4 ways to restore factory settings to a Windows computer

Restoring factory settings is a great solution to problems on computers running Windows. If you find that your computer is running slower than before, is infected with malware, or you want to resell it to others, then resetting to factory settings is the most convenient option for you. .

Depending on the version of Windows installed, each version will have different ways to recover the computer or laptop. We will show you the simplest ways to recover a device running Windows 10, 8 and 7.

Backup data before restoring settings!

Before going into the details of the factory reset steps, you should make sure that you have backed up all the necessary data. When you restore factory settings, all data on the device and all installed software will be erased. So you don't want to miss any anniversary photos or videos.

1. Restore original settings on Windows 10 with the default feature

Restoring the original settings on the Windows operating system is inherently convenient, but by Windows 8, Microsoft has made the process even simpler. And until Windows 10, the factory reset feature is still built into the operating system. This is the best way for users to restore factory settings for their device.

To use this feature, you can access Settings> Update & Security> Recovery . Here, you will see the Reset this PC section , then click on Getting started below to access.

Data retention or wipe out?

You will have two options when restoring Windows this way, retain data (Keep my files) or delete all data (Remove everything) .

The first option will restore Windows to default and delete all installed applications (such as Microsoft Office, games .), but your personal data will still be retained. And the second option is, of course, to erase everything.

Although you may choose to retain your personal data, it's best to back up your data in case the recovery process fails.

Customizations during the restore process

If you select Remove everything , Windows will display some additional settings in the Additional settings section . By default, the restore process will erase all data on the device, but this process may not help keep data confidential. Also, by default the system will only erase the data on the Windows installation drive.

You can select Change settings to change some settings. If you enable Data erasure , Windows will clean up the data on the drive and make sure that the chances of recovering the data are the lowest so it will take a long time for the factory reset. You should only use this feature when you want to sell or transfer the device to others to use, in addition, it is not necessary to use it.

Finally, enable Data drives to delete data on all hard drives connected to the computer. This includes both an external hard drive and a recovery drive. Because you may have backed up data on these hard drives, you should not enable this option unless you completely erase everything related to your computer.

On the other hand, if you select Keep my files , you will see a summary of the steps that the operating system will perform. You can click List of apps to be removed to see the list of apps to be removed .

With Windows 10 version 20H1 and later, Microsoft will provide more Cloud download feature at this step. This feature allows you to restore Windows 10 with a brand new version downloaded from the internet. This option will be useful if the current operating system is experiencing errors and you have a fast network connection.

Finally, confirm the recovery process by selecting Reset and wait until the process is complete. If you restore factory settings to a laptop, make sure you always plug in the charger to prevent power failure during the restore process. You will need to complete some settings after a successful recovery and ensure that the reinstallation of Windows goes smoothly.

2. Restore original Windows 10 settings with the "Fresh Start" option

In a recent update of Win 10, Microsoft has added a new way to restore factory settings to your computer. The results are still the same, but there are a few small changes, so you can consider referencing.

Go to settings by Setting> Update & Security> Recovery , select the   Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows link at the bottom of the page. You will then be redirected to the Fresh Start section . Select Get started to get started.

Compared to the first method, this way has some differences:

1. Fresh Start always retains your personal data, there is no option to delete data as above.
2. Fresh Start will download the latest version of Windows 10, the recovery options will be based on the recovery information on your drive. This folder is set by the device manufacturer, or located in the C: Recovery folder if you install Windows yourself. Therefore, Fresh Start will avoid operating system conflicts by removing all non-standard Microsoft applications, including those that come pre-installed by the manufacturer (boatware). The only exception is that apps installed by the manufacturer through the Microsoft Store will be retained.
3. Finally, Fresh Start will retain "some Windows settings" but not specifically mentioned. The way to restore the settings described above will not retain any settings.

In short, Fresh Start will be at the latest version of Windows 10 on your device, retain data and some settings and will delete all bloatware applications, except for apps installed from the Store. The first option allows you to choose to keep or delete data, not to retain the installation and restore of Windows and applications based on the computer's restore information.

Remember that after restoring to factory settings, you may need to re-enter the license key with paid applications and the system will need to reinstall the drivers.

3. Reinstall the operating system with Windows Installation Media

If you do not use Windows 8 or 10, you want to find a way to restore the original factory settings without going into the installation section, or you do not want to use the two methods described above for a reason, you always have It is possible to restore Windows using the Windows installer. This way you can reinstall Windows on your computer and erase all data in the old operating system.

If you want to reinstall Windows 7 or 8 from scratch, you can download the Microsoft download tool for Windows 7 and Windows 8. These tools allow you to download the Windows installation as an ISO file to get can burn to DVD or external memory to reinstall Windows on the computer. To install Windows 7, you will need a working license key, but it is not necessary for Windows 8.1.

The way to reinstall is relatively simple, you just need to insert the USB or DVD containing the Windows installer, then select boot, go to Boot and select Boot from the removable device. You will be taken to the Windows installation screen, where you can choose to reinstall an entirely new version of Windows. Remember, this will erase all the data you save on the Windows installation drive.

4. Restore original settings from boot

With the above three ways, most users have been able to restore factory settings for their own devices. However, there are still some other ways if you are interested. In case you cannot start Windows, you can still restore factory settings from the boot screen with Advanced Startup .

If Windows is working properly, you can use this method by going to Settings> Update & Security> Recovery . Under Advanced Startup , select Restart now to reboot and go to Advanced Startup . Or you can go to boot by holding Shift when selecting the Restart button in the Power section on the Start menu.

In case the above does not work, you can press F11 when the device is in the boot process to enter Advanced Startup . Or you can wait for Windows to automatically enter Advanced Startup after three failed boot attempts.

Once in Advanced Startup , select Troubleshoot , then select Reset this PC to begin the recovery process as the first way. You can choose Advanced options to see other options, but there is no way to allow you to restore Windows unless you have a system backup.

Otherwise, you can access the BIOS and directly to the recovery partition on the hard drive if the computer manufacturer has installed it. However, if you restore the factory settings in this way, all of the manufacturer's boatware applications will also be reinstalled. Although not a good way, it still works if you have no other way.

You can also type " create a recovery drive" in the Start menu to open the recovery partition creation tool on the hard drive. However, you will need to spend some memory and you have to create a partition before something goes wrong. If you do not have a recovery partition, it is best to reinstall Windows in a third way.

In short, with Windows 8 and 10, it's a good idea to restore factory settings using the default operating system feature. Windows 7 users should download the new installation from Mrosoft and reinstall the new operating system.

We have presented you with several options for restoring factory settings to your computer. You will need to proceed with this process if you plan to resell the device to someone else or you simply want to refresh the device a bit to improve performance. One of the ways above will help you complete the factory reset process as simply as possible.

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