What is System Image Recovery in Windows [11, 10, 8, 7]?

What Is System Image Recovery?

System Image Recovery is a built-in Windows feature that acts like a rescue tool.It lets you restore your computer using a system image backup — a complete copy of everything on your computer at a certain point in time. A system image is like a snapshot of your entire PC, including:

• The Windows operating system
• Installed programs and drivers
• System settings
• Desktop files and personal data

In short, it can bring your computer back to exactly how it was when you made the backup.

What Is the Purpose of System Image Recovery?

The main purpose of System Image Recovery is to restore your computer to a working state when something goes wrong.

✅ If your computer crashes, won’t start, gets a blue screen, or is infected with a virus, you can use System Image Recovery to get everything back.

✅ It’s more powerful than a normal file backup because it restores the entire system, not just individual files.

How Does System Image Recovery Work in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7?

In this section, we will explain how System Image Recovery works.Generally, it operates in two main parts:

• Creating a system image backup – this is done before any problem occurs to save a complete copy of your system.
• Restoring the system image – this is used after something goes wrong, allowing you to bring your computer back to its previous working state.

Part 1. Create A System Image Backup

First, learn how to create a system image backup on your Windows computer.

Step 1. Press "Windows + R", type "Control" in the box and click on "OK".

Step 2. Navigate to "System and Security"> "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)". (Yes, Windows 10/11 still calls it "Windows 7”)

Step 3. In the left panel, click "Create a system image".

Step 4. Choose where to save the backup: On a hard drive (recommended); On one or moreDVDs; Or on a network location.

Step 5. Select the drives you want to include in the image (by default, it includes the system drive, C:).

Step 6. Confirm your backup setting and click "Start backup"and wait for it to finish.

The process might take a while depending on your data size.

Part 2. Restore from System Image Backup

Now, we will explain how to use System Image Backup when your system crashes, won’t start, or you want to roll back to a previous state.

Option 1: From Windows (if you can still boot)

Step 1. Go to "Settings → Update & Security → Recovery".

Step 2. Under "Advanced startup,"click "Restart now".

Step 3. Choose "Troubleshoot → Advanced options → System Image Recovery".

Step 4. Select your account and password, then pick the system image you want to restore.

Step 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete recovery.

Option 2: From Boot (if Windows won’t start)

Step 1. Insert your Windows installation USB/DVD (your can create a bootable USB from ISO) or system repair disc, then restart your computer.

Step 2. Boot from the USB/DVD and choose "Repair your computer".

Step 3.Go to "Troubleshoot → Advanced options → System Image Recovery".

Step 4. Choose your system image backup location (external drive, network, etc.).Follow the prompts to restore your system image.

Can System Image Recovery Recover Deleted Files?

Not exactly. System Image Recovery is not designed to recover single deleted files like photos or documents. Instead, it restores your entire computer from a system image backup. When you perform System Image Recovery, your whole system — including Windows, apps, settings, and files — is restored to the exact state it was in when the image was created. So:

✅ If the deleted files existed when the image was created, they will come back after the recovery.

❌ If the files were deleted before you made the system image, or created after the backup, they cannot be recovered using System Image Recovery.

If you want to recover lost or deleted files that were not included in the System Image Backup, the most convenient solution is to use professional third-party data recovery software such as MyRecover.

MyRecover

Easy Data Recovery Software

• 🧡Supports over 500 data loss scenarios (deleted files, formatted drives, virus attacks, RAW partitions, power outage corruption, etc.).
• 🧡Supports 1000+ file formats (images, videos, documents, archives, etc.).
• 🧡Supports 500+ types of storage devices (internal/external HDD, SSD, USB flash drives, SD cards, cameras, etc.).
• 🧡Features AI-powered file recognition & scan, deep scan for hard-to-recover files, preview capability before recovery.
• 🧡Claims GDPR compliance, no data retention by the software, local recovery (data stays under your control).
• 🧡Simple 3-step recovery: select location → scan → recover.

Try It For Free
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

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Step 1. Open the MyRecover software. On the main screen, select the location where your files were lost (for example, C: drive, D: drive, or an external drive) and click "Scan" to begin scanning.

Step 2. MyRecover will automatically perform either a "Quick Scan" or a "Deep Scan". After the scanning, you can preview files (photos, documents, videos, etc.). Use filters by file type, path, or keywords to quickly locate the files you need.

Step 3. Once you find the files you want, check the boxes next to them. Click the "Recover"button at the bottom right.Choose a different location from the original to save the files (to avoid overwriting lost data).

Wait for the recovery process to complete.

Closing Thoughts

System Image Recovery is a powerful tool to restore your entire system when Windows crashes, fails to boot, or suffers severe errors. However, it cannot recover files deleted outside of the backup, so using tools like MyRecover can complement it by helping recover individual lost files quickly and safely.

Moreover, even if your computer cannot boot up normally, MyRecover can help create a data recovery bootable media to boot the problematic computer and then recover them in WinRE environment without running any operating system.