Here's my essential Windows 11 update safety checklist, along with instructions on how to recover your PC if anything goes wrong.

The Shadow Copy feature in Windows 11 lets you backup different versions of your files so you can recover them in case of an accident.

To apply a restore point, select Open System Restore. Restore points older than 60 days are not available. This 60-day limit will also apply to future versions of Windows 11, version 24H2.

If your PC is operating perfectly right now, great! But getting ahead of any future PC fiascos with a recovery drive may save you from a major tech-induced headache later.

Windows 11 purported to save restore points for about 90 days, but in reality, their lifespan varied.