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How to Run sfc /scannow on Windows 11

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Running System File Checker on Windows 11 takes a few minutes from an elevated terminal and can fix many crashes, blue screens, and update failures caused by corrupted system files.

Updated August 9, 2026 · PC Utility Hub Editorial Team

Before you start

Save your work and close unnecessary programs. Make sure the PC is plugged into power if it's a laptop, since the scan can take 10-20 minutes and should not be interrupted.

Steps

  1. 1Click Start, type Terminal, right-click Windows Terminal and select Run as administrator.
  2. 2In the terminal, switch to Command Prompt mode or just type the command directly (works in PowerShell too).
  3. 3Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
  4. 4Let the scan run to completion without closing the window.
  5. 5Review the message: no integrity violations, repairs made successfully, or could not fix all files.
  6. 6Restart Windows 11 to finalize any repairs.
sfc /scannow

If SFC can't fix everything

Run DISM to repair the underlying component store, then re-run SFC:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Checking the CBS log

Open sfcdetails.txt on the desktop to see exactly which files were scanned or repaired.

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > %userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt

If Windows 11 won't boot normally

Boot into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), open Command Prompt from Troubleshoot > Advanced options, identify your Windows drive letter (often not C: in WinRE), and run SFC with /offbootdir and /offwindir pointing at it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be an administrator?
Yes, sfc /scannow requires an elevated Command Prompt or Terminal window.
Can I use PowerShell instead of Command Prompt?
Yes, sfc /scannow works the same way in an elevated PowerShell window.
Should I run DISM before or after SFC?
Run SFC first; if it reports unfixable errors, run DISM /RestoreHealth and then SFC again.

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