We don’t all know what to call it, but we’ve all experienced Windows Rot. Windows Rot is when your PC, which had been working perfectly for the first few years of ownership, starts to bog down. It does not go to web pages as fast as before. Opening the music player of your choice seems to slow down the entire PC. You can be sure that logging in takes more time than before. Fortunately, Windows 10 has an excellent tool to combat Windows Rot. You can refresh your Windows 10 PC and make it work like new again.
When refreshed, the operating system is essentially reinstalled from scratch. This will clean up all the messes that have accumulated since you installed Windows 10. For years, users have had to rely on third-party utilities to clean their Windows XP and Windows Vista machines. These software packages cost a lot and sometimes did more harm than good.
Here’s how to refresh Windows 10.
How to Refresh Windows 10: Before You Begin
Before you consider using refresh to make Windows 10 run better, you need to understand what refresh is and what it isn’t. You also need a solid grasp of what could be causing your issue.
Refresh uses hidden files on your Windows 10 PC to rebuild your operating system. Any programs you have installed on your machine, such as Firefox and iTunes, need to be downloaded from the internet and reinstalled. You will also need to re-import the apps you downloaded from the Windows Store.
When you reset a computer instead of restoring it, you have the option to leave every file – music, pictures, and documents – where it is. To be clear, although this is a feature, you should constantly back up things on your Windows 10 PC. You can keep them on your PC only if your machine has enough free storage to do so.
It is important to note that refreshing is not a substitute for resetting your PC. What you should do when planning to give away or sell your machine is not clearing your drive. Reportedly, it’s also not the best option for getting rid of a virus.
How to Refresh Windows 10
Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open it. If you’re using a Windows 10 tablet, tap the Windows button in the lower-right corner of your screen.
In Start, tap or click the cog in it. This shortcut takes you directly to your computer’s application. You can also find it by searching for Settings in the taskbar search, or by selecting All Settings in the Action Center floating from the right side of your screen.
Tap or click inside the Settings app.
The page you will be directed to immediately is the Windows 10 updates management screen. Look for it in the menu on the right side of your screen. It is the fifth menu item.
Tap or click the gray button under Reset your computer. To be clear, you will not reset your computer, Microsoft recently changed the process and language it uses to identify refurbished computers. The key was to less confuse newcomers to Windows 10. Before you have to know what the differences are between Refresh and Restore. You don’t now.
Select from the popup window.
Follow the rest of the prompts. Also make sure to keep your device plugged in.
If your computer does not have enough space to refresh and store your files, it will ask for your permission to continue without storing your files. If you haven’t backed up your files recently, don’t allow it.
Instead of refreshing your computer, try other methods to speed up your device. Look to remove programs running in the background every time you start your computer. Try to remove things you don’t use but can’t remove.
How long this process will take largely depends on the capabilities of your PC. Computers with solid-state storage and faster processors take less time than computers with multiple storage capacities and slower processors.
We are here to hope that refreshing your Windows 10 PC will improve its performance. If the problem persists after a refresh or reset, it’s possible that the hardware inside your PC is no longer powerful enough to get you out of your daily routine.
You might consider replacing it with something with more RAM and more processing power. Stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Microsoft’s own can guide you in finding a better performing PC. They will also help you move your files to that new Windows 10 PC.
