---
title: "Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore"
description: "Starts restore of Microsoft Windows guest OS files and folders to the original or new location. Product Edition: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet provides the following parameter sets: This cmdlet starts to r"
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/start-vbrwindowsguestitemrestore.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Data Recovery > Guest OS File Recovery > Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore

## Short Description
Starts restore of Microsoft Windows guest OS files and folders to the original or new location.

**Product Edition**: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

## Syntax

This cmdlet provides the following parameter sets:

<ul class="syntax-sets">
  <li>
    <p><code>Path (Default)</code></p>

```
Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore -Path <String[]> [-Session <CRestoreSession>] [-FileRestore <FileRestore>]
 -RestorePolicy <VBRWindowsGuestItemRestorePolicy> [-GuestCredentials <CCredentials>] [-TargetViVm <CViVmItem>]
 [-TargetVcdVm <CVcdVmItem>] [-TargetHvVm <CHvVmItem>] [-TargetAgentMachine <VBRDiscoveredComputer>]
 [-TargetDirectory <String>] [-PermissionsOnly] [-ChangedItemsOnly] [-RunAsync]
 [-ForceArchivedSnapshotsRestore] [<CommonParameters>]
```
  </li>
  <li>
    <p><code>Object</code></p>

```
Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore -Item <VBRFLRFsItem[]> [-Session <CRestoreSession>]
 [-FileRestore <FileRestore>] -RestorePolicy <VBRWindowsGuestItemRestorePolicy>
 [-GuestCredentials <CCredentials>] [-TargetViVm <CViVmItem>] [-TargetVcdVm <CVcdVmItem>]
 [-TargetHvVm <CHvVmItem>] [-TargetAgentMachine <VBRDiscoveredComputer>] [-TargetDirectory <String>]
 [-PermissionsOnly] [-ChangedItemsOnly] [-RunAsync] [-ForceArchivedSnapshotsRestore] [<CommonParameters>]
```
  </li>
</ul>

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet starts to restore Microsoft Windows guest OS files and folders to the original or new location.

::: note

To restore guest OS files, you need to start the restore session by running the [`Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore`](start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md) cmdlet.

:::

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">ChangedItemsOnly</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines whether to restore changed files and folders only. Before restoring changes, you must launch <a href="compare-vbrwindowsguestitemsattributes.md"><code>Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes</code></a> for files and folders that youplan to restore.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: This functionality is included in the Veeam Universal License. When using a legacy socket-based license, the Enterprise or Enterprise Plus editions of Veeam Backup & Replication are required.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">FileRestore</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a session of Microsoft Windows guest OS file restore. The cmdlet will use this session to restore guest OS files.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: The restore session must be started within the current PowerShell session.</p><p>This parameter is required if the <code>Session</code> parameter is not specified.</p><p>Accepts the <code>FileRestore</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md"><code>Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>FileRestore</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">ForceArchivedSnapshotsRestore</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines that the cmdlet will use archive snapshots for restore without showing warnings in the PowerShell console.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">GuestCredentials</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies credentials for the target machine.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: If you do not specify credentials, the cmdlet will try to use the credentials from the current PowerShell session.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CCredentials</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrcredentials.md"><code>Get-VBRCredentials</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CCredentials</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Item</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies an array of files and folders that you want to restore. The cmdlet will restore these files and folders.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRFLRFsItem</code>[] object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md"><code>Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRFLRFsItem[]</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Path</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies an array of file paths to files and folders that you want to restore.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: The parameter does not accept the mount server path.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String[]</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">PermissionsOnly</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines whether to restore only permissions of files and folders.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: This functionality is included in the Veeam Universal License. When using a legacy socket-based license, the Enterprise or Enterprise Plus editions of Veeam Backup & Replication are required.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">RestorePolicy</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the file restore policy:</p><ul><li><code>Keep</code>: Use this option if you want to restore the files with the <em>_restored</em> postfix next to the original file.</li><li><code>Overwrite</code>: Use this option if you want to replace the original files with the restored files.</li></ul>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRWindowsGuestItemRestorePolicy</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">RunAsync</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines that the command returns immediately without waiting for the task to complete.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Session</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a session of Microsoft Windows guest OS file restore. The cmdlet will use this session to restore guest OS files.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: The restore session must be started within the current PowerShell session.</p><p>This parameter is required if the <code>FileRestore</code> parameter is not specified.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CRestoreSession</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrrestoresession.md"><code>Get-VBRRestoreSession</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CRestoreSession</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetAgentMachine</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For performing restore to a Veeam Agent computer.</p><p>Specifies the target computer to which the cmdlet will restore guest OS files.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRDiscoveredComputer</code> object. To get this object, run the <a href="get-vbrdiscoveredcomputer.md"><code>Get-VBRDiscoveredComputer</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrdiscoveredcomputer.md"><code>VBRDiscoveredComputer</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetDirectory</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the path to a folder on the target VM to which you want to restore files.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetHvVm</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restoring files and folders from a backup of a Microsoft Hyper-V VM.</p><p>Specifies a Microsoft Hyper-V VM (target VM) to which you want to restore files and folders.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CHvVmItem</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="find-vbrhventity.md"><code>Find-VBRHvEntity</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CHvVmItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetVcdVm</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restoring files and folders from a backup of a VMware Cloud Director VM.</p><p>Specifies a VMware Cloud Director VM (target VM) to which you want to restore files and folders.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CVcdVmItem</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="find-vbrvcloudentity.md"><code>Find-VBRvCloudEntity</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CVcdVmItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetViVm</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restoring files and folders from a backup of a VMware vSphere VM.</p><p>Specifies a VMware vSphere VM (target VM) to which you want to restore files and folders.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CViVmItem</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="find-vbrvientity.md"><code>Find-VBRViEntity</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CViVmItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see [ Microsoft Docs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7).

