How to Do a Factory Reset on Your Windows 11 PC [Step-by-Step Guide]
If your Windows 11 PC has been experiencing some issues or you have been using the exact same settings on it for quite some time now, a factory reset might be necessary.
Resetting your Windows 11 PC is a process that will delete all your settings so you can start all over again with a clean slate.
But before you proceed with this process, don’t forget to back up all your important files and data if other problems occur. This quick guide will show you how to do a factory reset on your Windows 11 PC.
Steps to Factory Reset a Windows 11 Computer
When it is time to reset your Windows 11 computer, you can choose from different options to either delete your personal data files for good or keep them. However, you need to remember that when doing this procedure, you cannot prevent all of your settings and apps from being erased completely.
Once you are finally ready, just follow the steps below to start the factory reset process:
- Press the Windows + I keys on the keyboard at the same time to launch the Settings app.
- Choose System located at the left sidebar under the Settings app.
- Click on Recovery under System.
- Click Reset PC located right next to Reset This PC under the Recovery menu at the lower part of the window.
- After clicking on the Reset This PC option, another window will pop up and you need to choose one from the two options. The first option is Keep My Files, which is the option that will delete all of your settings and apps but will keep your personal data files. The second option is Remove Everything, an option that will delete not only your settings and apps but also your personal data files.
- Another window will pop up and show the message “How Would You Like to Reinstall Windows”. From there, you can choose either of the two options. The first one is Cloud download. Once you click on this option, the new system files will get downloaded from Microsoft which can then be used for reinstalling Windows 11 on your computer. The second option is Local Reinstall. If you click on this choice, Windows will then try using your PC’s preinstalled system files and install Windows 11 again.
- Follow all the instructions that prompt on the screen to finish the process of resetting Windows 11 on your PC.
- After your computer has been completely reset, you are now ready to set it up and use it again from scratch.
These are the steps you need to follow to factory reset your Windows 11 PC. A reset to its factory settings might just be the best option for your computer and the major issues that the new operating system has encountered.
The good news is that most of the time, a factory reset can be done without losing valuable data and files from your PC.
