How To Factory Reset A Windows Laptop

Have you ever wanted to wipe the slate clean and start fresh on your laptop? Perhaps you’ve encountered a virus, or your computer just isn’t running as quickly as it used to.

 A full factory reset of a Windows laptop is an appealing way to re-establish your computer’s performance and restore it to its original settings.

 In this article, we’ll discuss how to properly factory reset a Windows laptop and provide some tips on how to ensure that your data is secure during the process.

It’s not a new thing for a computer to eventually run into performance problems. Fortunately, you can solve these problems quickly and easily by yourself without needing a computer engineer. 

One way to solve your computer problems or avoid them is to do a factory reset on your computer in order to get rid of any viruses, boost performance, or prepare it for a new user.

You must first determine your operating system and the procedures needed to reset your laptop. It’s important to know the operating system you’re using before you start the process because an OS other than Windows can have different instructions for performing a full factory reset.

However, note that with Windows 10, conducting a factory reset is a little bit different than it was with earlier Microsoft operating systems. Other Windows versions may present a little bit of a challenge and necessitate system backups.

For those who might be conducting a reset for the first time, it is considerably simpler to do and offers a more straightforward method.

Regardless of the operating system you use, it is advised that you first create a system backup. It’s a good idea to maintain a backup even if you want to sell your device or don’t anticipate having one because you never know when you might need to reload files or transfer them to a different device.

You may even plan regular backups so you won’t have to worry about losing crucial information if your OS has trouble booting.

In the event that anything goes wrong and your hard disk drive crashes, you might want to also ensure that these backups are sent to another destination apart from your hard drive, such as cloud storage.

Now let’s see the steps to factory reset a Windows 10 laptop 

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How To Factory Reset a laptop with Windows 10?

There are two ways to access the reset option:

First method 

1. Choose “Settings” from the Start menu by clicking on it. This area, which resembles a spinning wheel, is where you may access all of your laptop’s important settings.

2. Enter “reset” in the search box.

3. After the results have appeared, select the “Reset this PC” option.

Second Method 

•  Select the Start button.
• Choose “Settings.”
• Choose “Update and Security” after that.
• Next, choose “Recovery” from the window’s left panel.
•  Three choices will then be presented to you:

1. “Reset this PC,”
2. “Go back to an Earlier Build”
3. “Advanced”

Keep in mind that to fix problems on your computer and reset it to factory settings, most users should only need to select “Reset this PC.”

 When you reboot your device using an “Advanced” startup, you will be using a backup that is stored on a disc or USB drive. 

So, “Go to an Earlier Build” should only be chosen if there is a very clear reason for you to do so.

•  Next, under “Reset this PC,” click the “Get started” button, and a basic rest will happen.

•  After that, you must decide whether you want to keep your files on your computer or if you prefer a fresh start.

• Now, based on your requirements, select “Remove everything” or “Keep my files.” After this, your applications will get erased and all your settings will be reset. 

Whichever option you select will result in the deletion of all of your applications and the reset of all settings.

•  If you select “Remove everything,” you must also choose whether you want a completely clean drive or if you want to keep the laptop.

• Select “Remove files and clean the drive” for a device you don’t intend to keep. By doing this, a new user won’t be able to access your old files or applications. If you don’t want this, select “Just remove my files.”

•  At this point, Windows may now issue a warning and ask you if you wish to roll back to an earlier version of your Windows laptop.

 Your computer will then be ready for a reset, which you can initiate by selecting the “Reset” option after you click “Next.”

Your laptop may need several minutes to complete this task but as soon as it’s finished, your screen should show a button to continue, and you’ll have yourself a “brand new” Windows laptop. 

How To Factory Reset A Windows 7 or 8 Laptop 

Recovery discs are frequently included with laptops that have Windows 7 or 8 preinstalled, allowing you to access the operating system using your disc drive.

Simply place your recovery disk into the drive to get started. To prevent losing any of your files, you should back up all of your data before you do this.

If there is a recovery tool built into Windows software rather than one that is on a disc, you should look for it before performing a reset on Windows 8.

By doing this, you will avoid wasting time looking for a disc that you might not have gotten. You could still reset your laptop from a recovery partition if you don’t have one of those.

Your operating system data, foundational programs, and critical drivers are all stored in a partition. You may completely restore your computer to its factory settings by exploiting this secret region of your hard disk.

Now, follow the steps below to reset a Windows 7 or 8 hard drive. 

1. Start your computer or reboot it first, and then press the F key, or a combination of keys, when the startup screen appears.

Before starting the process of resetting your OS, check the handbook for your system to determine the key combination because it may differ between laptop brands.

2. At this point, instructions explaining how to reset your device should be seen on your screen. 

It may take some time for your computer to wipe files and restart your complete system once you confirm that you want to execute a factory reset.

3. At this point, your laptop should be reset to its factory default settings.

Regardless of the Windows version you use, you’d want to set up regular system backups.

Lastly, when you decide to reset your complete computer, it’s also a good idea to examine if a backup has been done recently to avoid accidentally deleting any data.

Conclusion 

Every Windows laptop owner should be able to factory reset a Windows laptop. It is a quick and easy procedure that guarantees your system will be restored to its initial form.

Now that you are aware of how to rest a Windows laptop, tell others about it and spread the news!

Do you have questions? Please tell us in the comments area. 

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