If something goes wrong with your computer, you should reset Windows 10 and get a clean install of Windows. Use this tutorial to learn how to do this.
Learning how to reset Windows 10 and do a clean install is important because resetting fixes almost everything. When you reset a computer, you delete everything on its drive and replace it with a fresh copy of Windows. The best way to get rid of the virus is a reset. Resetting is also the best way to prepare your computer for a new owner and revert to a stable version of Windows when you leave Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program.
Here’s how to reset Windows 10 and get a clean install of your operating system.
How to Reset Windows 10 and Get a Clean Install
How to Reset Windows 10 from the Settings App
If you can log into Windows on your computer and are not in the Windows Insider Program, the best way to reset Windows 10 is from the Settings app.
Press the key on your keyboard or the Start button in the lower left corner of your screen.
Tap or click in the lower left corner of the Start Menu, just above the Power button.
Tap or click in the Settings app.
Now, tap or click on the menu on the left side of your screen. It’s the fifth menu option on the left side of the Settings app.
Under Get started, tap or click .
You have two options to choose from. Select deletes every photo, video, song, app, and Microsoft Account from your computer. Click this option only if you want to delete everything on your computer. Otherwise, select Keep my files and Windows 10 will keep your stuff exactly where it is.
Finally, you have to decide how deep you want your drive to be cleaned. If you want to reset Windows 10 because your device has performance issues, select . The reset will be faster and when it’s done you’ll have a clean install of Windows 10.
Choose if you are selling your Windows 10 PC. This can take hours, but makes it impossible for someone to recover your files from your computer’s storage.
Your computer will immediately scan your device and prepare to reset. Again, this process can take hours, so plan to leave your computer alone for a while. Don’t unplug your device until you see the Windows 10 setup wizard or hear your computer say “Hey, it’s Cortana.”
How to Reset Windows 10 from the Boot Screen
When your computer does not restart, you need to reset Windows 10 from the boot screen. This is not as easy as resetting from the Settings app so only use this method if needed.
Some Windows 10 PCs have hidden recovery files on them. You can use these files to reset Windows 10 from the boot screen without needing to use a flash drive or a restore DVD.
Open the Advanced Startup area. Unfortunately, how you do this is specific to your PC. On some devices, this is as simple as pressing the F10 key while your computer is starting up. Other devices make this more complicated. If you don’t know your device combination, search your PC manufacturer’s support website for “How to enter Advanced Startup”. If your computer does not start up three times, it will automatically bring you to this screen.
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Follow the onscreen instructions to reset Windows 10 and get a clean install. Remember, do not unplug your device until the reset process is complete.
Reset Windows 10 from USB Drive for Clean Install
If you’re having trouble getting to the Advanced Startup area, you can use the recovery files loaded on the flash drive to force the screen to turn on. This is the best option for anyone who is a member of the Windows Insider Program.
You must have recovery media for this to work. You can create your own using the recovery tools your computer manufacturer has left on your device, or you can download the files you need online from your computer’s support website. Computer manufacturers charge about $50 when they need to ship a flash drive loaded with recovery files.
Load your recovery media. If this is a flash drive, connect it to one of your PC’s USB ports. If it’s a DVD, load that disc into your PC’s disc drive.
Now you need to boot your PC from your recovery media. How you do this on each computer is different, so if you don’t know how, search the support site of the company that made your computer. For example, on a Dell, you hold down the F12 key when your computer starts going to the Boot Menu.
If you do, however, you must force your computer to boot from your recovery media before booting from the storage on your device. Your USB/DVD needs to be higher in the list of places to boot for this to happen. After doing this, restart your device. This example is from a Surface Pro.
Choose your language.
Choose your keyboard layout.
Choose .
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Now, wait for your computer to reboot and use the on-screen tools to reset Windows 10 and get a clean install of your operating system.
