[Solved] Turn On System Protection Greyed Out on Windows 11

Why can’t I turn on system protection?

System protection is a feature in Windows 11 that allows you to periodically create and save information about computer system files and settings. These restore points are snapshots of your system state at a particular point in time. You can use these restore points to restore your system to an earlier state if anything goes wrong.

When the system protection is turned off on Windows 11 and you want to turn it on to safeguard your system and personal data, you may find that the tab is greyed out. Why will this happen and how to fix it? In this tutorial, we will explain the reasons behind this error 'turn on system protection greyed out', and the possible fixes to solve this problem. Let’s check it together.

Why does turning on system protection greyed out windows 11?

There could be several reasons why you are not able to turn on system protection on Windows 11. Some of the most common reasons include:

▪ Group Policy Settings: If your PC is part of a domain network, then the Group Policy settings might be preventing you from turning on system protection.
▪ Insufficient Disk Space: If your system drive does not have enough free space, then you might not be able to turn on system protection, cause this tool requires sufficient disk space to save data.
▪ Disabled Volume Shadow Copy Service: The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is responsible for creating restore points. If this service is disabled, you won't be able to enable system protection.
▪ Corrupted System Files: If some system files are corrupt, then it might prevent you from turning on system protection.

After figuring out the potential reasons behind this problem, we will then fast forward to the specific solution.

Fixes to solve system protection greyed out on Windows 11

#1. Enable Volume Shadow Copy Service

The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) should be running to create restore points. To enable the service, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter.

3. Scroll down to "Volume Shadow Copy" and double-click on it.

4. Set the "Startup type" to "Automatic" and click on "Start" to start the service.

5. Click on "Apply" and "OK" to save the changes.

6. Try turning on system protection again.

#2. Run System File Checker

If some system files are corrupt, then it can cause this error. You can use the System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan and repair any corrupt system files. To run SFC, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + X keys and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

2. Type "sfc /scannow" and press Enter.

3. Wait for the scan to complete.

4. If any corrupt files are found, SFC will repair them automatically. Then you can try turning on system protection again.

#3. Clean Up Disk Space

Make sure that your system drive has enough free space to save the data that the system protection will create. If it doesn't, then free up some space if it is almost reaches 100 disk usage and try turning on system protection again.

Backup Windows 11 regularly to prevent data loss

The "turn on system protection greyed out on Windows 11" error can be frustrating, but it is not something that can't be fixed. By following the possible fixes mentioned in this tutorial, you should be able to solve this error and enable system protection to create restore points.

Even if you have solved this issue, there are still chances of data loss due to other reasons like hardware failure or malware attacks. Therefore, it is always a good idea to backup your data regularly to avoid any such issues. The free backup software AOMEI Backupper Standard can be recommended as your best choice to protect your personal data.

✍ It is designed for Windows OS particularly, and offers you many flexible options to create image backups to help you safeguard operating system as well as other important files automatically in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc. It offers System Backup to create system image and allows you to back up on a regular basis like daily, weekly, or monthly. The incremental backup and differential backup option enables you to back up only changed files and therefore save disk space on the destination path.

Download and install this free backup tool on your PC and then follow the on screen instructions to create Windows 11 backup with a few steps.

🌟 There are many other advanced features you can use to customize your backup task:

Options: Enable email notification, choose the compression level for a backup and split image files, etc.
Schedule Backup: Set backup tasks to run automatically at the frequency of daily, weekly, or monthly, event triggers, USB plug in as you need.
Backup Scheme: Delete old backups and keep the latest versions of the backup image file, which enables you to manage disk space. (Upgrade to AOMEI Backupper Professional to enjoy it.)

Summary

If you have trouble fixing turn on system protection greyed out on Windows 11, you can follow the fixes provided in this article to solve it with ease. To avoid important data loss due to similar system failures, it is recommended that you backup Windows 11 using the best free backup and restore software AOMEI Backupper, so that you can restore to a normal state in the event of a disaster.

Besides the backup feature, AOMEI Backupper also offers you many other powerful features such as Create Bootable Media. You can use it to burn Windows Server 2019 ISO to USB, then use it to troubleshoot your PC, restore system to new hard drive, upgrade the OS, etc.