? How to disable Superfetch?

SuperFetch is available on Windows versions but is known by very few users. In the article below, WebTech360 will guide you how to enable or disable SuperFetch on Windows 10/8/7.

How to view Windows 11 text and image creation apps

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.4741 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5710 (Dev 25H2), users can see which third-party apps have used Windows-powered AI models.

How to fix the error “Ethernet doesnt have a valid IP configuration”

Sometimes DHCP cannot get a valid IP address from the Network Interface Card, it will show an error message “Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP configuration”.

Try these Wi-Fi tips while on vacation to reduce roaming costs!

Coming home to expensive data roaming charges probably isn't what you want. Luckily, there are some handy ways to cut those roaming costs.

How to fix network adapter not found error on Windows 10