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1. Restoring Windows Guest OS File to Original Windows Machine

This example shows how to restore the `January.xlsx` file by specifying the `C:\Projects\2020\January.xlsx` file path. The cmdlet will restore the file to the original `WinSrv25` Windows machine.

```
$session = Get-VBRRestoreSession -Name "Winserver_restore"
Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore -Path "C:\Projects\2020\January.xlsx" -Session $session[0] -RestorePolicy Overwrite
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRRestoreSession`](get-vbrrestoresession.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$session` variable.
2. Run the `Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore` cmdlet. Specify the following settings:

   - Specify the `Path` parameter value.
   - Set the `$session[0]` variable as the `Session` parameter value.

     The `Get-VBRRestoreSession` cmdlet will return an array of active restore sessions. Mind the ordinal number of the necessary restore session (in our example, it is the first restore session in the array).

   - Set the `Overwrite` option for the `RestorePolicy` parameter.

:::

::: example
### Example 2. Restoring Windows Guest OS File to Another Server

This example shows how to restore the `January.xlsx` file to the `winsrv27` VM.

```
$vm = Find-VBRViEntity -Name "winsrv27" -DatastoresAndVMs
$creds = Get-VBRCredentials -Name *Administrator*
$session = Get-VBRRestoreSession
Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore -Path "C:\New Text Document.txt" -Session $session[0] -RestorePolicy Keep -GuestCredentials $creds -TargetViVm $vm -TargetDirectory "C:\"
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Find-VBRViEntity`](find-vbrvientity.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Provide the `DatastoresAndVMs` parameter. Save the result to the `$vm` variable.
2. Run the [`Get-VBRCredentials`](get-vbrcredentials.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$creds` variable.
3. Run the [`Get-VBRRestoreSession`](get-vbrrestoresession.md) cmdlet. Save the result to the `$session` variable.
4. Run the `Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore` cmdlet. Specify the following settings:

   - Specify the `Path` parameter value.
   - Set the `$session[0]` variable as the `Session` parameter value.

     The `Get-VBRRestoreSession` cmdlet will return an array of active restore sessions. Mind the ordinal number of the necessary restore session (in our example, it is the first restore session in the array).

   - Set the `Keep` option for the `RestorePolicy` parameter.
   - Set the `$creds` variable as the `GuestCredentials` parameter value.
   - Set the `$vm` variable as the `TargetViVm` parameter value.
   - Specify the `TargetDirectory` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

- [`Get-VBRBackup`](get-vbrbackup.md)
- [`Get-VBRRestorePoint`](get-vbrrestorepoint.md)
- [`Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore`](start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md)
- [`Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem`](get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md)