Simple Ways to Reset Windows 11 PC Without Losing Data

‘Windows Reset’ is often used as the last resort for resolving any system related error likeBSoD error screen, system file corruption, etc. It is mainly performed when you are not able to fix a critical system problem using standard fixes. Resetting your Windows 11 PC puts a fresh breath of life into your computer by cleaning and restoring all the settings to their factory settings, along with eliminating any pesky bugs or critical system issues.

Let’s look at the methods you can employ to safely reset your Windows 11 PC without losing your data.

Methods to Perform Factory Reset on Windows 11 PC Without Losing Data

There are several methods to perform factory reset on your Windows 11 computer.You must be aware of the fact thatreinstalling your Windows 11computer could lead to data loss. Hence, before proceeding, it’s recommended to take a complete backup of your data to keep yourself safe from any unprecedented data loss.

However, if you want to reset your Windows 11 PC and remove everything from it, you can do so without any worry.

Here are the methods to reset your Windows 11 PC –

Method 1: Resetting Windows 11 Computer Without Losing Your Data

This is an easy way to reset your Windows 11 PC and bring it back to its factory state. It preserves all your data and files present on your computer. This is a very simple to employ method and can be performed without using any external media like bootable media etc. Carefully follow the steps mentioned below in the given order –

• PressWIN + QorWIN + Sand typeReset this PC。
• Click on the result.

• In the Recovery window, navigate toReset this PCoption and click onReset PC。

• In the following dialog box, click onKeep my filesoption.

• In the next dialog box, make your selection between eitherCloud downloadorLocal reinstallto reset Windows 11.

• Next, in theAdditional settingsdialog box, click onNext。

• In the last dialog box, click onReset。This will begin resetting your PC.

Method 2: Resetting Windows 11 Computer While Erasing All Data

This is an alternative way to perform factory reset on your Windows 11 computer. This will reset your Windows 11 PC to its factory state and will remove all your data, files, and installed apps. Carefully follow the steps below–

• PressWIN + QorWIN + Sand typeReset this PC。
• Click on the result.
• In the Recovery window, navigate toReset this PCoption and click onReset PC。
• In the following dialog box, click onRemove everythingoption.

• In the next dialog box, make your selection between eitherCloud downloadorLocal reinstallto reset Windows 11.
• Next, in theAdditional settingsdialog box, click onChange settings。

• Toggle the settings as per your requirements and click on确认。

• In the last window, click onResetafter reviewing all the changes that will be made. This will begin resetting your PC and remove all the data present on it.

Method 3: Reset Windows 11 PC Using Installation Media

You can use this method to reset or perform clean install of Windows 11 on your computer. For this method, you would require a blank USB drive or a CD/DVD to create Windows 11 media creation tool. Follow the steps mentioned below–

• Connect the blank USB drive to your computer.
• Download Windows 11 Installation Media fromhere。
• Once downloaded, follow the steps mentionedhereto create the installation media.

Once the Windows 11 installation media is ready to be used, perform a clean installation of Windows 11 on your computer. Follow the steps given below.

• Connect the installation media drive to your computer.
• OpenFile Explorer并打开USB驱动器。
• Double-click on theexeto launch Windows 11 installation media.

• Click onNext。

• Click onAcceptin the next windows after reading the license terms to proceed further.

• Click onChange what to keepto choose fromKeep personal files and appsorKeep personal files onlyorKeep nothingoptions as per your requirements.
• Click onInstallto perform clean installation of Windows 11.

Method 4: Resetting Windows 11 Using Advanced Boot Options

In a typical scenario where your Windows 11 computer fails to boot, you can enter the advanced boot options and reset Windows 11 without losing the data or erasing the files, depending on your needs. This method can also be used for resetting and reinstalling Windows 11. For this, you will need a system recovery disk or Windows 11 installation media (in Method 3). To use this method –

• PowerONyour Windows 11 computer.
• Connect the Media tool that we created in theMethod 3。
• PressWIN + QorWIN + Sand typeReset this PC。
• Click on the result.
• In the复苏section, click onRestart nowbutton present underAdvanced startup。

• Once in theAdvanced options, click onTroubleshoot。

• Click onReset this PC。

• In the next window, choose betweenKeep my filesorRemove everything。

• 选择从Cloud downloadorLocal reinstallon the next screen.

• On the next screen, choose theOnly the drive where Windows is installedThis will remove data only from the Windows installation drive. TheAll drivesoption will erase data present on all the drives. Choose the latter only when you are selling or discarding your computer.

• On the next screen, you will see 2 options –Just remove my filesorFull clean the drive。The former option will quickly erase the data from the selected drive, whereas the latter will perform a secure erasure of your data and might take hours. Choose the latter if you are planning on selling your computer.

• On the last screen, review the changes to be made and then click onReset。This will begin resetting your Windows 11 PC and will reinstall it according to the selected settings.

After resetting and reinstalling Windows 11, the wizard will show you theout-of-the-box experiencescreen. Follow the instructions as prompted on the screen to finalize the Windows 11 installation on your computer.

Lost Data After Resetting Windows 11?

Ideally, choosing the ‘Keep my files’ option should keep your files and folders intact. However, in some cases, you may experience unexpected data loss. In such scenarios, you can use a powerful data recovery tool likeStellar Data Recoveryto recover your lost data in a matter of few clicks.

• Download and installStellar Data Recoveryon your Windows 11 PC and launch it.
• On the first screen, select thetype of datayou wish to recover. By default,All Datais selected. Click onNext。

• On the next screen, select thedrive/volumefrom where you wish to recover your lost data. Click onRecoverto begin data recovery.

• Once the data recovery is complete, preview the files in thePreviewwindow to check their integrity.

• If satisfied with the results, click onRecoverand choose the location where you wish to save your recovered data.

Notes –

• For recovering data, you will need to purchase the license to save the recovered data.
• If you are unable to find the required files after following the above steps, you can performDeep Scan。This scan will perform a comprehensive, file signature-based scan of all sectors and find your lost data. Hence, this might take some time.

重置窗口11 Easy

Resetting Windows 11 is a great way to resolve numerous pesky system issues and bugs. Be it a complete reset or resetting with data intact, this process refreshes the system and returns it back to its original state. However, you should be aware of various PC reset methods and their outcomes before proceeding as any error in execution may cause data loss.

In this post, we discussed some ways to reset your Windows 11 computer or even perform factory reset by completely erasing all the data. Along with the methods discussed above, we also came across a professional data recovery tool that can aid you in recovering data in any data loss scenario.

FAQs

Q. Does Windows 11 reset delete everything?

A. The reset process will provide you with two options – to keep the files as it is or to erase them. So it depends upon your choice that you made during the Reset Windows 11 wizard. SeeMethod 1&Method 2for more details.

Q. Does resetting Windows 11 require product key?

A. No, Resetting Windows 11 doesn’t require a product key.