Before You Reset Windows 10

Before you perform any major factory reset or format of your PC, it’s essential to back up your most important information. Some reset functions save certain documents, and that can make restoring your data quicker. Still, it’s not worth risking losing everything because you selected the wrong option or didn’t put your data in the correct folder. To make sure your most important information is safe, be sure to back up all of it to an external drive or cloud storage service before you reset Windows 10.

How to Factory Reset a Computer in Windows 10

Factory resetting Windows 10 can take a while to complete, depending on the speed of your processor, memory, and storage drive, but the process of starting it is quick and easy. Just follow these steps: Your PC will then restart and start removing data and reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch. The entire process can take up to an hour, so be prepared to wait. Once it’s finished, you’ll be able to log back into Windows, where you’ll find a single or group of HTML files on your desktop, which will detail everything the factory reset process deleted. That may make it easier to remember what you need to reinstall yourself later.

What Can a Factory Reset Fix?

There are many ways you can reset windows to a previous state, from a system restore to a clean format, but a factory reset is a practical option because it’s faster and more hands-off than other methods. If your PC has pernicious bugs or errors which you can’t seem to clear up, or you’re dealing with a particularly nasty malware infection, a factory reset can be a great way to clean house and start from scratch. A factory reset is also a great way to speed up your computer again if it’s become slow after many years of use. It’s always worth giving it a go before deciding to upgrade, as you can save yourself a lot of money by rejuvenating your old system instead of immediately replacing it. Have an Acer laptop? Here’s how to factory reset an Acer laptop. We also have complete instructions about resetting a Lenovo laptop and resetting a Toshiba laptop.