Resetting a computer to factory settings is something we walk through with clients frequently at Nimble Nerds, especially when a machine is acting up or getting prepped for a new user. The process is clear once you know what to expect, and it can really sort out lingering software issues, bloat, or personal data concerns.
We always encourage a careful approach – back everything up, read the reset options closely, and have a proper plan for reinstalling important programs. Our first-hand experience shows that with the right preparation, a factory reset feels more like a fresh start than a chore.
Key Takeaway
- Back up all your personal files and critical settings before resetting to avoid losing anything important.
- Pick the factory reset Windows option that matches your goal – “keep my files” if you want to save your data or “remove everything” for a proper clean slate.
- Make sure you understand the reinstall and recovery steps so you can finish the factory reset process smoothly and get your PC running at its best.
Backup Your Data Before Factory Reset
Credits: Insider Tech
Why Backup Is Essential
Doing a factory reset deletes everything personal: documents, downloads, pet photos, browser bookmarks, and every little app setting. It isn’t forgiving and doesn’t ask twice. That’s the real risk, here. Plenty of people have sat with us, shocked to find years’ worth of tax work or their entire photo library wiped in a careless click. [1]
No one likes starting over, especially from scratch. Saving browser passwords and app settings, moving Word documents and PDFs, anything irreplaceable – that’s not a luxury, that’s essential. Even for one bloke who thought he’d lost only a few notes, losing half a decade of photos, music, and business templates was a gut punch.
- Factory reset deletes all personal files and settings.
- Important to save documents, media, browser bookmarks, and app settings.
Backup Methods
People hedge their bets with different backup options. We’ve seen everything from shoe boxes of USB drives to neat rows of cloud storage tabs on someone’s browser. What works best is what you’ll remember to use.
- External Drives and USB Storage:
Plug in an external hard drive or high-capacity USB stick. Copy key folders – Documents, Pictures, Downloads, Desktop, maybe AppData if you run custom software.
Pros: Fast, physical, reliable.
Cons: Lose the drive and lose the backup. - Cloud Storage Services (e.g., OneDrive, Google Drive):
Drag and drop files or use sync features.
Pros: Accessible anywhere, no hardware fuss.
Cons: Upload speed varies, recurring cost, privacy concerns for sensitive business files. - Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Local Storage:
Some offices run NAS boxes. Map drives, copy files, check completion.
Pros: Centralised, great for multi-device homes/offices.
Cons: Needs setup, can be slow on Wi-Fi.
One family we helped had three years of homework stashed in fifteen different locations – Google Drive, a USB, two phones. We found it all, but it took time and stressed everyone out. Don’t wait for the “last minute” folder search.
Access and Start the Factory Reset Process on Windows PC
Opening the Reset Settings
For Windows, most resets start from the same place. The steps haven’t changed much between Windows 10 and 11, and most home or business users can do it without special skills.
- Click the Start menu.
- Select the settings gear icon.
- If you’re running Windows 10, go to Update & Security.
- In Windows 11, head to the System section.
- Pick Recovery from the sidebar menu.
People sometimes fumble between Update & Security and System panels. A quick check – current Windows version – settles it.
Initiating Reset This PC
The reset option sits right there under Reset this PC.
- Click “Get Started.”
- Choose between “Keep my files” or “Remove everything.”
“Keep my files” doesn’t mean what most expect – it strips apps and settings but does keep your user folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.).
“Remove everything” is a full factory reset. It not only deletes user files but wipes out installed programs and resets settings to factory defaults.
People ask – when to use each?
- For quick spring cleaning, pick “Keep my files.”
- For starting new or handing a device to someone else, always select “Remove everything.” That’s closest to a true factory reset. We tell clients with stubborn malware or hidden errors: “Remove everything” is the clean-out.
Choosing the Reinstallation Method
Windows throws two main options for putting the operating system back in place after the big wipe. This choice affects speed, freshness, and reliability.
Cloud Download
- Grabs the latest Windows system files from Microsoft’s servers.
- Needs stable internet, preferably a connection north of 15 Mbps, to avoid hours of waiting.
- Biggest upside: repairs corrupt system files and gives a “clean” Windows feel.
We have sat with clients watching the loading screen hang for ages all because of spotty NBN. Cloud download is best when your Wi-Fi is rock-solid.
Local Reinstall
- Uses the Windows installation files already on your local drive.
- No internet needed, so handy in remote settings or for desktops with no Wi-Fi.
- Tends to run faster, unless those files are already corrupted. Reinstalling from local files sometimes brings old bugs with it, though, if the issue was under the hood.
- We recommend this for business settings with tricky proxies or when time is short.
