How to Reset PC for a Fresh Start and Smooth Performance

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Resetting your PC can feel daunting, but it’s often the best way to fix persistent software issues or prepare your device for a new chapter. Whether you want to keep your personal files intact or wipe everything for a fresh start, we’ll guide you through the process clearly and simply.

Drawing on years of hands-on experience at Nimble Nerds, we know what works and how to avoid common pitfalls, so you can confidently reset your Windows 10 or 11 PC with ease.

Key Takeaways

Choose the right reset option based on your needs: keep files for troubleshooting or remove everything for security and privacy.
Understand the difference between cloud download and local reinstall to ensure a smooth and updated Windows installation.
Backup important data and prepare for the reset, including handling BitLocker keys and app settings, to avoid unexpected loss.

How to Reset PC: Step-by-Step Guide

Credits: How To Do It All

Accessing Reset Options

A fair number of people call us because Windows won’t behave itself anymore – slowdowns, odd system settings, mystery pop-ups after software installs. Resetting the PC often wipes these problems away. It’s not complicated, but getting to the right reset screen is different on each version of the Windows operating system. [1]

Windows 10 Reset Access

On a Windows 10 PC, resetting is usually started from the main system settings window.

Open the Settings app with Win + I, or right-click the Start menu and fetch Settings from the list.
Head for Update & Security, near the bottom.
Look for Recovery on the sidebar.
Under the “Reset this PC” heading, click Get Started.

This presents you with the main reset options. We’ve been called more than once simply because someone couldn’t find that ‘Get Started’ button, buried further than anyone expects in the settings app.

Windows 11 Reset Access

Windows 11 moves things about but follows the same pattern.

Hit Win + I to open Settings.
Go to System, then scroll for Recovery.
Find the “Reset this PC” option, and click the adjacent Reset PC button.

The terms and steps change bit by bit, but if you spend five minutes exploring the settings, you’ll find your way – otherwise, anyone from Nimble Nerds can guide you. More than once, I’ve walked someone through by phone, reading menus out loud.

Access Without Password

Sometimes you cannot log in – forgotten accounts, botched upgrades, or a system that just won’t boot. In this case, Windows Recovery Environment is your backdoor.

From the sign-in screen, hold the Shift key and click Restart from the power icon.
After the automatic reboot, select Troubleshoot, and you’ll find Reset this PC as an option.
You can also get here if Windows fails to start a few times in a row.

I think everyone – even those used to command prompts – finds comfort in these rescue menus. Everything’s a bit slower, louder, more deliberate, but it works.

Choosing Reset Type

This is where things diverge for most users: you need to work out whether you want the system to keep your personal files or to remove everything for a clean break. [2]

Keep My Files

Removes apps and system settings
Personal files (like Documents, Pictures, and Desktop) remain
Great for fixing software related issues (dodgy updates or malware infections) without erasing the stuff you care about

We recommend this path to families coping with plain “many software related issues” but still want their holiday photos in place.

Remove Everything

Clears personal files, apps, and settings
Good for selling, recycling, or gifting a PC – you want the next person to get a clean operating system
Offers the “clean data” option for secure erasure

For businesses, we suggest Remove Everything when preparing retired machines or after any malware incident. We once had a dentist forget they stored patient X-ray files in a Downloads folder – Remove Everything (with clean data) meant those files could never resurface.

Reinstallation Methods

Once you’ve chosen whether to keep or wipe your data, Windows makes you pick how to reinstall the operating system. If you want the latest security and software patches, one way is better. If you care about speed or have a slow line, another route saves time.

Cloud Download

Downloads the latest Windows installation files direct from Microsoft
You need a stable, fast connection – at least 10 Mbps for comfort
Gives you the cleanest, most up-to-date version (sometimes fixes buggy updates)

We’ve helped clients in apartments with shaky ADSL regret choosing cloud download – it’s brilliant if your NBN is solid, a nightmare if it’s not.

Local Reinstall

Uses the files already stored on your device (hidden Windows partition)
No internet required, meaning you can hard reset a laptop in the carpark if you have to
Slightly faster but might not solve underlying bugs if those local files are corrupted

When reinstalling from local files, don’t expect it to squash every strange glitch – fresh system files carry their own value.

Additional Settings and Security

The PC offers a few extra knobs and levers before the actual wipe – careful consideration here determines how secure, private, and “fresh” your reset process gets.

