After you do this, when you give the computer away or sell it, it’s like a computer that has never been used. Since you’re not keeping the computer (or you just want to start with a completely clean computer), choose “Remove files and clean the drive” Selecting this wipes the C:\ drive (or Windows drive) of everything and then reinstalls Windows 10. Windows will ask if you want “Just remove my files ” or “Remove files and clean the drive”. Remove everything – Removes all of your personal files, apps, and settings.ħ. Keep my files – Removes apps and settings, but keeps your personal files.ī. When you click on “Get started”, you’ll have at least two options…Ī. If youre having trouble starting (booting) your PC, see Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode), and go to the Get to Windows Startup Settings in the Windows Recovery Environment section.
Restore your PC to undo recent system changes youve made. In Recovery under Reset this PC” > click on “Get started”ĥ. Reset your PC to reinstall Windows but delete your files, settings, and appsexcept for the apps that came with your PC. This tutorial is available for all the Windows versions including Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista.
Next, we will show you how to wipe a hard drive without deleting Windows.
In Update & Security > click on RecoveryĤ. Second, I got Windows OS as well as some personal data & programs on the system partition, so I need to perform a factory reset to remove everything except the Windows system. In Settings > click on Update & Security.ģ.
Right-click on the Windows 10 start button & click SettingsĢ. This method will wipe everything and reinstall Windows 10.ġ. WARNING: Do not do this if you want to keep your files.
If you’re going to be giving away or selling your Windows 10 computer – or you just want a completely fresh start – you don’t need to download any 3-party software to wipe your personal information from your computer and reinstall a fresh copy of Windows before you give it away or sell it. Select any of the following for more detailed info.How to Wipe Your Computer and Reinstall Windows 10 If you don’t have Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 media, contact Microsoft Support. If you upgraded your PC to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 with a DVD, use that disc. For more info, see Create a USB recovery drive.
However, this method is not how to wipe a hard drive without deleting Windows, as it also deletes your Windows installation plus any recovery partitions. Having a recovery drive can help you troubleshoot and fix problems with your PC, even if it won’t start. A utility such as DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke) offers an acceptable level of hard drive wiping albeit not 100 percent secure. If you don’t have either of those, you can make them if you have a USB thumb drive of 16 GB or larger. In some cases, you might have created them when you first set up your PC. Check the info that came with your PC to see if your PC manufacturer provided these discs or media. If your PC came with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, you’ll need the discs or thumb drive that came with your PC.
If that happens, what you’ll need depends on your PC. However, if Windows needs missing files, you’ll be asked to insert recovery media, which is typically on a DVD disc or thumb drive. In most cases, once you start to refresh or reset your PC, it’ll finish on its own. Before you start to refresh or reset your PC If you want to back up and restore your personal files using File History, see Set up a drive for File History. You can refresh, reset, or restore your PC from the Windows Recovery Environment. If you're having trouble starting (booting) your PC, see Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode), and go to the “Get to Windows Startup Settings in the Windows Recovery Environment” section. Restore your PC to undo recent system changes you've made. Reset your PC to reinstall Windows but delete your files, settings, and apps-except for the apps that came with your PC. Advertisement Even Windows geeks, who often reinstall Windows on every new computer they get, can save some time with the Fresh Start feature. Refresh also keeps the apps that came with your PC and the apps you installed from the Microsoft Store. Windows’ new Fresh Start feature makes this process much simpler, allowing normal PC users to completely reinstall Windows in a few clicks. Refresh your PC to reinstall Windows and keep your personal files and settings. If you're having problems with your PC, you can: Note: For information about this topic in Windows 10, see Recovery options in Windows 10.