Confirming and Completing the Reset
Final Confirmation and On-Screen Instructions
Before committing, Windows spells out exactly what will be wiped, what will stay, and what reinstalls. Double checking here prevents nasty surprises.
- Read the reset details and click the final “Reset” button.
- The PC will restart, sometimes two or three times, as files shuffle, get deleted, and reinstalled.
- The process can range from twenty minutes to more than an hour, depending on storage, connection, and whether updates get pulled in.
Clients will sometimes panic when the machine restarts mid-reset. It’s normal. Just keep the machine plugged in and patient.
Post-Reset Setup
Once Windows boots up, it’s like opening a brand-new computer box.
- You’ll get walked through choosing your region, keyboard language, and connection details.
- Windows might prompt for a Microsoft account or local user setup, depending on your choice.
- The system applies default settings, reinstalls select preinstalled apps, and usually enables Windows Defender or other security defaults.
- Time to reinstall your own programs. For browsers or office tools, this is usually a quick download.
- If you saved bookmarks or browser data, many browsers let you import these, or simply log in and sync.
We had one client who forgot his main email password because he always used browser auto-fill. Good reason to print (or save) login details before wiping a machine.
Additional Considerations for Security and Troubleshooting
Secure Data Wiping Options
For anyone selling, donating, or recycling a computer, just picking “Remove everything” doesn’t always wipe your old data to forensic standards.
- Select “Remove everything” with drive cleaning (secure erase). Windows will ask if you want to “Just remove my files” or “Remove files and clean the drive.”
- Cleaning the drive takes longer but overwrites data, making it much harder for someone to recover.
In business, this matters for GDPR, HIPAA, or just plain privacy. We get questions about this from law firms and accountants. Best to err on the “clean drive” side if security is a concern. It probably takes 40% longer, in our experience.
Using Recovery Options When Windows Won’t Boot
Some people call us because their system won’t start at all – blinking cursor, endless spinning dots, error messages. All is not lost.
- Access Windows Recovery Environment by holding the shift key and clicking Restart from the login screen or power menu.
- Use a recovery drive (USB stick created beforehand via Windows’ own tools) if the system’s dead.
- Boot from installation media (USB or DVD with the Windows installer) and run repair, reset, or reinstall.
In extreme cases, a hard reset via the boot menu bypasses the normal OS and goes straight to troubleshooting or recovery screens. [2]
One Nimble Nerds technician once reset a machine by plugging in a recovery USB made months earlier at a client’s request. They’d forgotten about it – turned out to be a lifesaver.
Managing Data and Settings Before and After Reset
Some things don’t survive a reset. Others, like browser data or certain app settings, can travel with you if you know what to save.
Backing Up and Restoring App Settings and Browser Data
Before the reset, most people get the big stuff but forget browser bookmarks, saved passwords, or custom app layouts.
- Export bookmarks (Chrome, Firefox, Edge all support bookmark export as HTML).
- Password managers let you export credentials, or you might print key logins as a backup.
- Many business-critical programs have export features for settings or data files – hunt around in their options before the reset.
After the reset, import or restore what you saved, and almost everything comes back as before.
A client’s booking app once required a specific data file to sync bookings after reinstall. Since we’d exported it before the reset, restoring only took five minutes rather than a complete office meltdown.
Handling Network and Cloud Storage
- If you use OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox, files can sync back after the reset. Be sure you know your login before starting the reset.
- For anyone working in a business with Network Attached Storage, ensure you know the mapped drive details and network passwords.
- After the reset, reconnect cloud accounts in the Windows settings app and sync files. Local files on NAS drives are usually safe, but network drives might need to be mapped again.
Additional Reset Options and Alternate Methods
Windows Fresh Start Option
Microsoft used to offer a “Fresh Start” as a way to install a clean copy of Windows, keeping personal files and some settings, but without all the manufacturer’s bloatware. It lingers in some versions, tucked away in Windows Security under Device performance & health.
- Fresh Start keeps your files but removes most apps except for Microsoft Store apps.
- Factory reset, by contrast, gives the widest clean slate, restoring to default settings.
For those who bought a computer loaded down with preinstalled games or trialware, Fresh Start offered a quicker clean out. Factory reset offers a more complete wipe for maintenance or handover.
Resetting Without Internet Access
Not everyone resetting a computer is on broadband, especially in rural business settings or during outages.
- Local reinstall works without any network access, relying on files stored in hidden partitions.
- If you want a “fresh” install but have no internet, prepare installation media (USB with the Windows installer) ahead of time – Windows’ Media Creation Tool handles this, and a 16GB USB drive will do.
We had one old school call us from the bush, no Wi-Fi, barely 4G. Local reinstall got them printing again before lunch.
