If you've been thinking virtually reinstalling Windows 10 because of stability issues, malware infections, software bloat or some other effect with your system, it may come as great news that Microsoft has built in a simple method of reinstalling the operating system without deleting your user settings or data and without necessarily going through the full process of creating a bootable deejay or drive.

The option is called "Reset this PC" which will kicking you lot into a fresh installation of Windows while preserving your documents/files. However do note, your installed programs will exist gone (OEM and otherwise).

Along with saving and restoring your core data, the utility creates a Windows.old folder of your previous installation, so you can call back something if necessary. In our tests we were able to launch some of our quondam programs from Windows.old, which gives a little extra confidence until you decide information technology'due south fourth dimension to clean everything up for good.

Reset this PC has gone through a few changes over the last few versions of Windows, simply the core feature remains by and large the same across the board: yous launch the tool and afterwards a few prompts/loading screens you're booted dorsum into a fresh copy of Windows with your user settings and files preserved from the previous installation.

Stuff to Know: Windows Backup, Recovery and Version ID

(You can skip this section to get right to resetting Windows)

The refresh options aren't entirely the same between builds: Windows 8, Windows 10 Ceremony Update and the Creators Update, and so the level of functionality will vary with the version of Windows yous're using.

Here are some ways to check your Windows version, and here's Windows 10's release history via Microsoft and Wikipedia, so you can compare your build number.

  • Right click Commencement > System > Scroll down to Windows specifications
  • Open a Run prompt (Windows cardinal + R) > Enter winver
  • Open a Control Prompt > Enter ver
  • Open a Control Prompt > Enter systeminfo | findstr /C:"OS" (no space between : and ")

We tested with Windows 10 build 1607 (the Anniversary Update released August ii, 2022) as well as the latest version available as of writing, build 1803 released April thirty, 2022. We also threw in Windows 8.i build 9600 for expert measure.

Although the refresh tool should save your data, information technology'due south still prudent to backup important files on a separate drive if you don't want to lose them. We'd as well consider making a Recovery Drive if you have a spare flash device, and mayhap making a backup of your current Windows installation, both of which can be done with just a few extra clicks and some more time on loading screens.

Creating a Windows 10 Recovery Drive: Search the Start Menu for "Create a recovery drive" > follow the prompts (calculation system files will require more than space but lets you perform a reset from the Recovery Drive). After the process has completed you should be able to kick off the drive into a recovery environs with repair options.

Creating a full backup of Windows ten: Navigate to Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore (Windows seven) (that's non a typo) and click "Create a system epitome" on the top left. We presume you tin shop the paradigm file on the same storage device as your Recovery Drive if there is enough space, though we oasis't tested this.

Refreshing Your Windows x Installation

There are some menu changes between the Anniversary Update and the Creators Update that make the instructions different for each, and in fact, the refresh process doesn't office entirely the same manner on both iterations either...

Windows 10 Anniversary Update

  • The refresh process tin can exist initiated via the Settings app > Recovery > Reset this PC
  • Reinstalls Windows from local system files and not the latest version from Microsoft'south servers
  • Only keeps drivers that come with a default Windows installation
  • You get the pick have all of your information deleted ("Remove everything")

Windows 10 Creators Update

  • The refresh process tin can be initiated the same way as above but Microsoft has also added "Fresh showtime" to Windows Defender > Device performance & wellness... Fresh starting time is toward the bottom (click "Additional info" so "Get started")
  • Fresh start installs the latest version of Windows with all updates but requires an internet connection
  • Fresh get-go keeps INF-based drivers
  • Strangely, if y'all utilize "Reset this PC" as described for the Ceremony Update, y'all are prompted to continue or delete your information but starting the procedure via "Fresh start" doesn't include the option to remove everything during the refresh.

In either case, during the refresh Windows 10 volition load into its Recovery Environment where it volition reformat your partition and reinstall itself. But again, before doing so the operating system will set your files and settings bated and restore them when the installation has completed forth with creating a backup Windows.onetime binder containing your previous OS.

As noted in the intro, although our old programs weren't actually installed in the new instance of Windows, they were still listed on the First Menu and launched fine from the Windows.old folder. This arroyo makes it easy to however admission your old data or to get alee and completely remove it depending on your preference.

You can quickly delete items from the Start Menu via C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Carte and if you don't want anything in the Windows.old folder, it'southward probably occupying a lot of storage space. It can be deleted from the root directory with admin elevation or through Disk Cleanup (click "Clean Upwards System Files" at the lesser of the window).

For those on Windows 8...

Searching the Start Screen for "refresh" should provide a shortcut to launch the Update and Recovery department of the PC Settings app where you'll discover 2 options: "Refresh your PC without affecting your files" along with "Remove everything and reinstall Windows." The former should function similarly to "Reset this PC" in Windows 10'southward Ceremony Update while the latter will of form remove all of your personal settings and information with everything else.

Creating a Windows 8 Recovery Drive: Search the Start Screen or Control Panel for "recovery bulldoze" to find the native tool. Your drive must have at least 512MB of storage free.

Creating a total backup on Windows eight (not easy to find): Navigate to the Control Panel > Organisation and Security > File History and look for "Organisation Image Backup" on the bottom left of the window.

Leftovers

  • If the refresh fails, your previous installation is restored
  • Y'all can boot into the Recovery Bulldoze environs by holding Shift and clicking 'Restart' in the Kickoff Menu
  • Microsoft offers a standalone Start fresh tool...
  • Since yous just uninstalled all of applications, check this out for an easy guide to what to download and install subsequently a clean install: Essential Apps and Services to Install on a New PC