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How to reset Win 11, restore Windows 11 factory settings
If for some reason your Windows 11 PC suddenly runs slow, behaves abnormally, or crashes. Or you are about to sell your device, do a clean install, and want to return the system to its “original” state, the best way is to restore the device to factory settings (Factory Reset). At that time, all data and setup packages on the system can be cleaned up like a completely new device.
This article will guide you how to factory reset your Windows 11 PC.
Table of Contents
- Precautions before performing a factory reset
- Why perform a factory reset?
- How to reset Win 11, restore Windows 11 factory settings
- Some frequently asked questions
Precautions before performing a factory reset
Not all devices are factory reset ready. There are a few things to keep in mind before doing this. Create an image-based backup before performing a factory reset on any Windows 11 PC, and make sure you have the tools you need to restore from that backup.
Consider backup tools like Macrium Reflect, which create a bootable tool called a rescue media, often stored on a USB stick. If something goes wrong with the factory reset, you can boot from this media and restore your PC to the state it was in before the reset.
Macrium Reflect is a product of Paramount Software UK Ltd (trading as Macrium Software), a British software company. It was founded over two decades ago and is currently headquartered in Manchester.
Macrium released the first version of Reflect in 2006 and the most recent update in 2022. The software allows users of Windows computers or servers to create backups of their data and retrieve them when needed.
This is a multilingual backup software available in over a dozen languages, helping it maintain its position as one of the most popular backup utilities for Windows users worldwide. Macrium offers a free version of Reflect that anyone can download for personal or commercial use. The free plan gives you basic data backup and recovery features but has many limitations compared to the premium plan.
Why perform a factory reset?
A factory reset is often necessary in two situations. The first is when selling or transferring a PC to another user. A factory reset will remove all changes made to the PC since it left the factory, leaving it in a clean state for sale or transfer. Be sure to apply any pending updates to your operating system to keep your current PC secure.
The second scenario is when your PC has noticeable performance, stability, or behavioral issues. There are very few things that a repair in-place upgrade can’t fix in Windows 11, but sometimes even that doesn’t get your PC back to normal. When that happens, a clean install or factory reset is a potential way to get Windows back up and running. A factory reset can get your PC back to normal as soon as possible and fix any existing errors.
How to reset Win 11, restore Windows 11 factory settings
1. Reset Windows 11 to its original state
Resetting Windows 11 to its original state, also known as factory reset, is the first thing you can do if your computer has a problem.
To get started, open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC. Do this by pressing the Windows key + i .
In the Settings interface that appears, from the list on the left, click on “ System ”.
On the “ System ” settings page , click “ Recovery ”.
In the “ Recovery ” menu, inside the “ Reset this PC ” option, click “ Reset PC ”.
Immediately the “ Reset this PC ” window will appear on the screen. In this window, choose one of the following two options:
- Keep My Files : Select this option to remove existing applications and installation packages on the system, but will retain your personal files.
- Remove Everything : Select this option to erase everything on your system, including apps, settings, and even your personal files. This is the optimal option if you intend to sell or give your device to someone else.
After you select an option, the “ How Would You Like to Reinstall Windows ” screen will appear. If you want to reinstall Windows 11 from the cloud, select “ Cloud Download ”. In case you want to do a traditional local installation, select the “ Local Reinstall ” option .
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system reset. When the factory reset is complete, the initial setup screen appears as if this is the first time you've set up your PC.
2. Reinstall Windows 11 from scratch using ISO file
If factory resetting Windows 11 doesn't help you fix the error, you can consider reinstalling Windows 11 from an ISO file. This way, you don't need a CD or USB drive.
Step 1 : Download the Windows 11 ISO file, then right-click on the downloaded file and select Mount.
Step 2 : Click on the virtual drive that just appeared containing the Windows 11 installation ISO file. Double-click on this drive to open it, then find and double-click on the setup.exe file to start the Windows 11 installation process.
Step 3 : In the window that appears, click Next to continue.
Step 4 : Wait for the system to automatically operate then click Accept to accept the terms to continue.
Step 5 : A new window appears allowing you to choose the installation method. There are 3 options as follows:
- Keep personal files and apps : Keep personal files and apps, only reset Windows.
- Keep personal files only : Only keep personal files, applications and settings will be deleted.
- Nothing : Completely reinstall, erase all data on the device.
After selecting, click Next to continue.
Step 6 : The system will check for updates then click the Install button to start the installation.
3. Reset Windows 11 using Recovery Mode
If your Windows 11 computer cannot boot normally, you can reset it using Recovery Mode.
Step 1 : Access Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) using the Win repair disc or force the computer to restart (press and hold the power button).
Step 2 : Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC .
Step 3 : Choose to keep personal files, applications or delete everything like in part 1.
4. Restore Windows 11 to factory settings from the login screen
You can easily reset your Windows 11 computer from the login screen using the recovery options. To factory reset Windows 11 without an admin password:
Step 1 : Turn on your PC and wait for the login screen to appear.
Step 2 : In the bottom right corner, click on the Power option. The Restart and Shutdown options will appear. Do not click on either of them.
Step 3 : Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and click the Restart button. If prompted, click Restart Anyway to force restart your PC. Release the Shift key when you see the "please wait" screen.
Step 4 : Your PC will now restart and enter the Windows Recovery Environment.
Step 5 : Continue as in part 3: Reset Windows 11 using Recovery Mode above.
During this process, Windows will first reset your device to erase all data and then reinstall the operating system. It may take a while to complete the process, so leave your device on standby and plugged into a power outlet.
If the reset fails and requires additional system files, use the Cloud download option to reset and try again. This often happens if your current Windows installation is missing important system files.
5. Reinstall Windows 11 from scratch (clean install)
If all the above solutions still do not help you solve the problem, you should reinstall Windows 11 from scratch, also known as clean install. You can refer to the article below:
Some frequently asked questions
How to factory reset HP laptop running Windows 11?
The same steps above will reset a Windows 11 laptop, regardless of the manufacturer. Just go to Start > Settings > System > Recovery > Recovery Options > Reset this PC > Reset PC .
How to reset network settings in Windows 11?
You should reset your Windows 11 network settings if you're having trouble connecting to the Internet or your computer is running slow. To do so, go to Start > Settings > Network and Internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset .
Good luck!
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