By far, Windows 10 is probably the best version of Windows that Microsoft has released till date. It provides good performance, has tons of features and brings a stable experience. However, at times the old remnants of Windows issues keep coming up and that becomes frustrating for the users. Some of the common issues are frequent freezing, abrupt reboots, and performance deterioration over time. If you are facing such issues, you can reset Windows 10 to declutter your PC from useless files and services. In this article, I have shared multiple ways to reset Windows 10 without losing personal files. So without wasting time, let’s begin with the guide.
There are multiple methods which you can use to reset Windows 10 PCs. That is why, we have divided this article into two prominent sections. The first section deals with the methods that will work on functional PCs while the second deals with PCs which are not turning on. So, you can easily skip to the section which pertains to your current problems.
Here, we will learn how to reset Windows 10 on functional PCs. The process is quite easy and straightforward. You can either reset your PC to the factory default settings or the latest version of Windows 10. I have discussed both the methods at length so choose whichever you find convenient. Now having said that, let’s begin with the easiest method.
We can easily reset Windows 10 PCs from the dedicated Windows Settings. It resets the PC to the factory default settings. Note that resetting your PC will bring back Windows 7 on your device if that was the original Windows version that your device came with and you upgraded to Windows 10 online. However, if you have deleted the recovery partition or re-installed Windows 10 from a USB drive then it will reset your PC to the current Windows 10 version. Now having cleared the confusion, let’s begin with the guide.
Note: While “Keep my files” option doesn’t delete your files, it is still recommended to back up your important files before resetting the PC. Sometimes Windows features don’t work as intended and we don’t want you to land in a soup.
If the above method is not working for you, you can reset Windows 10 from Advanced Startup as well. To begin, press the “Windows” key and open the Power menu. Now, press and hold the “shift” key and click on “Restart”. Your computer will boot into the Advanced Startup screen.
You will be prompted with two options: “Keep my files” and “Remove everything”. I have discussed both the options in the above section from step 3. So go through those points and decide accordingly. Finally, your PC will be reset without any issues.
Well, Microsoft has provided one more way to reset Windows 10. You can use the inbuilt antivirus, Windows Security to reset the PC. If you are wondering what is the difference between “Reset this PC” and Windows Security method then let me explain. With Windows Security, your PC will reset to the latest version of Windows 10. And “Reset this PC” option will reset to the factory default settings. So if you want to reset your PC and remain on Windows 10, follow this method.
- Press the “Windows” key once and type “Windows Security”. Now, open it.
If the above methods are not working then you can use the latest Windows 10 ISO file to reset your PC. This method also resets the PC to the latest Windows 10 version. Here is how you can do it.
- Now, you will be offered three options: “Keep personal files and app”, “Keep personal files only” and “Nothing”. The first option keeps all your files, apps and installs the latest version of Windows 10 without touching files or other drives. The second option installs the latest Windows 10 removing all the installed programs, but keeping all your files intact. And the third option that is “Nothing”, completely resets Windows 10 and installs the latest version of Windows 10. Choose your preferred option and click on the “Next” button.
In this section, we will learn how to reset Windows 10 if your PC is not working at all. I have mentioned two easy methods to help you reset Windows 10 on non-functioning PCs. So without further ado, let’s go through the steps.
1. Reset Windows 10 from Windows Advanced Recovery
If your PC is booting up, but crashing midway then this method can help you reset Windows 10 to the original state. We will be using Windows Advanced Recovery to achieve this task. If you are using a PC which came with Windows pre-installed, chances are it has a separate Windows recovery drive. The recovery drive can help us access Windows Advanced Recovery and from there we can reset Windows 10 easily. Here is how you can do it.
If your PC is not booting properly due to recent Windows update or some rogue programs, you can choose to restore the device instead of completely resetting it. It will remove all the recently updated files and will save you from a lot hassle.
If your PC is not even booting or straight up showing a blank screen then you will have to use an installation media to reset Windows 10. You will need a Windows 10 installation disc or a bootable thumb drive. If you have no idea how to create a bootable USB, head over to this tutorial. Now let’s begin with the steps.
- Finally, it will open Windows Advanced Recovery. Here, click on “Troubleshoot”.