Clean Data Option

Tells Windows to securely erase files, making data recovery difficult
Useful if passing on, recycling, or discarding your PC – keeps your data in your hands only

A charity group once ran all donated PCs through clean data resets, ensuring no one could recover the original donors’ tax files later.

Handling User Accounts and Apps

Reset wipes installed apps and all system settings to factory defaults
Preinstalled apps (like office suites and media players) might restore, but the system deletes anything you added later.
It’s worth listing installed programs before you start – photos of the Start menu work

Backing up app settings is rarely intuitive but can save a lot of reconfiguring. We urge people to check their password managers and browser bookmarks before resetting—many business Wi-Fi passwords exist only in a Chrome profile.

H2 Preparation Before Reset PC

Resets bring finality. Once started, you can pause but not reverse without restoring from backup. Plan ahead to make your new install as smooth as possible.

Backup Important Data

We tell people: anything you don’t back up, you lose.

Personal Files and Documents

The classic rule is, if you need it, keep it twice.

External drives are speedy and physical – plug, drag, drop; safe from when the computer restarts
Cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive) offers comfort if the PC fails mid-wipe

Don’t forget browser bookmarks – export from Chrome, Firefox, or Edge so you can import after the reset process.

BitLocker and Encryption Keys

Few people remember they even enabled BitLocker or device encryption until their PC asks for a recovery key.

Visit your Microsoft account online to fetch the BitLocker key, if Windows was signed in
Without it, the reset might fail – or worse, the computer boots to an unbreakable lock

I once met a client who’d encrypted her work laptop then lost the notepad with her BitLocker key. Only saved after she logged into her Microsoft account from her phone and found the backup.

Power and Connectivity

Resets take a while and hate interruptions.

Ensure Device is Plugged In

We’ve seen resets ruined by a dead battery or a wobbly power cable. Always plug your machine in – never run on batteries for something as crucial as operating system reinstall.

Internet Connection for Cloud Download

Check the cable or Wi-Fi before you pick cloud download – don’t start unless you can stay online for a while. It’s better to pause and fix the connection than have a reset stuck at 66%.

After Starting the Reset Process

Confirming and Beginning Reset

Windows asks for a last check. Go slowly here – many people click away, only to regret their selection three reboots later.

Review Selected Options

Checking you picked Clean Data if you need security, or Keep My Files if you want personal files safe, is worth another thirty seconds.

Initiate Reset

When you click Reset, your computer is now along for the ride. It restarts (sometimes three or four times), the screen flickers between status bars, and you wait. On recent machines, it’s under an hour. On aging laptops with big hard drives, it can stretch longer.

People sometimes panic when the machine restarts mid-reset or freezes at a certain percentage. Waiting works – patience is always your friend.

Post-Reset Setup

A freshly reset Windows computer feels raw and slightly anonymous.

First-Time Setup

You’ll be prompted to click through a basic setup wizard: regional preferences, keyboard layout, network. If the PC is domain-joined or work-owned, you may need administrator credentials.

Creating a local user account makes sense for many, but a Microsoft account unlocks better synchronisation options. We see a 70/30 split – more home users prefer local, businesses mostly Microsoft accounts for control.

Updating Windows

Immediately after setup, the operating system should fetch security updates and drivers.

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
Click Check for updates and install everything offered

Get drivers in before reloading programs. It’s a little slower upfront, but avoids mysterious network or graphics issues later. Install necessary software from official websites or saved install files – not random downloads.

Troubleshooting and Manufacturer Tools

Even the best plans meet snags. We’re used to resets stalling, reset options greyed out, or odd error codes.

H3 Reset PC Issues and Solutions

Reset Gets Stuck or Fails

When a reset freezes at a certain per cent or loops endlessly:

Hard restart the computer (hold power down ten seconds) and try again via Recovery Environment
If unsuccessful, consider using installation media – a bootable USB drive – to manually reinstall Windows

We’ve watched older PCs finally come back after a third or fourth attempt. There’s no shame in persistence.

BitLocker Key Prompt

If the system asks for a BitLocker key and you can’t provide it, resets grind to a halt or lock you out. Retrieve the key through your Microsoft account or system admin.

We’ve seen cases where a company lost access to half its hardware fleet over missing BitLocker keys. Secure the keys before starting.

