How to factory reset Windows 10 or 11

Factory resetting a PC is a drastic step, but it can solve lingering problems or prepare your computer for sale. 

By following the steps in this article, you can safely and easily factory reset a laptop or desktop PC that’s running Windows 10.

A factory reset is a step-by-step process you can go through to restore your PC to its original state. In other words, when performed successfully, a factory reset will return your PC to the same state it was in when you first bought it. 

That means you'll lose all your programs, apps, files, and settings, and gain back any of the manufacturer's programs and files that you've chosen to remove. 

Both Windows 10 and 11 offer the option to reset while keeping personal files and settings, but for a true ”clean slate,” you'll want to remove everything.

Before factory resetting your PC, make sure you: 

• Back up any files you want to keep – documents, photos, music, and videos
• You can copy these to an external storage drive, a cloud storage service, or a USB flash drive
• Go through your installed programs and make a note of those you'll want to reinstall
• You should also export your browser bookmarks and screenshot any settings you have made ”just right” to refer to later
• Uninstall any unwanted programs and apps to  free up space on your storage drive and make sure the reset process goes more quickly
• Double-check you know your Window's product key, either by looking on the sticker on the bottom of your PC, or in Windows activation settings:
  • Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation (Windows 10)
  • Start > System > Activation (Windows 11)
  • Or if you need to find your product key another way

There are two ways to factory reset Windows 10: 

• Using the Settings app
• Using the BIOS

This is the easiest way to factory reset a Windows 10 PC: 

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings
2. In the Settings app, click on Update & Security
3. In the left pane, click on Recovery
4. Under Reset this PC, click on Get Started
5. For a full factory reset, select Remove Everything and click on Next
6. Click on Reset to begin the factory reset process
   

This method is more complicated, but it can be useful if you're having issues resetting a PC using the Settings app. To factory reset a PC using the BIOS: 

1. Restart your PC
2. When you see the BIOS splash screen, start pressing the F2 or Delete key repeatedly to go to the BIOS settings
3. In the BIOS, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Boot menu
4. Select the Reset to Defaults option and press Enter
5. Your PC will now restart and begin the factory reset process
   

The process is the same for resetting a PC with Windows 10, but you'll need to look in a slightly different area of your system:

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings
2. In the Settings app, click on System
3. In the right pane, click on Recovery
4. Choose Reset PC
5. For a full factory reset, you'll want to remove everything (you'll be given the option of restoring any pre-installed apps, if your computer came with any)
6. Click on Reset to begin the factory reset process
   

You can follow the same steps as resetting a PC running Windows 10, as above. 

Check out more Crucial solutions articles to answer any of your other tech questions.