How to factory reset a Windows 10 computer

Created by Karen Pearl Enrique, Modified on Mon, 9 Jan, 2023 at 12:35 PM by Karen Pearl Enrique

Important:

If you’ve encrypted your device, you’ll need your BitLocker key to reset your PC. If you don’t know your BitLocker key, see Find my BitLocker recovery key.
During the resetting process, it is possible that your screen may go black for a long period of time (occasionally upwards of 15 minutes) and that your device may attempt to restart itself during this period. Manually attempting to restart the device yourself during this process could cause the reset to fail. Please be patient!

Resetting reinstalls Windows 10, but lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove them, and then reinstalls Windows. You can reset your PC from Settings, the sign-in screen, or by using a recovery drive or installation media.

Reset your PC from Settings

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Recovery .
Under Reset this PC, select Get started and then choose from the options and/or settings in the table below.

Option	What it does
Keep my files > Change settings > Preinstalled apps On	Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files. Removes apps you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Restores any apps your PC manufacturer installed.
Keep my files > Change settings > Preinstalled apps Off	Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files. Removes apps you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed.
Remove everything	Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes your personal files. Removes apps you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. Note: Remove everything > Change settings gives you two options. Data erasure On removes files and cleans the drive. If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed. Data erasure Off just removes files. It takes less time, but is less secure.

Reset your PC from the sign-in screen

If you can't open Settings, you can reset your PC from the sign-in screen. Here’s how:

Press Windows logo key + L to get to the sign-in screen, and then restart your PC by pressing the Shift key while you select the Power button > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Your PC will restart in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment.
On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC, and then choose one of the options in the previous table.

Choose an option screen in the Windows Recovery Environment.

Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/recovery-options-in-windows-31ce2444-7de3-818c-d626-e3b5a3024da5#bkmk_reset_pc