How to Factory Reset a Windows 11 PC

Mar. 3, 2022

Factory resetting a Windows PC is one of the fundamental things you’ll need to pull off, as Windows is known for notorious problems that don’t go away even after lots of troubleshooting. A factory reset, as the name suggests, resets your PC’s software to factory condition. There are many ways to factory reset your Windows 11 PC and the most efficient way depends on the state of your PC, i.e., if it turns on or is completely dead. Here’s how to factory reset a Windows PC.

Method 1: Factory Reset Windows 11 from Settings

If your PC is booting fine, and you are able to sign in to your computer, then you can easily reset your Windows 11 PC from the Settings app. Here is how you can do it.

The reinstallation should begin and will take time depending on whether you chose Cloud download or Local reinstall. It could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.

If your PC doesn’t boot normally, you can reset Windows 11 from the Recovery screen. Windows automatically shows the recovery option if it can’t load properly, but if that doesn’t happen, you could force Windows to show the option. All you need to do is try turning it on until you see the Windows logo and force turn off. Doing this 2–3 times will force Windows to show the Recovery screen.

Depending on the option you select, give it some time to reinstall, and you should be greeted with the welcome screen in no time.

If none of the above methods work for you, your only option is toclean install Windows 11using a Windows installation USB drive. We have a dedicated guide onhow to install Windows 11 from USB. Make sure you follow it step-by-step.

Do note that clean installing Windows from USB will remove all programs and files (won’t affect files on any other drive) and will re-install the latest stable build of Windows 11.

These are the three ways you can factory reset your Windows 11 PC. If you can log into your computer, you can reset it from the Settings app. However, if your computer does not boot, there are two ways to restore Windows — using Recovery or using a Windows installation USB.

If you want tocreate a local account on Windows 11 Homeafter clean installing the OS, follow our linked tutorial. And if you want toboot Windows 11 in safe mode, our guide will help you do that as well. If you have any questions, shoot them in the comments.

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.