How to Fix “There Was a Problem Resetting Your PC” Error

There are many reasons to reset your PC, such as if it's not working properly. Resetting it will automatically install the latest version of Windows. But if you see a message that says “There was a problem resetting your PC. No changes were made,” “Can't reset your PC,” or “There was a problem refreshing your PC,” you won't be able to restore your PC to its factory defaults. This guide shows you how to fix this problem.

1. Run DISM scan, then reboot

The simplest solution to this problem, also recommended by Microsoft, is to try to repair the potentially corrupted local Windows image file.

Type “Command Prompt” in Windows Search and click Run as administrator on the right to open CMD with admin rights . In the User Account Control prompt, click Yes .

Type the following command and press Enter .

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

This process may take a few minutes, so make sure you don't interrupt it. Once it's done, restart your system and try resetting your PC .

2. Try resetting from Recovery

If Microsoft's workaround doesn't help you resolve the issue, you can try starting a reset from Windows RE (Recovery Environment).

If you're using Windows 11 , navigate to Settings -> System -> Recovery . Click the Restart Now button next to Advanced Startup , then click Restart Now again in the pop-up window.

On Windows 10 , you'll find the same option by going to Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery and the Restart now button under the Advanced startup section .

Go to Troubleshoot -> Reset this PC to start the process.

3. Check for system file errors

If the system files on your PC become corrupted over time, it could be the reason why you're having trouble when trying to reset your PC. Combat this by running an SFC scan.

From a Command Prompt window with admin rights, type the following command, then press Enter .

sfc /scannow

Allow the tool to scan for any missing or corrupted system files. If any problematic files are found, SFC will repair them. Restart your PC and try resetting your device.

4. Restart Windows Recovery Environment

If Windows RE is not working properly, it may cause the error “There was a problem resetting your PC”. The solution is to restart the service.

Open Command Prompt with admin rights and enter the following command:

reagentc /disable

Restart your PC. Open cmd again and enter this command:

reagentc /enable

Check to see if you can reset your PC.

5. Perform Startup Repair

Problems starting Windows can prevent your system from starting the reset process on your PC, so try using the Windows Startup Repair tool to fix any problems.

Access Windows RE as explained earlier, but this time go to Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options and select Startup Repair to start the process.

6. Use restore point

If you previously created a restore point , use it now to revert your system to a previous state when the problem didn't appear. Performing a system restore will effectively undo the changes you recently made to your PC, which could cause the “There was a problem resetting your PC” error.

Reverting your device to a restore point won't affect your files, but it will delete any apps, drivers, or updates installed after that particular restore point was created.

7. Perform a fresh installation

If none of the methods detailed so far have worked for you, you may need to do a clean install. Since the purpose of reinstalling Windows is to reset it in the first place, why not just do a fresh install? Remember that doing so will erase all of your data, including files, apps, and other data, so making a backup may be in order.

An easy way to reset your operating system is to use your preferred version of Windows on a disc or flash drive. If you're not sure how to get started with that, our guide has all the steps as well as alternative options for installing Windows on your device.