At some point you may experience problems with Windows 10. Reinstalling is something you consider, but are not going to do. To solve this problem, you can reset Windows 10 to factory settings.
If you are going to restore Windows 10 to factory settings, you will perform a reset in Windows. You can choose to keep or delete personal files.
Resetting Windows 10 to factory settings is a standard feature in Windows 10 that you can find in the settings. This function was previously found in Windows 8 and has since also been present in Windows 10.
At the moment Windows 11 the latest operating system from Microsoft. However, many people are still working with Windows 10. That's why you can read how to solve problems in Windows 10 by resetting the factory settings.
Restore Windows 10 to factory settings
To restore factory settings in Windows 10, follow the steps below.
- Open settings.
- Click on “Update & Security”.
- Then click on “System Restore”.
- After this, click on “Get started” in the “Reset this PC” option.
If your PC is not working properly, you can try the restore factory settings. You can choose whether you want to keep or delete your personal files. Then Windows is reinstalled.
Keep my files
Apps and settings will be deleted, but your personal files will be retained.
Here's what is and isn't kept:
- Files in your user profile folder (C:\Users\Username) are saved as expected. This does not have to be in a sub-folder (Documents, Images, etc) because files saved directly in the profile folder are also saved.
- Files are saved to the system drive. That means, files in C:\ (if C is your system drive) and subfolders you created there are safe.
- Even though AppData is in your user profile, it will be deleted (C:\Users\AppData). Files are not saved there.
- Files in Program Files, Program Files (x86), ProgramData, and Windows are not saved. This is expected because Windows says “apps” are being removed. Windows makes a list of deleted programs and puts them on your desktop for you after the factory reset.
- Files saved directly to the user folder (C:\Users) and not to a specific user profile are not saved.
- The public user profile (C:\Users\Public) is also not saved.
Delete everything
This will delete all your personal files, apps and settings.
Make your choice by clicking on the desired option.
Once you have made your choice, Windows is prepared for the selection. Now follow the procedure and Windows 10 will be reset to factory settings.
Read here about Attune's recovery options in Windows 10† Read also Restore Windows 11 to factory settings.
I hope this helped you. Thank you for reading!