Manufacturer Recovery Tools

Some computers come with their own rescue tools – sitting outside Windows, triggered by pressing F8, F12, or another key at startup. Each vendor has its own version (though we won’t be listing competing brands here for obvious reasons).

Accessing Recovery Tools

The most common scenario is Windows won’t start, and built-in reset options won’t appear.

Press specific keys immediately on power-on to access pre-installed recovery tools
Usually an option to restore factory settings or perform a system restore is available from here

Using Factory Recovery Images

Factory images live on a dedicated part of the PC and roll everything back to the day you bought it. This means drivers, preinstalled apps, and original factory settings come back too.

We rarely use these except when Windows itself is too badly damaged to try regular reset options.

FAQ

How can I reset my PC if I forgot my password or can’t log into my user accounts?

If you’re locked out of your device, you can still reset your PC by using the Windows recovery environment. On the sign-in screen, hold the Shift key and click Restart from the power icon. This brings up recovery options, where you can select Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC. This method helps when user accounts and passwords are lost, allowing you to restore factory settings or reinstall Windows operating system without logging in. Just remember: backup important files if you’re able, as the reset process will often erase personal files, browser bookmarks, and other personal data.

What’s the safest way to erase all my data before selling my Windows computer?

To securely remove all personal files, app settings, and installed applications so that your data can’t be recovered, always use the “Remove Everything” and “clean data” options in the reset process. Choose Reset this PC from the settings app, select Remove Everything, then customise additional settings to clean data and fully erase local files. This is especially important for security if you save sensitive files, BitLocker key information, or use cloud storage. Factory reset Windows with clean data overwrites the drive, making data recovery very unlikely.

Can I use the cloud download option if I have a slow or unstable internet connection?

Cloud download for reinstalling Windows operating system during a factory reset is helpful, but it relies on a steady internet connection. If your NBN drops out, your computer might not finish the process and may get stuck during the windows installation. For slower or unreliable internet, local reinstall is a better choice. This uses files already on your device, so you can reset PC to original state without waiting for a cloud download. Always check your connection before starting the reset process.

To restore your apps and settings after resetting your PC, ensure you back them up before the reset.

Resetting Windows 10 or Windows 11, especially with Remove Everything, will erase apps, app settings, and installed programs. To restore preinstalled apps or other software, keep a list of what’s installed and backup setup files or product keys. For office software, browser bookmarks, or cloud storage tools, sign in again after reset windows. Store copies of your favourites and important files in your backup or cloud storage before the reset pc action. Some settings can be exported, but you’ll often need to manually reinstall applications using Windows update.

What can you do if your reset gets stuck, fails, or your PC keeps restarting?

Problems during the reset process, like the screen freezing or looping, are not rare. If you get stuck, enter the windows recovery environment by holding Shift and restarting your computer. From there, you’ll see several options: try system restore, advanced recovery, or a fresh start. Sometimes manufacturer tools offer recovery images or factory reset options outside of Windows. Keep your device plugged in during the process, and always backup important files ahead of time in case a hard reset wipes your data.

What if my PC reset fails because of file corruption – can I repair the system before trying again?

If the reset fails or gets stuck due to corrupted Windows system or local files, use the built-in repair tools before trying the reset again. Use the Windows recovery environment to access options like System Restore, Startup Repair, or run the Command Prompt and use commands like sfc /scannow or chkdsk. Repairing corrupted files can make the reset PC process work smoothly, allowing you to complete the factory reset without further trouble. Always backup important files before running repair or reset options, as data loss is possible during any recovery operation.

Practical Advice

Don’t rush a reset. Confirm backups, plan, and set aside at least two hours. Write down what applications and account details you’ll need after the reset. If you hit roadblocks (reset fails, BitLocker requests, or odd errors), stay calm and try recovery environment or manufacturer tools.

Outsourcing complex resets, or whole office rollouts, to Nimble Nerds strips away most fears. We handle backup, reset, and every flavour of trouble, then restore programs and access. It keeps business owners focused on their actual work, not hunting for passwords or lost data.

Resetting a PC, whether it’s a family computer or the backbone of your business, is a sensible step to regain speed, erase malware, or prepare for a new chapter. The process is rarely as tricky as it feels and usually leaves you with that rare feeling of a true clean slate.

If you’d like help making sure everything goes smoothly, we at Nimble Nerds are ready to guide you – just reach out to book a session for friendly support and peace of mind.