To reset Windows 11, select Start, then Settings, then System, then Recovery, and select Reset PC under Recovery options. You then choose Keep my files or Remove everything, and Cloud download or Local reinstall, and Windows reinstalls itself.
Here's what catches people out. During a reset your screen can go black for a long time, occasionally upwards of 15 minutes, and the PC may try to restart itself. Microsoft warns that restarting it yourself at that point could make the reset fail, so leave it alone. And if your drive is encrypted with BitLocker, find your recovery key before you start, because you'll need it for most recovery options in the Windows Recovery Environment.
The four reset choices
| Choice | What it does, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Keep my files | Reinstalls Windows and removes apps and settings, but keeps documents, photos and other personal files. Restore preinstalled apps puts back your PC maker's customisations |
| Remove everything | Reinstalls Windows and removes all personal files, apps and settings. Clean data also cleans the drive |
| Cloud download | Downloads a fresh copy of Windows with the latest updates, useful if local files are corrupted or missing |
| Local reinstall | Uses the files already on your PC, faster on a slow connection but may not include the latest updates |
Clean data is the setting to switch on if you're selling, donating or recycling the PC. It takes longer, but it makes your removed files harder for other people to recover. Microsoft does say this erasure is aimed at consumers and doesn't meet government and industry data erasure standards.
How to reset Windows 11 from Settings
- Back up your important files, and turn on Windows Backup under Settings > Accounts > Windows Backup to save your apps and settings.
- Find your BitLocker recovery key if your device is encrypted.
- Select Start > Settings > System > Recovery.
- Under Recovery options, select Reset PC.
- Choose Keep my files or Remove everything, then Cloud download or Local reinstall.
- Follow the on-screen instructions, and don't restart the PC yourself while it works.
If Windows won't start, you can reset from the Windows Recovery Environment instead: select Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC. If Windows fails to start several times, the PC opens the Recovery Environment by itself. Microsoft says recovery typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the method.
Try the lighter fixes before a reset
Microsoft calls Reset this PC the most disruptive option and suggests working up to it. If the PC starts but is slow, crashing or freezing, this is the order it recommends.
| Option | What you keep | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Run a troubleshooter | Everything | First, under Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters |
| Reinstall Windows using Windows Update | Files, apps and settings | Windows 11, version 22H2 or later |
| Uninstall a recent update | Files and apps | The problem started after an update |
| Point-in-time restore | Rolls everything back to a restore point; later changes are lost | Windows 11, version 24H2 or later |
| System Restore | Personal files; later system changes are undone | Older restore points, Windows 10 or 11 |
| Reset this PC | Your files, if you choose Keep my files | The lighter options didn't work |
| Cloud rebuild | Nothing on the PC; OneDrive files are unaffected | Reset this PC didn't fix it |
Point-in-time restore keeps restore points for up to 3 days, and it's the one to try first when both restore options are there. For anything older, use System Restore. If the trouble started after upgrading to a new version of Windows, you can go back to the previous version for 10 days after upgrading.
Cloud rebuild: the newer reset that always wipes
Cloud rebuild is Microsoft's newest option and it differs from Reset this PC in three ways. It always removes everything, with no keep-my-files choice. It downloads both Windows and your PC's drivers from Windows Update instead of relying on the files already on your PC, so it works even when those files are badly damaged and you don't need a USB drive. And it can sanitise your data before you recycle, return or give the PC away.
- Install the October 2026 Windows non-security update or later, through Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog.
- Back up your files, connect to the internet by Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and plug the PC into power.
- Go to Settings > System > Recovery and select Rebuild PC next to Rebuild this PC. If Windows won't start, use Troubleshoot > Cloud rebuild in the Recovery Environment.
- Choose Remove files if you're keeping the PC, or Remove & sanitize if it's leaving your hands.
- With more than one disk, pick Windows disk only or All disks, then select Sanitize and install.
- Don't turn off or restart the PC until it finishes, then set it up like a new one and check for updates.
Sanitising can't be undone, and the PC can look idle for a long time while it runs. Windows asks your disk to erase the data using the strongest method the disk supports, but it can't independently check what the disk did. If you must erase data for a company or legal requirement, ask your PC maker whether your PC supports data sanitisation.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
If Cloud rebuild stops with an error
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The PC isn't connected to the internet | Connect Ethernet or Wi-Fi, select Cancel, then Troubleshoot > Cloud rebuild to try again |
| The PC doesn't meet the Windows 11 requirements, most often because TPM is turned off | Turn on TPM in the UEFI or BIOS settings, where it might be called PTT, fTPM or Security Device |
| A driver your PC needs isn't on Windows Update | Contact your PC maker, use its recovery media, or reinstall with installation media |
| Data sanitization couldn't be completed | Try again, or skip sanitising only if you're keeping the PC |
My verdict on resetting Windows 11
I'd always try the lighter options first, because a troubleshooter or uninstalling a bad update fixes a lot without touching your files. If you're not sure Windows itself is the problem, try Safe Mode first. If you do reset, Keep my files with Cloud download is the sensible default for a PC you're keeping. If you're selling or giving it away, use Remove everything with Clean data, or Cloud rebuild with Remove & sanitize, and don't skip the sanitising. For other makes and older machines, here's my guide to factory resetting any laptop, and if you've got an Apple machine too, here's the Mac equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
Does resetting Windows 11 delete my files?
Only if you choose Remove everything. Keep my files reinstalls Windows and removes apps and settings but keeps your personal files.
Should I choose Cloud download or Local reinstall?
Cloud download gets a fresh copy of Windows with the latest updates and helps if local files are corrupted. Local reinstall is faster on a slow connection but may not include the latest updates.
How long does a Windows 11 reset take?
Microsoft says recovery typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the method. The screen can go black for upwards of 15 minutes, so don't restart it yourself.
What's the difference between Cloud rebuild and Reset this PC?
Reset this PC can keep your personal files. Cloud rebuild always removes everything, downloads Windows and drivers from Windows Update, and can sanitise your data.
Do I need my BitLocker key to reset Windows 11?
If your device is encrypted, yes. You'll need your BitLocker recovery key for most recovery options in the Windows Recovery Environment.
