How to Reset Laptop to Factory Settings

Troubleshooting hardware or software laptop issues can be very time-consuming, but you should know that there is one very efficient way to solve many of these problems – simply reset your laptop to factory settings. Keep in mind that this step should be considered as a last-ditch effort if other fixes do not seem to work. Resetting your laptop to factory settings is likely to mean that you will lose the installed apps, as well as saved settings, and many files – it is important to backup this data prior to starting the factory reset process. Factory resets can also be a huge time saver when you want to resell an old laptop – thanks to this feature, you can quickly wipe out all personal information and files and leave the laptop in mind software condition. If you have already taken care of the backup part, then you can proceed to follow the factory reset techniques below:

Use Windows' 'Reset this PC'

Windows 10 has a great feature, which allows you to restore your Windows installation to its default state. To do this, you need to look for 'Reset this PC' in the 'Start Menu' and open the application. After this, select 'Get Started' and follow the on-screen instructions to determine whether you want to keep your files or not.

Reset the Computer without Starting Windows

If you find yourself unable to log into Windows, but you still want to sue the 'Reset this PC' feature, then you will be glad to know that there is an alternative to the method mentioned above. Restart your laptop, and start pressing the F11 button repeatedly – this will launch the Windows Recovery Environment. There, you can select the 'Troubleshoot' option, followed by 'Reset this PC.'