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On Windows 10, go to Start → Settings → Update & Security → Recovery → Reset this PC → Get started → Keep my files. This reinstalls Windows while intending to preserve personal files such as documents and photos—but it removes installed apps and resets many settings. Back up and verify your data before starting.
Although commonly called a factory reset, Windows Reset this PC may not restore the exact manufacturer image. It also does not restore ordinary Windows 10 support: Microsoft ended standard support on October 14, 2025. If your hardware supports it, evaluate Windows 11 before rebuilding Windows 10.
What “Keep my files” preserves—and removes
Microsoft describes Keep my files as reinstalling Windows while preserving personal files in your user profile. It is not a way to preserve the entire computer exactly as it is.
| Usually intended to preserve | Removed or reset |
|---|---|
| Documents, Pictures, Videos, and other files in your Windows profile | Installed desktop applications |
| Personal files in standard folders | Many Windows and system-wide settings |
| Files that are actually stored locally | Some application data, drivers, preferences, and custom configurations |
Files in unusual locations, separate partitions, encrypted containers, application-specific folders, or cloud services may require separate backups. Cloud files shown as placeholders may not be available offline until synchronization finishes.
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See Microsoft’s Reset your PC guidance for the current options and warnings.
Before resetting: use this checklist
1. Back up your files
Copy important data to an external drive, a trusted cloud account, or another computer. At minimum, check:
- Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos
- Custom folders outside your user profile
- Browser bookmarks, profiles, and password-manager data
- Email archives, game saves, databases, templates, plug-ins, and fonts
- Files stored in OneDrive, Google Drive, or another cloud service
Windows Backup and OneDrive folder backup are described in Microsoft’s Windows Backup documentation. Synchronization is not the same as an independent backup, so keep another copy of irreplaceable data when possible.
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2. Verify the backup
Open several copied documents, photos, and videos. Confirm that the backup contains your Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and any custom folders. Sign in to the cloud service’s website and verify that files are present there rather than merely visible as local placeholders.
3. Record applications and accounts
Make a reinstall list containing application names, license keys, subscription accounts, browser extensions, VPN credentials, printer software, specialized drivers, and locally stored application data. You will need to reinstall applications after the reset; Keep my files does not keep your programs.
4. Find your BitLocker recovery key
Encrypted PCs may request the key in Windows Recovery Environment. It may be stored in your Microsoft account, or held by your employer or school. If you cannot locate it, do not casually alter partitions or proceed with a destructive recovery operation.
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5. Prepare the PC
- Connect the AC adapter.
- Disconnect unnecessary external drives to reduce the risk of selecting or changing the wrong drive.
- Use reliable internet if choosing Cloud download.
- Have Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and manufacturer driver information available.
- Do not force a shutdown if the screen goes black. Microsoft warns that this can last more than 15 minutes and that interrupting the process can make the reset fail.
On a work or school computer, contact IT first. Resetting may remove organizational enrollment, certificates, security software, VPN configuration, or management policies.
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- Open Start and select Settings.
- Select Update & Security, then Recovery.
- Under Reset this PC, select Get started.
- Choose Keep my files. Do not choose Remove everything unless you intend to erase personal data.
- Choose Cloud download or Local reinstall.
- Review the applications and settings that will be removed.
- Confirm the reset and leave the computer connected to power.
- Complete Windows setup after the restarts.
The Windows 10 path above is different from Windows 11, where the comparable Settings path is System → Recovery.
Cloud download or Local reinstall?
| Option | Choose it when | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud download | Local Windows files may be damaged, or a fresh installation source is preferred | Requires reliable internet, uses bandwidth, and may take longer. It does not guarantee that every manufacturer utility or driver will be restored. |
| Local reinstall | The local Windows installation files appear intact, or the connection is slow or metered | May fail if recovery files are corrupted and may not include the newest updates. |
Cloud download means Windows obtains a fresh copy from Microsoft. Local reinstall uses files already on the PC; it can be faster, but it is more dependent on the health of those files.
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Reset Windows 10 when it will not boot
Enter Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) using one of these methods:
- Hold Shift while selecting Power → Restart.
- From Windows 10, open Settings → Update & Security → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now.
- Allow Windows RE to appear after repeated failed starts.
- Use a manufacturer recovery key, recovery drive, or Windows installation media.
In Windows RE, select Troubleshoot → Reset this PC → Keep my files, when that option is offered. If BitLocker is enabled, Windows may request the recovery key. Microsoft documents Windows RE entry methods here.
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If Reset this PC fails
- Local reinstall fails: retry with Cloud download if the internet connection is reliable.
- Reset is missing: try Windows RE, then consider Startup Repair, System Restore, or official installation media.
- Windows recently broke: try System Restore or uninstalling a recent update before resetting.
- Windows will not start: use Startup Repair first; if that fails, try System Restore, a recovery drive, or installation media.
- The reset rolls back: preserve your backup, check for storage errors, run manufacturer hardware diagnostics, and investigate insufficient free space, power interruption, encryption issues, or drive failure.
If Windows RE is unavailable, create official installation media on another working PC. Booting from installation media is not automatically a file-preserving repair, so back up data and choose the repair or reinstall path carefully. Microsoft’s instructions are available for creating installation media.
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Does resetting remove malware?
Do not treat Keep my files as a guaranteed malware-removal method. If infection is suspected, begin with an offline scan or qualified malware-removal process. For a more thorough reinstall, Microsoft points users toward installation media. Hardware- or firmware-level threats may require specialist assistance.
What to do after the reset
- Finish Windows setup and connect to the internet.
- Run Windows Update repeatedly until important updates are no longer offered.
- Check Device Manager and install current drivers from the PC manufacturer when necessary.
- Test Wi-Fi, Ethernet, audio, Bluetooth, display resolution, printers, webcams, and other peripherals.
- Reinstall applications from official sources and sign in to your accounts.
- Restore browser bookmarks, password-manager data, mail accounts, game saves, and application data.
- Copy personal files back only after confirming the installation is stable.
- Re-enable backup and verify that synchronization or backup is actually working.
A reset does not return Windows 10 to ordinary supported status. Since support ended on October 14, 2025, check whether the PC is eligible for Windows 11 and whether your applications and hardware are compatible.
Reset, repair, clean install, or upgrade?
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Broad Windows corruption or severe software problems | Reset this PC → Keep my files, after a verified backup |
| A recent application, driver, or system change caused the problem | System Restore or uninstall the application/update |
| Windows will not start | Startup Repair, then System Restore or recovery media |
| You want to retain installed applications and many settings | An in-place repair installation, where the edition, language, architecture, and setup options support it |
| Malware is suspected or Reset repeatedly fails | Installation media and a clean reinstall, with backups handled carefully |
| You need the original manufacturer image | Manufacturer recovery; it may remove more data and restore OEM software |
| The PC is eligible for Windows 11 | Evaluate upgrading instead of rebuilding an unsupported Windows 10 installation |
| The PC is being sold or donated | Remove everything with the drive-cleaning option when available—not Keep my files |
Microsoft’s recovery-options guide explains how the available tools correspond to different failures. An in-place reinstall can preserve apps, settings, and personal files when the correct setup option is selected; see Microsoft’s installation-media guidance.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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Do not use Keep my files. Back up your data, sign out of accounts, and choose Remove everything with the drive-cleaning option when available. Microsoft says this makes removed files harder for another person to recover, but it is consumer-focused and does not meet government or industry data-erasure standards. Organizations handling sensitive or regulated information should use an approved sanitization process.
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