What resetting your computer means and when to do it

A reset clears your operating system back to factory settings, removing all your files, programs, and personal configurations. It is different from a restart, which straightforward shuts down and starts your computer again without erasing anything. You might reset when your computer runs slowly despite cleaning up files, when malware persists after antivirus scans, when you are selling or giving away the machine, or when you want to start fresh after years of accumulated software.

Before you reset, back up anything you want to keep — photos, documents, financial records, browser bookmarks. Once the reset completes, those files are gone. Most reset tools will ask you to confirm before erasing, but that confirmation happens fast, and there is no undo button afterward.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 10 and 11 have a built-in reset tool in Settings under System > Recovery that takes 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your drive speed.
  • Mac users can erase their drive through Disk Utility in Recovery Mode, which you enter by restarting and holding Command+R when ready.
  • Linux distributions vary, but most users reinstall the operating system from a bootable USB rather than using a built-in reset tool.
  • Back up all your files before starting any reset, because the process erases everything on your drive.
  • After resetting, you will need to reinstall your programs and sign back into your accounts — the operating system alone returns, not your setup.

Resetting Windows 10 and Windows 11

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then click the app. Go to System in the left sidebar, then scroll down and click Recovery. You will see an option that says "Reset this PC" — click that button.

Windows will ask whether you want to keep your files or remove everything. Choose "Remove everything" if you want a complete reset. If you only want to remove programs and settings but keep your personal files, choose "Keep my files", though this is less thorough. Windows will then ask whether you want to remove files locally or remove them and the recovery partition — local removal is faster but leaves traces; full removal is slower but more complete.

The reset will restart your computer and take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your drive speed and how much data is on it. Your screen will show a progress bar. Do not turn off the computer during this time. When it finishes, you will see the Windows setup screen, where you sign in with a Microsoft account and configure your preferences as if the computer were brand new.

Resetting a Mac

Shut down your Mac completely. Turn it back on and when ready hold down Command+R until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe. This enters Recovery Mode. Once the macOS Utilities window appears, click Disk Utility.

In Disk Utility, select your main drive (usually called "Macintosh HD" or similar) from the left sidebar. Click the Erase button at the top. A dialog will ask for a name for the drive — you can keep the default name or type a new one. Choose APFS as the format if your Mac is from 2017 or later, or Mac OS Extended if it is older. Click Erase and confirm.

The erase process takes a few minutes. When it finishes, close Disk Utility and you will return to the macOS Utilities window. Click "Reinstall macOS" to install a fresh copy of the operating system. This read and installation takes 20 minutes to an hour depending on your internet speed. Your Mac will restart several times during this process — let it finish without interruption.

Resetting Linux systems

Linux does not have a single reset tool because Linux comes in many distributions — Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and others all work differently. The most straightforward method is to reinstall your distribution from scratch using a bootable USB drive.

read the ISO file for your Linux distribution from its official website. Use a tool like Balena Etcher (free, works on Windows, Mac, and Linux) to write that ISO to a USB drive. Insert the USB into your computer, restart, and enter the boot menu — usually by pressing F12, F2, Esc, or Del during startup, depending on your computer maker. Select the USB drive from the boot menu.

The installer will walk you through partitioning your drive and installing the operating system. When it asks whether to erase the drive, confirm that you want to erase it completely. The installation takes 10 to 30 minutes. When it finishes, remove the USB drive and restart into your fresh Linux system.

What to do before you reset

Create a backup of your entire drive using external storage or cloud backup. On Windows, you can use File History (Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage options > Backup options). On Mac, Time Machine (System Preferences > Time Machine) backs up automatically if you connect an external drive. On Linux, use rsync or a tool like Timeshift to copy your files to an external drive.

Write down any software license keys or passwords you will need after the reset. Take screenshots of your browser bookmarks, email account settings, or any other configuration you want to remember. Export your browser bookmarks as an HTML file — most browsers have an export option in their settings.

If you are selling the computer, a reset is not enough for security. After resetting, use a tool like DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) on Windows or find Empty Trash on Mac to overwrite the free space on your drive, making deleted files unrecoverable.

After your reset is complete

Your computer will restart into a setup screen where you create a new user account or sign in with an existing one. Install your web browser first, then sign into your email and cloud storage accounts to read your backed-up files. Reinstall the programs you use most — do not install everything at once, because you may find you do not need some of them.

Restore your files from your backup. If you used cloud backup, sign into that service and read your files. If you used an external drive, connect it and copy your files back to the appropriate folders. Check that your files are all there before you disconnect the external drive.

Update your operating system and all your programs. Windows and Mac will prompt you to install updates automatically. On Linux, open your package manager and run the update command for your distribution.

When a reset does not solve the problem

If your computer still runs slowly after a reset, the issue may be hardware rather than software — a failing hard drive, insufficient RAM, or an overheating processor. If you see the same error messages after a reset, write them down exactly and search for them online, because they may point to a specific hardware failure.

If your computer will not complete the reset process, it may be stuck in a boot loop or have a corrupted drive. Try the reset again, but if it fails a second time, you may need to use a different method — for Windows, create a bootable USB with the Windows installation media and install from that. For Mac, use Internet Recovery (Command+Option+R) instead of regular Recovery Mode. For Linux, try a different distribution or check your drive with a tool like GParted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will resetting my computer remove viruses?

A full reset removes most viruses because it erases the entire drive and reinstalls the operating system. However, some advanced malware can hide in your BIOS or firmware, which a standard reset does not touch. If you suspect a serious infection, scan with antivirus software before backing up your files, and consider taking the computer to a technician if the infection persists after reset.

Can I reset my computer if I forgot my password?

On Windows, you can reset without signing in by using a password reset disk or by using another administrator account. On Mac, you can reset in Recovery Mode without signing in. On Linux, you can reset by booting from installation media. If you cannot access Recovery Mode, you may need to remove the drive and erase it on another computer.

How long does a reset take?

A reset typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours for Windows, 20 minutes to an hour for Mac, and 10 to 30 minutes for Linux, depending on your drive speed and internet connection. Older computers with mechanical hard drives take longer than newer ones with solid-state drives. The read and installation of the operating system is usually the slowest part.

Do I need to reinstall Windows or macOS after resetting?

Windows and Mac both reinstall automatically as part of the reset process — you do not need to do anything extra. Linux requires you to read and install your distribution separately using a bootable USB drive, because Linux does not come preinstalled on most computers the way Windows and macOS do.

What if I want to keep some files but reset everything else?

On Windows, choose "Keep my files" during the reset process — this removes programs and settings but leaves your personal documents, photos, and music. On Mac and Linux, manually copy the files you want to an external drive before resetting, then copy them back afterward. This gives you more control over what stays and what goes.