PC on the Fritz? How to Factory Reset a Windows Computer

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If your Windows machine is acting up, there are several options available before you do anything drastic. You can, for instance, run a diagnostic test to make sure the hard disk is healthy. If the problem came after a Windows update, there's a way to uninstall it and see if that fixes the problem.

Still, should none of these methods work, or you plan to get rid of the machine, it may be time to reset the PC to its factory settings. This process can wipe your files and current settings, depending on what options you choose, so make sure you back up your files first. Whether you're still running Windows 10 or have upgraded to Windows 11, the steps below are mostly the same.

Reset Windows 10

To reset your PC in Windows 10, click the Start menu and select the gear icon in the lower left to open up the Settings window. You can also select the Settings app from the app list. Under Settings, click Update & Security > Recovery, then select Get started under Reset this PC.

Reset Windows 11

In Windows 11, you have more than one way to reset the PC to its factory settings. You can open Settings > System > Recovery or Settings > Windows Updates > Advanced options > Recovery. Either way, click Reset PC next to the Reset this PC option.

Choose What to Erase

On either OS, you can choose Keep my files to remove only downloaded apps and settings. This will preserve your personal files and is recommended if you are trying to roll back an issue. If your drive is beyond saving or you plan to get rid of the computer, select Remove everything, which wipes the drive clean by removing downloaded apps, settings, and personal files.

Reinstall Options

Before you can hit the reset button, you must determine how to reinstall Windows. Choose Local reinstall if you prefer the more hands-on approach of installing Windows from local storage. For an an easier route, click Cloud download to pull files directly from Microsoft's servers. This option requires over 4GB of available storage space, but it is meant to be a faster and more reliable alternative to booting from a USB stick.

Customize Additional Settings

Once your selections have been made, there are a few extra settings you can customize, depending on what you picked. Click Change settings at the Additional settings screen to view your choices:

• If you chose Keep my files, apps and settings will default to what they were when the PC was brand new. You can change this by disabling Restore preinstalled apps.

• If you chose Remove everything, Windows will erase all your files. This is the quickest way to remove personal data, but it's less secure because those files can be recovered with the right software. If you plan to sell the machine, you'll want to enable Clean data to ensure your data is overwritten and not just removed. This will take longer, but it's worth the wait.

You already made the choice on how you wish to reinstall Windows, but you can change that answer from this menu. Enable or disable the Download Windows? option. By marking the choice as Yes, you will switch to a remote download of the operating system.

If you have multiple drives installed, there will also be an option to control if they should be wiped as well. Another option for deleting workplace resources may be present if certain configurations have been set up through your place of work. Check with your company's IT department before changing this.

Reset Your Computer

Once you make all your decisions, click Next, and Windows will generate a screen that summarizes what will happen when you go through with the reset. If you selected Keep my files, you can look at a list of apps that will be removed. When ready, click Reset to restart the PC and boot it back up again after some time.

If you are getting rid of the computer, your work is done. Otherwise, sign back into Windows and make sure what you opted to remove has been wiped from the machine. If you backed up your files using an online backup service or Recovery Drive, they can now be restored to the machine.