
There are different ways to open the tool, but the easiest way is by typing “Reset this PC” on your Windows search bar.Īnother way to open the ‘Recovery’ tool is by opening it from your Settings. How to factory reset Windows 10 Step 1: Open the ‘Recovery’ toolĮssentially, you will need to open the ‘Recovery’ tool to perform the factory reset. You can back up your files either by using an external drive or using a cloud storage service. Make sure that you have a copy of your important data and files before performing factory reset. Let’s dive in! First of all, don’t forget to back up your filesĬreating a backup of your files is an important but often overlooked step. Whether you need to do a factory reset for the first or the latter reason, we’ve got you covered. The second scenario is, you need to delete all your information and personal files on your computer because you are upgrading to a new one. In this case, a factory reset is the last resort you want to take before upgrading to a new machine. The first and most common scenario is your computer runs slow, acting abnormally, or keeps giving you strange error messages. This allows us to invoke the same Reset operation as from the Windows Repair menu.There are at least two scenarios on why you need to factory reset Windows 10. One of the easiest ways to reset your PC without a password is by issuing the Restart command while pressing the SHIFT key. However, what if you forgot your password? You can easily reset your PC to a default state using the Settings app when you are able to log on to Windows 10 or 11.


Note: The data erasure functionality targets consumers and does not meet government and industry data erasure standards. It can take some time (Microsoft mentions up to a couple of hours), but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed. If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option. Data erasure > On removes files and cleans the drive.Remove everything > Change settings gives you two options: Removes personal files after Windows 11 reinstallĪpps installed by the PC manufacturer are removed