Minimising Issues and Common Mistakes During Reset
Avoid Interrupting the Reset Process
Interrupting the factory reset can brick a system, forcing fresh installs. Hard power-off, battery running out, or cable knocked loose can wreck the drive.
- Make sure the device’s plugged in the whole time – no guessing on battery life.
- Don’t panic if it restarts a few times. Sit on your hands, if you have to. Resist the urge to fiddle.
We saw a business user halt a reset midway for a “quick check” – lost the entire operating system, plus hours setting up from scratch. Wait it out.
Double-Check Backup Completeness
Even the best plans miss something.
- Open your backup folder and check: Do all your photos, documents, business files, and exported app/browser data show up?
- For big files, spot-check a few at random. If they open, you’re good.
- Cloud services: Make sure they’re up to date before starting the reset.
A barber lost three years of appointment data to a single unchecked folder. We weren’t there for the backup, but we made sure it never happened again.
FAQ
A factory reset can remove all your files, apps, and system settings, depending on the option you pick. If you choose “Keep my files,” it’ll keep personal files like photos and documents, but still remove installed programs and app settings. A full factory reset, on the other hand, wipes everything. Always back up to cloud storage or network attached storage before you begin the reset process.
If your Windows computer won’t start properly, try entering the Windows Recovery Environment. Restart the PC and hold the Shift key while clicking “Restart” from the Start menu. In the menu, go to Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC. From there, follow the on screen instructions for either cloud download or local reinstall options to begin the factory reset process.
When you select Reset this PC, you’ll get the option to do a local reinstall or a cloud download. Local reinstall uses system files already on your computer. It’s quicker and doesn’t need internet access. Cloud download fetches fresh files from Microsoft’s servers, which can be more reliable if your local files are corrupted. Either method restores the default settings of your Windows PC.
Yes, performing a factory reset often helps get rid of harmful software or deep-rooted bugs. Choosing to “Remove everything” ensures that clean data replaces old system files. This can be more effective than antivirus tools alone. To do this, go to the Settings app, open the recovery options, and select Reset this PC, then choose the “Remove everything” or full factory reset option.
In most cases, no. You can factory reset a Windows computer without using installation media, thanks to the built-in reset windows 10 tool. Just go to the Settings window, click Update & Security, then head to Recovery and click Reset PC. However, if the operating system is badly damaged, you may need a USB stick with download Windows files to reinstall it from scratch.
During a factory reset, things like browser bookmarks, other personal data, and local files are usually wiped – unless you choose the Keep my files option. Even then, some data like saved settings or installed programs won’t stay. If you want to save your bookmarks or important files, back them up to a cloud storage service like Google Drive before starting the reset process.
Yes, if the settings window won’t open or your system is frozen, you can access the boot menu during startup. On many Windows PCs, tapping F11 or Esc as the computer powers on opens recovery tools. From there, you can run a factory reset using reset options without logging in. It’s useful when the operating system isn’t working properly.
If your computer came with preinstalled apps, doing a factory reset – especially via Reset this PC with the local reinstall option – should restore preinstalled apps. This includes apps bundled by the manufacturer, not ones you installed later. Just note: if you choose cloud download, you might get a clean version of Windows without the original extras. Check your recovery options before starting.
After a full factory reset, data recovery becomes tricky. In some cases, files can be retrieved with special tools – especially if the factory reset didn’t overwrite the local storage. However, clean data resets are designed to make recovery harder for privacy reasons. If you reset your PC without backing up, recovering personal files or system settings may require professional data recovery services.
No. For Macs, you use the Apple menu, go to System Preferences, then Erase All Content and Settings (for newer macOS versions). It’s not the same as factory reset Windows, but serves a similar purpose. You’ll also need your Apple ID to finish the reset process. Unlike Windows PC, Mac computers don’t use options like reset this pc click or cloud download from Microsoft.
A factory reset usually frees up a lot of disk space by removing installed programs, system files, and other personal data you’ve accumulated over time. However, if you choose the Keep my files option, your personal files stay, so the space saved might be less. Doing a full factory reset clears everything, restoring your hard drive to near its original capacity.
Conclusion
Factory resetting your computer gives it a fresh start but only feels right when you’ve backed up your data and planned the steps ahead. We see time and again that thoughtful preparation simplifies the process and avoids trouble down the track.
If you’re stuck or don’t want to risk missing something, we’re always happy to step in. Book a session with Nimble Nerds for patient, professional support and get your computer reset done confidently and safely.
References
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e
- https://www.hp.com/au-en/shop/tech-takes/post/how-to-factory-reset-windows-laptop
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- nimblenerds.com.au/how-to-free-up-disk-space-on-pc/
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- nimblenerds.com.au/how-to-reset-computer/
