If your Windows 11 PC is running badly — crashing, extremely slow, or behaving strangely after a failed update — resetting it to a clean state is often the most reliable fix. The good news is that Windows 11 lets you do a full reset while keeping all your personal files. This guide walks through the reset options and what to expect.
Two Reset Options
When you reset Windows 11, you choose between two options:
- Keep my files — reinstalls Windows, removes all apps and settings, but keeps your personal files (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, etc.). This is the right option for most situations.
- Remove everything — wipes the drive completely and reinstalls Windows from scratch. Use this when selling or giving away the PC, or when you want a completely fresh start.
In both cases, all installed applications are removed and need to be reinstalled. Windows settings return to defaults.
Before You Reset
Even with Keep my files, take precautions:
- Back up important files to an external drive or cloud storage — especially anything not in the main user folders
- Note any software licence keys for apps you will need to reinstall
- Make sure you know your Microsoft account password — you will need it to sign back in
- If using BitLocker, ensure you have your recovery key saved
How to Reset Windows 11
- Go to Settings → System → Recovery
- Under Recovery options, click Reset PC
- Choose Keep my files or Remove everything
- Choose how to reinstall Windows:
- Cloud download — downloads a fresh copy of Windows from Microsoft. Ensures you get the latest version but requires a good internet connection and uses around 4 GB of data.
- Local reinstall — uses the Windows installation already on your PC. Faster but may reinstall the same version with the same potential issues if the Windows files themselves are corrupted.
- Review the summary of what will happen and click Reset
The PC restarts and begins the reset process. This typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on your PC and connection speed. Do not turn the PC off during this process.
What Happens to Your Files
With Keep my files:
- Personal files in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos — kept
- All installed applications — removed
- Windows settings (display, sound, network, personalisation) — reset to defaults
- Browser favourites and passwords — varies by browser. Chrome and Edge sync to your account so they restore automatically after signing back in.
- A list of removed apps is placed on the Desktop after the reset completes so you know what to reinstall.
With Remove everything:
- Everything is deleted. If selling the PC, also choose to fully clean the drive — this overwrites deleted data so it cannot be recovered.
Reset from the Login Screen (If Windows Won’t Boot)
If Windows will not start normally, you can access the reset option from the recovery environment:
- At the login screen, hold Shift and click Power → Restart
- Windows boots into the recovery environment (WinRE)
- Select Troubleshoot → Reset this PC
- Follow the same steps as above
If the PC will not reach the login screen, Windows should automatically boot into WinRE after three failed startup attempts. You can also force this by pressing the power button to interrupt startup twice, then letting it start normally — Windows detects the interrupted boots and loads recovery mode.
Reset vs Other Recovery Options
Windows 11 offers several recovery options in Settings → System → Recovery:
- Go back — reverts to a previous version of Windows (only available for 10 days after a major update)
- Fix problems using Windows Update — reinstalls the current Windows version without affecting files or apps. Try this before a full reset — it fixes many issues without removing your apps.
- Reset this PC — the full reset covered in this guide
- Advanced startup — boots into the recovery environment for deeper repair tools including startup repair, System Restore, and command prompt access
For most problems, try Fix problems using Windows Update first — it resolves corrupted system files and broken updates without the disruption of removing your apps.
After the Reset
After the reset completes, Windows takes you through the initial setup process again. Sign in with your Microsoft account. Check the desktop for the list of removed apps. Reinstall your applications and confirm your files are intact before deleting any backups.
Windows Update will run to install any updates released since the reset image was created — let this complete before using the PC intensively.
