Surface Recovery Image: How to Download, Create, and Use One?

User scenario: Need a Surface recovery image

Hello, I created a recovery image using Microsoft, but it won't restore properly. When I turned off Secure Boot and unzipped the files, there were no errors at first, but upon restarting, the system asked me for a BitLocker recovery key to proceed with booting. Then, I tried doing a full factory surface recovery image and went through all the steps. However, at the end, an error message appeared saying, 'An error occurred while attempting to reset your system.'

So, how do I download a system recovery image disc for a full factory reset?

Overview of Surface Reconstructions

The Surface Recovery Image is a file provided by Microsoft to perform a clean install or restore Windows to its factory state on a computer. It's made for Microsoft Surface devices, such as the Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, and Surface Book. It's stored on a dedicated partition that you can use to recover (roll back to a previous state) or reset (restore to factory settings) your computer. Here are some common situations when we might use the Surface Recovery Image:

• System corruption: If your operating system becomes compromised due to malware, damaged files, or software conflicts, you can revert to a previous state or perform a clean sweep with the recovery image.
• Cleaning before sale/purchase: If your Surface device is being sold or returned to an organization, a recovery image will wipe all data.
• Critical system failure recovery: In case of severe system failures, such as blue screen errors, inability to boot, or issues affecting device functionality, the image helps you reinstall the operating system and critical drivers.
• Upgrade or replacement: When upgrading or replacing the hard drive, you'll need to reinstall Windows, drivers, and firmware, for which a recovery image can be used.

So, if you want to create a Surface recovery image but don't know how to make one for your Surface device, learn below how to download or create a Surface recovery image using the Todo Backup tool.

[Download] Surface Recovery Image to USB from Microsoft

Surface devices come with recovery information installed, and you can use it to reset your device to factory settings. If that doesn't work, you'll need to download a Surface recovery image to a USB flash drive.

USB Flash Drive Requirements:

• 1️⃣ For most Surface models: The USB flash drive needs to have at least 16 GB of free space. • 2️⃣ For Surface RT and Surface 2 models: The USB drive should have a minimum of 8 GB of free space.

Please make sure to format the USB drive to FAT32. You can use Windows Disk Management or the Diskpart tool to format the USB, but they work only for USBs under 32 GB. For larger capacities, you'll need to rely on third-party tools.

Please let me know how to download a Surface recovery image.

Step 1: Go to the Microsoft Surface Recovery Image download page.

<Step 2> Locate the “Select your Surface driver” section, choose your , enter your , and then click <Continue>.

Step 3: Click the “Download recovery image” link, and choose where on your device to save the recovery_rd.IMG archive file.

4. Extract the files, and continue with the next section to create a bootable recovery image on a USB drive.

?Related Reading: Surface Pro Stuck on Windows Logo | Surface Boot Loop

### Create a Bootable Recovery USB Drive with Todo Backup

If you don't want to download the Surface recovery files, there's another option available that can help you restore the OS when the device won't boot, and that is by creating an emergency recovery disk.

Todo Backup is a professional backup tool that allows you to create a recovery drive using a USB disk in just three steps. With its WinPE feature, you can create a bootable disk to quickly restore or reset your Surface system. The tool offers advanced backup and cloning options to protect your data and system at all times.

Key features of Todo Backup include:

After downloading the software, you can follow this guide to easily create a Surface recovery image on a USB flash drive with Todo Backup. Make sure you have access to another computer or laptop running the same operating system in case your device won't boot during this process.

Step 1: Grab a USB drive that you can both read and write to.

Step 2. Run and install Todo Backup on computer B.

Step 3: Click on Tools, then choose Create a recovery drive.

Step 4. Choose the location to boot from. You can create an ISO file, a bootable USB, or a CD/DVD.

Step 5: Click "Create" to get started.

If this article was helpful for downloading and creating the Surface recovery image effectively, don't forget to share it:

[[Using] Use a recovery USB drive to restore Surface]

With the Recovery Image created on the USB drive, we will now see how to restore the Surface to its Reset/Recovery state. Proceed with the following steps.

First, turn off your Surface, and then insert the USB flash drive into the device.

Step 2: Press and hold the Power button and the Volume Down button at the same time.

<Step 3> Release the <b>Volume down</b> button when you see the <b>Microsoft</b> logo.

Step 4. Select your language and keyboard layout from the options.

5. Next, navigate to **Choose an option > Troubleshoot > Recover from a drive**. If prompted for a recovery key, click **Skip this drive** at the bottom.

Select the "Recover from Disk" option

Step 6. Choose either Remove my files only or Remove everything, as needed. The first option refreshes your PC, while the second recycles your entire Surface device.

Select your recovery options:

Step 7 Click Restore to restart your Surface and complete the reset process.

?You might also be interested in: 6 Fixes for Can't Create Recovery Drive in Windows 10 | eMachines Recovery Disk

wrap-up work

Now that you know how to download an Surface recovery image, create it on a USB, and restore it to your Surface device, take a careful look so you can do it all safely and in one go. To create an emergency USB drive using a Surface recovery image, download the Todo Backup tool. With a simple yet sophisticated program, you can create a Surface recovery image in just three steps.

If this tutorial helped you effectively download and create the Surface recovery image, don't forget to share the article:

Frequently asked questions about Surface recovery images

How do I reset my Surface?

To reset your Surface, go to PC Settings > Update and recovery > Recovery. Under Remove everything and reinstall Windows, click Get started. You can choose to just remove your files or do a full drive clean, and then proceed with the reset.

2. How do I recover Surface RT from USB?

• Shut down your PC, then plug it in.
• Insert the USB drive.
• Press and hold the Volume Down button, and then press and release the Power button. Release the Volume Down button when you see the Surface logo.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to recover from the USB drive as needed.

How do I convert a Windows image to a bootable USB?

1. Download the Windows ISO file. 2. Download and install Rufus, then insert a USB drive into your computer. 3. In Rufus, select the USB device and choose to set the bootable option from the Windows ISO. 4. Use Rufus to burn the ISO file onto the USB flash drive.