How To Reset Windows Desktop

Windows 10 is, on the whole, more problem-free than its previous iterations — but sometimes, things just go wrong. A couple of years agone, I made the mistake of not checking to make sure my laptop was securely plugged in while Windows was undergoing a major update. The bombardment ran out in the middle of the update and voila! I was stuck with what I was sure was now a very expensive brick. I was reminded of this only the other 24-hour interval, when some other Windows ten system decided that information technology didn't like the latest update and began misbehaving very badly — so badly, that it would finish reacting to the cursor one minute after it booted.

In both cases, I was able to save an otherwise unusable PC by doing a reset, which removes all (or most) of the files and apps on the hard drive and reinstalls Windows 10.

(By the fashion, you lot have backed upward your reckoner, right?)

Resets are also useful if you've merely bought a spanking new system, have loaded all your information onto it, and now want to sell / trade in / give away / discard your old Windows 10 system. Only before you get the no-longer-needed computer out of your house, you're going to desire to wipe all your data off the hard drive outset.

There are several ways to initiate a reset in Windows 10, depending on what yous need to exercise. You can do information technology from the Windows interface or, if you're in trouble, from the more basic Rubber Way. At that place is also a dissimilar method of reinstalling Windows called "Fresh beginning" (formerly "Refresh"). Ready? Here we go.

Reset in Windows 10

If Windows 10 is working — or fifty-fifty if it's mostly working — information technology's unproblematic to do a reset.

Go to the search field in your task bar and type "reset," which volition bring up "Reset this PC" as the best lucifer. Click on that.
Alternatively, click on the Get-go central (the Windows icon in the lower left corner). Click on the gear (setup) icon, and become to "Update & Security" > "Recovery."

Windows 10 recovery screen — *The Recovery screen lets you easily reset your PC.*

Select "Go started."
You'll be able to choose from ane of two options. "Go along my files" volition remove apps and settings, but let yous keep any saved files, while "Remove everything" will reset the computer to its "equally new" state. If you're recovering from an update issue or are trying to remove a bad app, you could try "Keep my files" start. If y'all're going to go rid of the computer, select "Remove everything."

Windows 10 reset screens — *You can keep your files when you reset Windows 10, or start from scratch.*

Depending on what you select, the adjacent window volition offering additional settings. If you choose "Keep my files," the standard setting will be to restore the apps and settings which came with the PC. If you click on "Modify settings," yous can toggle "Preinstalled apps" off and then that the reset does not restore the apps and settings that came with the PC. Click confirm to proceed.

Windows 10 reset options — *You tin choose whether to go on preinstalled Windows apps.*

If you cull "Remove everything" and select "Change settings" on the additional settings windows, you can determine how thoroughly your reckoner volition be wiped. The standard is to just remove files, which is faster. If your computer is misbehaving, this may exist the one y'all want to try. If you're getting rid of your computer, or want it thoroughly wiped, toggle data erasure on, which will take longer but volition exist much more than thorough. Click confirm to proceed.

Windows reset data erasure settings — *If y'all want to thoroughly make clean your hard drive, toggle data erasure on.*

One time you've fabricated your adjustments, click "Next."
Y'all're most at that place. The adjacent window is "Gear up to reset this PC." If you've opted for "Keep my files," you tin can click on "Listing of apps to exist removed" to see which apps yous may need to replace; that list isn't available if you're removing everything. Either way, click on "Reset to beginning the procedure."

Windows 10 reset process — *If you opted for "Go on my files," y'all can run across what apps will be removed.*

You may need to enter a recovery key to proceed. You should be able to discover information technology by signing in to your Microsoft account (or the business relationship of the computer's owner) at aka.ms/myrecoverykey.

Reset in Rubber Mode

Sometimes Windows is and then screwed up that you can't go to the reset characteristic. In that instance, the side by side thing to attempt is to reset in Safety Mode.

