How-to guides · The creation steps, stated scope and ordering of recovery options published in Microsoft Support, Recovery Drive and Recovery options in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

The recovery drive to make on day one: what it holds, what it does not, and which USB stick to use

Of all the preparations you can make on the day a new PC arrives, the recovery drive is the one that costs a single USB stick. Three things about it are widely misunderstood: it holds none of your personal files, it belongs to the PC it was made on, and making one once does not cover you forever. All three are stated on Microsoft's own pages. This guide was written on 2026-09-21 from those two pages and sets out what to know before you start, the one checkbox that decides what you end up with, how this differs from Reset this PC, and what you will need alongside it on the day the machine refuses to start.

Published 2026-09-21 · Updated 2026-09-21 · FaultNote editorial policy

The recovery drive to make on day one: what it holds, what it does not, and which USB stick to use overview: 1. What a recovery drive does not contain (the biggest misunderstanding), 2. Which USB stick to buy, 3. The one checkbox not to clear, 4. Reset this PC exists, so why is this needed as well, 5. Two conditions that bite after it is made, 6. What this guide does not cover — An overview of this guide’s steps and checks, not a screenshot of the app.

Who this guide is for and what to prepare

Anyone with a new PC, looking for what to set up first
Anyone weighing whether a recovery drive is worth making when Reset this PC exists
Anyone holding a recovery drive made some years ago and wondering whether it is still good

What you need

Have one empty USB stick ready; its contents are erased during creation
Check whether drive encryption is on for this PC, and where the recovery key is
Arrange a separate backup for personal files. A recovery drive does not do that job

1. What a recovery drive does not contain (the biggest misunderstanding)

Microsoft describes the tool like this: The Recovery Drive utility in Windows is a valuable tool designed to back up essential system files needed to restore a PC to its original state. It is for returning a PC to its original state.

What lands on the media is spelled out too: The recovery media includes built-in Windows files, any updates installed at the time of media creation, and any customizations from the PC manufacturer.

So is what does not: it's important to note that the recovery media doesn't include your personal files. Therefore, you should use a different backup method, such as Windows Backup or File History, to back up your personal data separately.

A recovery drive is a tool for putting the machine back, not for getting your data back. You need both, and you have to arrange both separately.

2. Which USB stick to buy

This Microsoft page gives no capacity figure for the USB drive. What it gives is a condition: Use an empty USB drive because this process will erase any data that's already stored on the drive.

This guide therefore prints no capacity number. The source does not state one and nothing was tested here. The creation wizard lists the drives you have connected, and the condition it shows is the one to follow.

A figure does appear elsewhere, for a different thing. The companion page, Recovery options in Windows, says of installation media: Then use a USB drive (at least 8 GB) to create bootable installation media. That is installation media, not the recovery drive. Do not carry the number across.

That settles the shopping: one USB stick whose contents you are willing to lose. If you are reusing an old one, confirm first that nothing on it matters.

3. The one checkbox not to clear

The procedure itself is short. Microsoft's page says to search the Start menu for Recovery Drive and select it, or to run recoverydrive.exe.

There is exactly one branch after that: When the tool opens, make sure Back up system files to the recovery drive is selected and then select Next. That checkbox decides whether you end up with media that can reinstall Windows.

The rest is connecting the USB drive, selecting it, and selecting Create. The page warns that Many files need to be copied to the recovery media, so this might take a while, so it is not something to start as you are heading out.

The page also covers using the result later: start the device from the USB drive that was created, and once the Windows Recovery Environment loads, select Recover from a drive, then choose either Just remove my files or Fully clean the drive.

recoverydrive.exe

4. Reset this PC exists, so why is this needed as well

Microsoft's Recovery options in Windows splits the options into two situations: the PC starts, and the PC will not start. The recovery drive earns its keep in the second.

The options for a PC that will not start are listed as things you run from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), which presumes you can reach WinRE. A recovery drive is the way to start that environment from a USB stick instead, and the page puts it plainly: Reinstall Windows using a recovery drive : If you created a recovery drive when your PC was working, you can boot from it to reinstall Windows. The condition is in the sentence.

The table below arranges what the source lists against the situation you are in. The ordering follows the page's own.

There is a route for people who never made one: If you don't have a recovery drive, create installation media using another working PC and reinstall Windows from the USB drive. That route needs a second working PC, and it does not carry the manufacturer's customizations.

Scroll horizontally to see the full table →

4. Reset this PC exists, so why is this needed as well
Situation	Options the source lists	Is a recovery drive needed
The PC starts and Settings opens	Uninstall an update, point-in-time restore, Reset this PC, System Restore	Not in this situation
The PC will not start but WinRE is reachable	Point-in-time restore, uninstall updates, Reset this PC	Not needed, but a BitLocker recovery key is if BitLocker is on
It will not start and none of the above brings it back	Reinstall from recovery media or installation media	This is where it counts, if you made one
No recovery drive, and the PC will not start	Create installation media on another working PC and reinstall	You need a second PC instead

5. Two conditions that bite after it is made

The first is that the media is not a generic article. The page says This media can be used for bare metal recovery on the device it was created for. A second PC in the house needs its own, and replacing a PC means making a new one.

The second is that it ages. It's recommended to recreate the recovery media annually to include the latest Windows updates and improvements. If the stick in your desk drawer was made three years ago, that is the Windows it holds.

There is also something a recovery drive alone will not cover. Recovery options in Windows states: If BitLocker is enabled on your device, you'll need your BitLocker recovery key to access most recovery options from WinRE. Finding the recovery key is covered in a separate guide on this site.

The same page names three things to do in advance: enable Windows Backup, know your BitLocker recovery key, and create a recovery drive while the PC is working. The recovery drive is the third of three, not a preparation that stands on its own.

6. What this guide does not cover

No capacity figure for the USB drive. The source states none and nothing was tested here. Follow what the wizard shows.

No comparison with a manufacturer's own recovery media. This Microsoft page does not discuss it. Recovery options in Windows does suggest considering recovery media from your PC's manufacturer (OEM) for the best compatibility, noting that manufacturer images typically include hardware-specific drivers and factory apps.

No verdict on installation media versus a recovery drive. The source lists them as separate routes. This site covers creating installation media elsewhere, but not as a substitute for this.

No account of restoring from one. Nothing here was reproduced on a test machine.

Limitations and requirements

A recovery drive contains no personal files. Arrange a data backup separately.
Creation erases the USB stick. Use an empty one.
The media is described as usable for bare metal recovery on the device it was created for. Do not plan on using it for another PC.
Microsoft's page carries a note that recovery drives created and used on machines with the April 9, 2024 security update and the revocation policy applied may be impacted, and points to KB5025885. Read that note before relying on older media.
Everything quoted here was read on 2026-09-21.

Frequently asked questions

If I have a recovery drive, can I get deleted photos and files back?

No. Microsoft's page states that the recovery media does not include your personal files and directs you to a different backup method such as Windows Backup or File History.

What capacity USB stick should I buy?

The source gives no figure, so this guide gives none. Use an empty USB stick and follow the condition the creation wizard shows. The at least 8 GB figure on the companion page is about creating installation media.

Will one recovery drive cover the family's PCs?

No. The page describes the media as usable for bare metal recovery on the device it was created for. That means one per PC.

Is a recovery drive made three years ago still usable?

Microsoft recommends recreating the recovery media annually to include the latest Windows updates and improvements, and there is also the note about the April 9, 2024 security update and the revocation policy. Do not let old media be your only preparation.

Sources and verification date

Sources checked: 2026-09-21. These sources support the specifications, procedures or prices discussed here. Check each source for applicable conditions and current information.

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