Troubleshooting
Reset This PC Windows 11: Which Options Should You Choose?
Written by Windows 11 Field Guide Editorial Team · Updated
The Reset this PC Windows 11 feature reinstalls Windows from scratch while letting you decide whether to keep your personal files. It is the most thorough repair built into Windows, and also the most disruptive, because every installed app and setting is removed whichever option you pick. Used well, it fixes deep software problems or prepares a PC for a new owner. Used too early, it costs you an afternoon of reinstalling apps for a problem a lighter fix would have solved.
The steps here apply to Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, Home and Pro.
Try lighter fixes first
Microsoft lists Reset this PC as the most disruptive recovery option and suggests trying the others first. Two are worth knowing:
- Fix problems using Windows Update (Settings > System > Recovery > Reinstall now) reinstalls your current version of Windows and keeps apps, files and settings.
- Uninstall a recent update from Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, if trouble started after an update.
Our Windows 11 troubleshooting hub lists every rung in order, including SFC and safe mode.
Before you reset
- Back up your files, even if you plan to choose Keep my files. Copy them to an external drive or cloud storage.
- List your apps. Settings > Apps > Installed apps shows them. Note licence keys for paid software.
- Find your BitLocker recovery key. If your drive is encrypted, Microsoft advises having the key before you start, and you will need it to reset from the recovery environment. Our BitLocker recovery guide explains where it is stored.
- Plug in laptops and keep them on mains power throughout.
Keep my files vs Remove everything
The first choice is about your personal data.
| Keep my files | Remove everything | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Reinstalled | Reinstalled |
| Personal files (documents, photos, desktop) | Kept | Deleted |
| Installed apps | Removed | Removed |
| Settings | Reset to default | Reset to default |
| Extra option under Change settings | Restore preinstalled apps | Clean data |
| Best for | Fixing persistent software problems | Fresh start, selling or giving away the PC |
Restore preinstalled apps, when available, brings back the apps and customisations your PC maker installed at the factory. Turn it off if you want plain Windows.
Clean data removes files and cleans the drive so they are harder to recover. Microsoft recommends it if you plan to donate, recycle or sell the PC. It takes considerably longer, and Microsoft notes that this erasure is aimed at consumers and does not meet government and industry data erasure standards.
Cloud download vs Local reinstall
The second choice is where the Windows files come from.
- Cloud download downloads a fresh copy of Windows from Microsoft. Choose it when local system files might be corrupted or missing, or when a local reinstall has failed. It needs a working internet connection and uses a sizeable download.
- Local reinstall rebuilds Windows from the files already on the PC. It avoids the download, which helps on slow connections, but it cannot repair damage to those local files.
If you are resetting because Windows is badly broken, Cloud download is usually the safer bet.
Reset from Settings
- Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
- Next to Reset this PC, select Reset PC.
- Choose Keep my files or Remove everything.
- Choose Cloud download or Local reinstall.
- On Additional settings, select Change settings if you want to adjust Restore preinstalled apps or Clean data, then select Next.
- Review the summary of what will happen and select Reset.
Microsoft warns that the screen may go black for a long time, occasionally more than 15 minutes, and the PC may restart itself. Do not switch it off; interrupting a reset can make it fail.
Reset from the recovery environment
If Windows will not start, use the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Windows usually opens it automatically after several failed starts; you can also reach it from the sign-in screen by holding Shift and selecting Power > Restart. Our safe mode guide describes every route in.
- On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
- If prompted, enter your BitLocker recovery key.
- Choose the same options as above and follow the prompts.
If the recovery environment cannot reset the PC, you can reinstall from USB installation media instead; see clean install Windows 11.
Reset this PC compared with other reinstall options
Microsoft offers several ways to reinstall Windows, and they treat your data differently:
| Option | Personal files | Apps and settings |
|---|---|---|
| Fix problems using Windows Update | Kept | Kept |
| Reset this PC, Keep my files | Kept | Removed |
| Reset this PC, Remove everything | Removed | Removed |
| Reinstall from installation media | Your choice during setup | Depends on the choice |
| Recovery drive | Removed | Removed |
If your main goal is to keep everything and just repair Windows, the first row is the one to try before a reset. If you want a genuinely clean slate, Remove everything gives you that without needing a USB drive.
After the reset
- Sign in and connect to the internet. A PC with a digital license normally reactivates on its own.
- Run Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates until nothing new is offered, including Optional updates for drivers.
- Reinstall your apps from trusted sources and restore files from your backup.
If the original problem returns after a full Remove everything reset, the cause is very likely hardware or a driver you reinstalled, not Windows itself.
Frequently asked questions
Does Reset this PC with Keep my files delete my apps?
Yes. Keep my files keeps your personal files, such as documents and photos, but removes installed apps and resets settings. Make a list of your apps and have installers and licence keys ready.
Should I choose Cloud download or Local reinstall?
Choose Cloud download if local Windows files might be damaged or a local reinstall has already failed. Choose Local reinstall if your connection is slow and the PC is otherwise healthy.
How long does resetting Windows 11 take?
It varies with the PC, the options chosen and the connection speed. Microsoft warns the screen may stay black for a long time, occasionally more than 15 minutes, and the PC may restart by itself, so do not interrupt it.
Will Reset this PC remove Windows 11 activation?
A PC with a digital license normally reactivates automatically once it is online after the reset, because the license is tied to the hardware and often to your Microsoft account.
Is Remove everything with Clean data enough before selling a PC?
It makes recovering deleted files much harder and is the option Microsoft suggests for donating, recycling or selling. Microsoft notes it is aimed at consumers and does not meet government and industry data erasure standards.
Sources
Windows 11 Field Guide Editorial Team
Editorial team
The Windows 11 Field Guide team writes and updates independent Windows 11 guides and checks each step against Microsoft's documentation and the current Settings app.