If you've been around Windows systems for a while, you might associate Safe Mode with an easy-to-access way to reboot your machine without loading all the apps and functions that may exist causing problems. In Windows 10, Safe Mode isn't every bit simple to boot, especially if you're having serious problems — but information technology could still salvage your bacon if you lot tin't get to the normal Reset window.

There are a diversity of ways the Windows 10 diversity of Safe Mode tin be helpful. For example, it tin can return you lot to a previous version of Windows. It can perform a system restore (assuming that you've had the foresight to enable the Restore characteristic, which saves a version of Windows in example of emergencies). And it tin can help you reset your system.

Microsoft's support site lists 3 ways to get to Safe Mode: from your settings, from your sign-in screen, and from a bare screen.

From settings

Follow the directions for resetting above. When you lot arrive at the Recovery screen, click on "Restart now" under the "Advanced startup" heading.
Your arrangement volition reboot, and you'll get a blue screen that lets yous "Choose an option." These options may vary; on my organisation, I could choose to continue to Windows ten, boot from an external device, plough off the PC, or troubleshoot. If y'all want to reset your PC, click on "Troubleshoot."
The next screen will let you reset the PC, restore it from a factory image, or offering additional "Advanced options." It may be to your advantage to bank check out those options; they include a "Startup Repair" feature, 1 that lets you lot change your startup settings, an pick to uninstall updates (which are ofttimes the cause of problems), and others.
If yous desire to reset your PC, then merely click on that selection; you'll and then be given the option to either keep your files or remove everything. Click on either and the procedure volition brainstorm; over again, you may need to fill in your recovery central first.

From your sign-in screen

If your PC is crapping out afterwards you lot laissez passer the sign-in screen, and so you tin can attempt to access the Safe Style from that same sign-in screen. These are the instructions on the Microsoft site; it didn't work for me in 3 tries, but you lot could give it a shot:

Hold down the shift cardinal and click on the power icon in the lower right corner.
Still belongings down the shift key, click on Restart.

From a blank screen:

This is the nearly difficult mode to admission the Rubber Mode — just it's what you desire to endeavor if your PC is merely not booting Windows. This is what finally worked for me; yet, it took several tries and not a lilliputian cursing, so gear up to be patient.

Make sure your computer is completely turned off.
Press the power button to turn your PC on. As soon every bit it restarts (for example, if you see the manufacturer's logo), press the power push again until the organization turns off once again (usually about ten seconds).
Repeat the process of on / off a 2d time.
The next time you power up, your PC should enter Prophylactic Style.

Over again, I had to attempt this several times earlier it worked, and even now, I'm not sure what I did right the last fourth dimension. Simply if your PC is simply not booting upward and you want to try to reset it, it's worth a try.

Fresh start

Back before Windows 10, at that place was a clear difference between resetting and refreshing your Windows PC: the old deleted all your files, settings, and apps, while the latter allowed you to keep personal files and settings. Now, the difference is a little more subtle. A reset can allow y'all to proceed your personal files merely will wipe your personal settings. Fresh start volition permit you lot keep some of your personal settings but will remove most of your apps.

If you recall a fresh start works better for you, here's where you find it:

Go to the Recovery window in Settings.
Under "More recovery options" click on "Learn how to start fresh with a make clean installation of Windows." Y'all'll exist asked whether you want to switch apps from settings to Windows Security; click on "Yep."
You'll exist taken to the "Fresh start" page; click on "Become started."

Windows 10 Fresh start — *Fresh start is an alternative way to reinstall Windows 10.*

You'll be asked if you want to let the app to make changes to your device; click on "Yeah."
A pop-up window will warn you that all apps and programs will be removed, except those that come standard with Windows or that were installed by the manufacturer. Click on "Next."
You'll go a list of all the apps that volition be removed (a far longer list than that offered by the reset). Click on "Next."

The side by side screen is the concluding one: click on "First" and the process will brainstorm. It could accept as long as twenty minutes, and your system volition probably restart several times.