Alex Ruben
How To Reset Your Windows 11 or 10 System
Resetting a Windows PC is kinda weird — it’s like hitting a refresh button but with more options and potential headaches. Maybe your system is running super slow, crashing, or just acting weird. Sometimes, a reset is the best way to fix that, especially if you’ve tried everything else. The thing is, it can be a bit nerve-wracking to decide whether to keep your files or wipe everything, and there are multiple ways to do it. So, this guide walks through the main methods—aiming to help you make that choice and get your machine back to a decent state without losing your mind.
How to Reset Windows 10 and 11
Access the Settings Menu
This is step one because, well, that’s where the magic begins. Head over to the Settings — it’s that gear icon in your Start menu. If your Windows decided to freeze or you can’t click around normally, you can try pressing Windows key + I to open Settings faster.
Navigate to the Recovery Options
Once in Settings, go to Update & Security. On Windows 11, it’s still pretty much the same. Inside there, click on Recovery. If you don’t see it, use the search box at the top of Settings and type “recovery”. Sometimes Windows hides stuff, but searching usually finds it faster.
Initiate the Reset Process
Scroll down or find the section labeled Reset this PC and click on it. This is the main button where everything can go off the rails, so be cautious. Basically, this is where Windows asks if you want to keep your files or wipe them all. On some machines, this step kinda stalls or throws errors. Restarting and trying again sometimes helps, but don’t get too frustrated if the first attempt isn’t smooth.
Pick Your Reset Option
Here’s the tricky part — you need to choose between Keep my files or Remove everything. The former keeps your personal stuff but strips out apps and settings, which is good enough if you’re troubleshooting. The latter completely wipes your drive, so only pick this if you really want a clean slate. Remember, if you haven’t backed up your data, now’s the time. Spoiler: Windows doesn’t always warn you enough about what’s about to go bye-bye.
Select How to Reinstall Windows
Next, you get to choose how to reinstall — Cloud Download or Local Reinstall. Cloud download fetches a fresh copy of Windows from Microsoft’s servers — good for a fresh start, but expect to use around 4 GB of data and maybe wait longer. Local reinstall uses your existing Windows files — faster, but if those files are corrupted, you might end up having to do it all over anyway. For most setups, local reinstall is enough, but if your system’s really messed up, cloud might do a better job.
Start the Reset and Wait
Double-check all your choices, then, to actually kick things off, hit Reset. Make sure your PC is plugged into power — this isn’t the time to get a surprise shutdown. Your computer will restart and then go through the reset dance. It’s normal for this to take a while—I’ve seen it crawl to completion in 20 minutes or stretch out for over an hour. Patience is key, or at least a decent playlist.
Set Up After Reset
Once done, your PC will boot up like it’s fresh out of the box. If you kept your files, you’ll just need to log back in. If you wiped everything, you’ll need to go through Windows setup—username, password, that sort of thing. Sometimes, a reset actually fixes stuff that was beyond repair — or at least makes it more manageable. On some setups, it looks like everything’s fine, then Windows just acts up again after a couple of hours, so don’t get too comfortable.
Extra Tips & Common Headaches
Heads up—make sure to back up your important files before starting if you’re planning to wipe everything. It’s annoying to realize later you forgot something crucial. If the reset fails or throws errors, try booting into recovery mode via Windows Advanced Startup (hold Shift + Restart and go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC). Sometimes, a reset from there works better. And if things get really weird, check out the official Microsoft support pages or community forums—sometimes Windows just needs a little extra help to get back on track.
Wrap-up
Resetting your Windows 10 or 11 system can fix stubborn issues, boost performance, or just give a fresh start without buying a new machine. It’s not totally foolproof, but with a bit of patience — and backup, anytime you’re messing deep into system settings — it can save a lot of headaches. Just keep in mind, sometimes a reset doesn’t fix everything, and that’s when you start looking into more advanced repairs or reinstallation options.
Summary
- Back up important files unless you want to lose everything
- Choose the right reset option based on whether you want to keep or wipe your data
- Make sure your PC is plugged in before starting
- Expect some waiting time — don’t freak out if it takes a while
- If something goes wrong, try recovery mode or check online support
Final thoughts
This whole process might be a bit of a pain, but sometimes it’s the only thing that works. Tried and true, or at least it’s worked enough times for most people I know. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone. Fingers crossed this helps!