What resetting your PC actually does
A PC reset removes your files, programs, and settings and reinstalls Windows from scratch. The result is a machine that runs like it did the day you bought it — no leftover junk, no corrupted system files, no malware hiding in the background. Most people reset a PC when it has slowed to a crawl, when they plan to sell or give it away, or when they have tried everything else to fix a stubborn problem.
Windows gives you two main reset paths. Keep my files removes all your programs and settings but leaves your documents, photos, and music intact. Remove everything wipes the drive completely and is the only choice if you are selling the machine or dealing with malware you do not trust. Both take 30 minutes to several hours depending on your drive speed and how much data is on the machine.
Before you start, back up anything you cannot afford to lose. Even the "keep my files" option can fail partway through, and once the reset begins, stopping it mid-process can leave your drive unbootable. A backup takes 20 minutes and saves you from a much worse day.
Key Takeaways
- Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage before you start, because a failed reset can make your data unreachable.
- Use Keep my files if you want to save your documents and photos but remove programs and settings; use Remove everything if you are selling the PC or dealing with malware.
- The reset process takes 30 minutes to several hours and requires your PC to stay plugged in and connected to the internet.
- After the reset completes, you will need to sign in with a Microsoft account, reinstall your programs, and restore any files you backed up.
How to reset your PC using Windows settings
The easiest path is through the Settings app. Press the Windows key and type "reset" — you will see Reset this PC appear at the top of the results. Click it, and Windows opens the recovery page.
Click the blue Reset PC button. Windows asks whether you want to keep your files or remove everything. Choose one, then click Next. If you chose Keep my files, Windows shows you a list of programs it will remove — you cannot change this list, but you can see what is going. If you chose Remove everything, Windows warns you that the drive will be wiped and asks you to confirm.
Once you confirm, Windows begins the reset. Your screen will go dark, your PC will restart several times, and you will see a spinning circle for a while. Do not turn off the machine or unplug it. Leave it alone and plugged in. When the reset finishes, Windows boots to the sign-in screen, and you can log in with your Microsoft account.
What to do if you cannot reach the Settings app
If your PC will not start Windows at all, or if Windows is so broken that the Settings app will not open, you can reset from the login screen. Restart your PC and watch for a message that says "Preparing automatic repair" or similar. When you see it, press and hold the power button to force a shutdown. Restart again and repeat this three times. On the third restart, Windows should boot into recovery mode automatically.
Once you are in recovery mode, you will see a blue screen with options. Click Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC, and follow the same steps as above. This route is slower and more jarring, but it works when the normal Settings path is blocked.
If your PC has a recovery partition — most do — you can also restart and press a specific key during startup to enter recovery mode directly. The key varies by manufacturer: Dell uses F11, HP uses F1 or Esc, Lenovo uses Novo, and others use different keys. Check your PC maker's website if you are not sure. Once you are in the recovery environment, look for an option to reset or restore the PC.
Keeping your files safe during a reset
The Keep my files option is meant to preserve your documents, photos, videos, and music. It does not keep your programs or settings. Anything you installed — Microsoft Office, Chrome, Photoshop, games, antivirus software — will be gone after the reset. You will need to reinstall it all.
Even though Windows promises to keep your files, a reset can still go wrong. A power loss, a bad sector on the drive, or a corrupted file can interrupt the process and leave your data inaccessible. The only real safety net is a backup on a separate drive or in cloud storage. Copy your important folders to an external USB drive or upload them to OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox before you start.
If you are using Remove everything, assume everything on the drive will be gone. This is the right choice if you are selling the PC, because it ensures no one can recover your old files even with special tools. It is also the right choice if malware has infected your system, because a full wipe is the only way to be certain the infection is gone.
What happens after the reset completes
When Windows finishes the reset, it boots to a sign-in screen. You will need a Microsoft account to continue — if you do not have one, you can create one during setup or use a local account. Sign in, and Windows walks you through a short setup process, asking about privacy settings and whether you want to use Cortana.
After setup, you will have a clean Windows desktop with no programs except the ones that came with Windows. If you chose Keep my files, your documents, photos, and music will be in their usual folders — Documents, Pictures, Music, and so on. If you chose Remove everything, the drive is blank except for Windows itself.
Next, reinstall the programs you need. Go to the Microsoft Store for apps like Mail and Calendar, or read installers from the software maker's website for programs like Chrome, Office, or Photoshop. This takes time, but it is also a good moment to decide what you actually use and skip the rest. Many people find their PC runs faster after a reset partly because they do not reinstall the programs they never used anyway.
Troubleshooting a reset that gets stuck
If the reset hangs on a spinning circle for more than an hour, or if you see an error message, try a hard restart. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds until the PC shuts down completely. Wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on. Windows will usually resume the reset or restart it from the beginning.
If the reset fails repeatedly with an error code, write down the code and search for it on Microsoft's support site or on a search engine. Error codes like 0x80070005 or 0xC1900101 point to specific problems — a corrupted file, a bad drive sector, or a hardware issue — and the search results will tell you what to try next.
If your PC has very little free space on the drive, the reset may fail because Windows needs room to work. Delete large files or programs you do not need, or connect an external drive and move files to it. Then try the reset again. If the drive is nearly full and you cannot free up space, the drive itself may be failing, and a reset will not help.
When to reset versus when to try something else
A reset is a powerful tool, but it is not always the first thing to try. If your PC is slow, restart it first — many slowdowns are just temporary and go away after a reboot. If a program is crashing, uninstall and reinstall it. If Windows is acting strange, run Windows Update and install all pending updates. If you think you have malware, run a full scan with Windows Defender or a dedicated antivirus tool.
Reset your PC when these simpler steps have not worked, when you are selling or giving away the machine, or when you are dealing with a malware infection you do not trust. A reset also makes sense if your PC is very old and has accumulated years of programs and settings — the fresh start often feels like a new machine.
One warning: if your PC came with Windows Home and you have a product key, write down the key before you reset. You will need it to reactivate Windows after the reset if you do not have a Microsoft account linked to it. You can find the key by opening PowerShell as administrator, typing wmic os get serialnumber, and pressing Enter. Write it down somewhere safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will resetting my PC remove viruses and malware?
A full reset with Remove everything will remove malware because it wipes the entire drive and reinstalls Windows from Microsoft's servers. The Keep my files option is less reliable because malware can hide in files you are keeping. If you suspect malware, use Remove everything to be certain.
How long does a reset take?
A reset usually takes 30 minutes to two hours depending on your drive speed and how much data is on the machine. Older PCs with mechanical hard drives take longer than newer ones with solid-state drives. The process requires your PC to stay plugged in and connected to the internet, so plan for uninterrupted time.
Can I stop a reset once it has started?
You can force a shutdown by holding the power button, but this can leave your drive in an unbootable state. Let the reset finish if at all possible. If it is truly stuck for more than an hour, a hard restart is your only option, but be aware it may cause problems.
What if I do not have a Microsoft account?
You can create one during the setup process after the reset, or you can use a local account. A Microsoft account is more convenient because it syncs your settings across devices and makes it easier to recover your password, but a local account works fine if you prefer not to use one.
Do I need the Windows installation disc or USB drive?
No. Windows 10 and Windows 11 include recovery files on your PC, so the reset can happen without any external media. If your PC is too damaged to boot into recovery mode, you can create a Windows installation USB on another PC and use it to reset, but this is rarely necessary.