How to Do a Factory Reset on Your Windows 10 PC

by Alessia Martine office.com/setup

If you want to factory reset your Windows 10 PC, then you have come to the right place. A factory reset removes all stored data, preferences, and other information from your PC. It is best when you want to sell your computer to someone else, especially when you sell it to a strange person. If any sensitive information remains on your PC at the time of selling, then it can become a big issue for your privacy. So it is a wise decision to do a factory reset of your device. There are many other reasons for resetting a device such as if your device is misbehaving or is infected with viruses.

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How to Factory Reset Windows 10 Using Windows Recovery Tool?

If your PC is working fine and you have the full access of your device, then you can use Windows Recovery Tool to factory reset your device. If you are currently not able to access your log-in account, then we have other methods to do a factory reset without even logging-in to your PC. However, if you can log-in to your PC, then you can use this method as it is the easiest and quickest method. Here’s how to factory reset your PC:

First of all, if you are using a laptop then plug your device on charging because the system will not reset your PC unless it is connected to a charger.
Hit the Start button on your keyboard and then Search “Reset.”
Now click on “Reset this PC” from the results.
There you will see that the Recovery tool is now active on your screen. There you have to locate the “Reset this PC” option, and just below it, a “Get started” button is given which has to pressed.
After hitting the button, a new tab will open. It will provide you with two options to choose from, “Keep my files” and Remove everything.”
If you want to clean everything and want to make it a new PC, then choose the “Remove Everything” option. If the system asks for confirmation, then confirm your decision by selecting the appropriate option. There is also an option “Remove files and clean drive,” which will also do a thorough hard drive clean.
If you just want to refresh the configurations of your PC and want to keep your data safe, then choose the “Keep my files” option.

After that, your device will start the Factory reset process by itself. We recommend you to choose the “Remove files and clean drive” option because it will wipe out all the data that may become a problem when you sell your device.

How to Do a Factory Reset without Logging-In to Your PC?

What if you are unable to log-in to your PC? Don’t worry; we are here to help. There is an alternate method that allows you to reset your computer even when you lose access to your account. Here’s how to factory reset Windows 10 without logging-in:

To do a factory reset without having the log-in access, you have to navigate to the Advanced startup tool. To do that, go to your log-in screen and then locate the restart option, now hold the Shift button and click on the restart option. Keep holding your Shift key while the PC restarts.
Now your computer will take you to the Advanced startup tool.
There you have to select the Troubleshoot option and after that hit the Reset this PC button.
Hit the “Remove everything” option.
Again you have to choose from two options “just remove my files” and “Remove files and a clean drive.”
If you want to make your PC just like a new one, then you will have to choose the “remove files and clean drive” option.

If your computer stores some data that is valuable, then select Keep my files option. This will unlock your PC and keep your files.

Lily Johnsol is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cybersecurity. She writes about the latest updates regarding mcafee.com/activate and how it can improve the work experience of users. Her articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs, and websites.

Source: http://start-mcafee.com/how-to-do-a-factory-reset-on-your-windows-10-pc/