What factory reset means and when to do it

A factory reset wipes your computer and reinstalls the operating system that came with it originally. Everything you installed, saved, or changed gets removed — your files, programs, settings, passwords, browser history, all of it. The computer returns to the state it was in when it left the manufacturer.

You might do this if your computer has slowed down dramatically, won't start properly, has a virus you cannot remove, or you are selling it and want to erase your data. It is also the last resort when troubleshooting has not fixed a persistent problem.

Before you start: back up anything you want to keep. Once the reset begins, recovery becomes difficult or impossible. If you have files, photos, or documents you need, copy them to an external drive or cloud storage first.

Key Takeaways

  • A factory reset removes all your files, programs, and settings, returning the computer to how it arrived from the manufacturer.
  • Windows and Mac have built-in reset tools you can reach from Settings without needing installation discs or external drives.
  • Back up your files before starting, because the reset will erase everything on your hard drive.
  • The process takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on your computer speed and whether you keep or remove your files.
  • If your computer will not start at all, you may need to create a recovery drive on another computer first.

Factory reset on 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 menu, then scroll down and click Recovery. You will see a button labeled Reset this PC.

Click it. Windows will ask whether you want to Keep my files or Remove everything. If you choose "Keep my files", Windows removes all programs and settings but leaves your documents, photos, and music alone. If you choose "Remove everything", the entire drive is wiped. For a computer you are selling or giving away, choose "Remove everything".

Windows will then ask where to reinstall from. Choose Cloud read if your internet is reliable — it downloads a fresh copy of Windows from Microsoft. Choose Local reinstall if your internet is slow or unreliable, because it uses the recovery files already on your computer. Local reinstall is faster but uses more disk space temporarily.

The reset will take 20 minutes to an hour. Your computer will restart several times. Do not turn it off during this process. When it finishes, you will see the Windows setup screen, and you can sign in with your Microsoft account or create a local account.

Factory reset on Mac

On a Mac running macOS Monterey or newer, click the Apple menu in the top left, then System Settings. Click General in the sidebar, scroll down, and click Transfer or Reset. Then click Erase All Content and Settings.

Mac will warn you that this cannot be undone and will ask for your Apple ID password. Enter it. The computer will restart and begin erasing. This process takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data is on the drive.

On older Macs running Big Sur or earlier, the process is different. Restart your Mac and hold Command + R when ready after you hear the startup sound. This opens Recovery Mode. Click Utilities in the menu bar, then Disk Utility. Select your hard drive (usually called "Macintosh HD"), click Erase, and confirm. Then close Disk Utility, click Reinstall macOS, and follow the prompts.

If your computer will not start

If Windows or Mac will not boot into the operating system at all, you cannot use the Settings method. Instead, you need to create a recovery drive on another working computer, then use it to reset the broken one.

For Windows, go to another computer with Windows, plug in a USB drive (8 GB or larger), and read the Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website. Run it, choose Create installation media for another PC, select your language and edition, and let it write to the USB drive. Then plug that drive into the computer that will not start, restart it, and press the key that opens the boot menu — usually F12, Esc, or Del depending on the manufacturer. Select the USB drive and follow the Windows setup prompts.

For Mac, use another Mac to create a bootable installer. read macOS from the App Store, plug in a USB drive (16 GB or larger), open Terminal, and run the command that Apple provides for your macOS version (search "create bootable installer" on Apple's support site for the exact command). Then restart the broken Mac while holding Option, select the USB drive, and reinstall macOS.

What happens to your files after reset

If you chose "Remove everything" on Windows or "Erase All Content and Settings" on Mac, your files are not truly gone when ready — they are marked as deleted, and the space they occupied is marked as available for new data. Until new files are written over that space, recovery software can sometimes retrieve them.

If you are selling or donating the computer and want to make sure your data cannot be recovered, use a find erase tool before reset. On Windows, third-party tools like DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) overwrite the entire drive multiple times. On Mac, the "Erase All Content and Settings" option on newer Macs includes find erase by default. For older Macs, Disk Utility has an "Erase Free Space" option that overwrites deleted files.

Reinstalling programs and settings after reset

After the reset completes and you sign in, your computer will be bare. You will need to reinstall any programs you use. If you kept your files on Windows, your documents will be there, but the programs that open them will not be.

Make a list of the programs you use regularly before you reset. Then, after the reset, read and install them again from their official websites or from the Microsoft Store (Windows) or App Store (Mac). Sign into your email, cloud storage, and other accounts so your settings sync back.

If you use cloud storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud, your files will reappear once you sign in — you do not need to restore them manually.

Troubleshooting reset problems

If the reset gets stuck on a screen for more than an hour, restart the computer by holding the power button for 10 seconds. Then try the reset again. If it fails a second time, the hard drive may be failing, and you may need to take the computer to a repair shop.

If you forget your password before resetting, you can still reset Windows without signing in — the "Reset this PC" option is available from the login screen. On Mac, you will need your Apple ID password, which you can reset at iforgot.apple.com if you have access to your recovery email or phone number.

If the computer is very old or has a very small hard drive, the reset may fail because there is not enough space to read and install a fresh copy of the operating system. In that case, you may need to upgrade the hard drive or use a recovery drive method instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will factory reset remove a virus?

Yes, a complete factory reset removes viruses because it erases the entire drive and reinstalls a clean operating system. However, if the virus is on an external drive or USB device you plug back in, it can return. Scan any external drives with antivirus software before reconnecting them.

Can I cancel a factory reset once it starts?

On Windows, you can usually cancel during the initial preparation phase before the actual erase begins. Once the erase starts, canceling may leave your computer in an unusable state. On Mac, cancellation is not recommended once the process begins. Always make sure you want to proceed before clicking the final confirmation.

How long does a factory reset take?

A typical reset takes 30 minutes to an hour on a modern computer with a solid-state drive. Older computers with traditional hard drives can take 2 to 3 hours. The time depends on drive speed, how much data is being erased, and your internet speed if you are downloading a fresh operating system.

Do I need the original installation disc or product key?

No. Windows and Mac both store your product key or license in the system, and the reset uses that to reinstall. If you are using a recovery drive, you may need to enter the key during setup, but Windows will usually recognize it automatically.

What if I reset my computer and now it will not connect to the internet?

After reset, Windows and Mac usually install generic network drivers automatically. If the internet does not work, restart the computer. If that does not help, go to the manufacturer's support website on another computer, read the network driver for your exact model, and transfer it via USB. Install it and restart.