How To Restore A Windows Computer Back To Factory Settings

How to reset your Windows 10 laptop: Format your PC

Windows 10 is prone to all sorts of problems, from the sudden disappearance of files to problems with installing updates. If your computer isn't running the way it should, giving you strange errors or performing slowly, and then it'southward probably time for a reset.

You might also want to reset your Windows 10 laptop if you're upgrading to a new device and want to sell your old one. Of course, yous don't want to requite a laptop filled with sensitive data and personal documents to a stranger. So earlier you lot commutation cash for tech, be certain to reformat your Windows ten laptop.

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Reformatting your PC or restoring to an before state can clean out whatsoever pesky background programs and wipe your estimator's difficult drive of any unneeded files. The operating system provides a number of options that allow you lot reset your Windows 10 figurer to an before country.

Hither'due south how to reset your PC in Windows ten using the settings menu. If you lot tin't access Settings, whorl down to our instructions on formatting Windows x from the sign-in screen.

How to reset your Windows 10 PC

1. Navigate to Settings. You tin go there past clicking the gear icon on the Start carte du jour.

Select Settings — (Epitome credit: Future)

2. Select Update & Security

three. Click Recovery in the left pane.

Update & Security — (Paradigm credit: Future)

4. Windows presents you with three main options: Reset this PC; Get dorsum to an earlier version of Windows 10; and Advanced startup. Reset this PC is the best choice for starting fresh.

Avant-garde startup lets you lot boot off a recovery USB drive or disc, while Become back to an earlier version of Windows is made for nostalgia-chasers who want to coil dorsum their arrangement to a previous version of the Bone. (This pick is just available if the older Bone was previously upgraded to Windows 10.)

Recovery options — (Image credit: Hereafter)

v. Click Get started nether Reset this PC.

6. Click either Continue my files or Remove everything, depending on whether you want to keep your data files intact. If not, Remove everything will do as it says: delete all of your files, photos and programs. Either style, all of your settings will return to their defaults and apps will be uninstalled.

Cleaning the drive takes a lot longer but will brand sure that, if y'all're giving the computer abroad, the side by side person tin't recover your erased files. If you're keeping the estimator, choose Keep my files.

Keep your files or remove everything — (Epitome credit: Futurity)

7. Regardless of your choice above, the next pace is to decide whether to install Windows via the cloud or locally (from your device).

Select Cloud download or Local reinstall — (Image credit: Future)

viii. Click Side by side if Windows warns you that y'all won't be able to roll back to a prior version of the Bone.

9. Click Reset when prompted. Windows will then restart and have several minutes to reset itself.

If your laptop is acting up, and you tin't access the settings menu, you can try resetting your PC from the sign-in screen.

Press the Windows logo key and L on your keyboard. This will take you to the Windows 10 sign-in screen. Don't log in.
Instead, yous can reset your PC by holding the Shift key while you click the Power button > Restart in the lower-correct corner of the screen.
Your PC volition restart in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environs.
From the option screen, choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. From here, choose between the options listed above.

Y'all should (hopefully) accept fewer hiccups at present that you know how to reset your Windows 10 PC. And if you're planning on selling or giving your laptop away, yous tin can practice it with peace in listen that the next owner won't have access to your files.

Windows ten Quick Fixes

Repair Windows 10
Remove the Lock Screen
Disable or Enable Grayscale Style
Set Compatibility Mode for Apps
Admission the BIOS on a Windows ten PC
Cease Windows Update from Automatically Restarting Your PC
Turn Off App Notifications
Ready a Irksome-Opening Windows Downloads Folder
Disable Personalized Ads on Microsoft Sites and Apps
Stop Skype's Annoying Automobile Updates
Prepare a 'Boot Configuration Information File is Missing' Error
Clear the Run Control's History
Disable Cortana
Uninstall and Restore Born Apps
Restore a Missing Battery Icon
Fix a Kicking Configuration File Mistake
Go to the Advanced Startup Options Menu
Delete a Locked File
Restart without Rebooting
Coil Back Windows 10 to an Before Version
Disable Automatic Driver Downloads
Disable Internet Explorer
Pause Windows Updates for Up to 35 Days
Utilize Battery Saver
Downgrade to Windows 10 S
Save Netflix Videos for Offline Viewing
All Windows 10 Tips
Worst Windows 10 Annoyances
Disable Password Prompt on Wake

The official Geeks Geek, as his weekly cavalcade is titled, Avram Piltch has guided the editorial and production of Laptopmag.com since 2007. With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram programmed several of LAPTOP's real-earth benchmarks, including the LAPTOP Battery Test. He holds a master's degree in English from NYU.