Should your Windows 11 fail to boot, potential culprits could range from software conflicts, corrupted files, faulty drivers, malware, hardware malfunctions, and power disturbances to problematic settings.

To mitigate system-related concerns with minimal data loss, System Restore is the recommended solution. This function allows your PC to revert to a previous state when it was functioning optimally prior to the onset of the issue. This is particularly advantageous if the problem has been triggered by recent changes or updates.

This instructional guide will demonstrate how to utilize the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to restore your Windows 11 PC when it encounters booting issues.

Perform System Restore from Windows Recovery Environment

Turn on your computer, and when the first screen appears, press the F11 key to start up the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Remember, this might not work the same way on all computers. On some computers, you might need to press a different key, like F9 or F12 instead.

If the shortcut key didn't work on your computer, try the force restart method instead.

To get started, start by shutting down your PC or powering it off. Then, press the power button to turn the system back on. As soon as you see Windows starting to load, press and hold the power button to forcefully shut down your PC.

Repeat these steps at least twice, and on the third restart, let the system boot normally. You'll see the message ‘Preparing Automatic Repair’ appearing at the bottom of the screen, like the screenshot shown below.  

Once you reach the Automatic Repair screen, click on the ‘Advanced options’ button. This will lead you into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), where you can access additional recovery features.

Once you are in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), click the ‘Troubleshoot’ option.

On the next screen, choose 'Advanced options'.

Then, select 'System Restore' from the advanced options.

When you're on the first screen of the System Restore window, if it gives you a choice between 'Recommended restore' and 'Choose a different restore point', pick 'Choose a different restore point.' If you don't see that choice, just click 'Next' to continue.

Then, choose the most recent restore point and click 'Next'. Optionally, click 'Scan for affected programs' to check for any programs that will be uninstalled during the process.

Finally, click 'Finish' to start the system restore process.

If System Restore fails to restore your computer, you'll receive a 'System Restore did not complete successfully' error message. Click the 'Run System Restore' button to reopen System Restore program. This time, choose a different restore point (if it's available) and try again.

If System Restore fails again, you can still go back to the Advanced Options in the recovery mode and try uninstalling Windows updates, performing startup repair, running SFC (System File Checker) and DSIM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans, and other troubleshooting methods to fix your computer.

Perform System Restore using Windows 11 Installation Media

If you have trouble starting in the recovery environment using the above method, you can boot your device with the Windows 11 installation media, and from there, you can access the Windows Recovery Environment through the Windows setup. Follow these steps to do that:

First, create Windows 11 installation media using a USB. Once the bootable media is ready, plug it into the computer where you want to perform the restore.

When you turn on the computer, press the key specific to your computer or motherboard to access the boot menu. This key changes depending on your computer's brand, like Esc, F2, F10, F9, or F12. Press or hold down this key as soon as the computer turns on.

From the boot menu that pops up, pick the bootable USB drive.

Once you're on the Windows Setup screen, click 'Next'.

On the next screen, click the 'Repair your computer' option.

This will take you to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). From there, you can follow the steps mentioned in the previous method to restore your PC.

How to Reset Windows 11 When it Won't Boot

If none of the troubleshooting methods, including System Restore, are effective, your only option remaining is to reset your PC. Here's how you can do that.

Enter the Windows Recovery Environment mode using the steps mentioned earlier. Once you're in recovery mode, click on the 'Troubleshoot' option.

On the Troubleshoot screen, select the 'Reset this PC' option.

Next, you'll be asked whether you want to keep your personal files or remove everything. Select 'Keep my files' to keep your files while removing apps and settings. Click 'Remove everything' to clean install Windows 11.

Next, decide how you want to install Windows on your computer: either through 'Cloud download' or 'Local reinstall'.

Finally, press the 'Reset' button to start the process.

Be patient while the process completes, as it might take a while, depending on your system performance.

That's it. We hope this post helps you return your system to a time when everything was running smoothly.