How To Reset Windows 10 WITHOUT Losing Personal Data & Files

[Jack]

Jack submitted a new resource:

How to reset Windows 10 to factory settings without losing your files - Reset Windows 10 and keep your files

If you're having problems with Windows 10, resetting it can help. The Reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Windows 10 to its original state without losing photos, music, videos or personal files. This is the least invasive reset option.

To reset Windows 10 to factory settings without losing your files, follow the below steps:

OPTION 1:

1. Click on the "Start" button in the lower-left corner and then click on "Settings" (gear...

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[Jack]

So have you ever used the Windows 10 built-in Reset feature? If yes, everything worked as it should? Did it manage to fix the issue?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

So have you ever used the Windows 10 built-in Reset feature? If yes, everything worked as it should? Did it manage to fix the issue?

Yes, used it recently because of an install problem with the new version of Comodo Firewall 11. Worked great

 

[SumTingWong]

So have you ever used the Windows 10 built-in Reset feature? If yes, everything worked as it should? Did it manage to fix the issue?

Yes. But if my PC is infected then I will perform a clean installation instead of resetting my PC with the built in recovery partition.

 

[imuade]

I have used it recently because I played with too many security SWs, so I felt my PC was getting slower. It worked as expected, it kept all my files and most of my settings, I just had to re-install my 3rd party SW

 

[illumination]

I have used it to test the feature, it worked as it should, but i still prefer a clean wipe and installation personally.

 

[codswollip]

In Option 1 it says your apps will be removed, but not your personal files... what exactly does that mean?

Will installed programs (not Win Apps) be removed?

Are personal files limited to Documents, Pictures, Videos, Downloads ... and other Win "location" folders?

 

[illumination]

Will installed programs (not Win Apps) be removed?

Yes, it is a clean reset of the operating system, those 3rd party applications need removed to do so.

Are personal files limited to Documents, Pictures, Videos, Downloads ...

This is correct.

 

[codswollip]

Yes, it is a clean reset of the operating system, those 3rd party applications need removed to do so.


This is correct.

Then this reset process is hardly helpful for me. I have backups of my personal files; it's the installed apps, many of which I must manually unregister, whose installation drives me mad. If I need an OS reset, I just might as well do a bare metal install. Thanks, no thanks Microsoft.

 

[Ink]

Yes. But if my PC is infected then I will perform a clean installation instead of resetting my PC with the built in recovery partition.

If you no longer rely on the Factory partition, it can be wiped to free up space. Keep a copy of your drivers.