Select any of the following for more detailed info. If you don’t have Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 media, contact Microsoft Support.
If you upgraded your PC to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 with a DVD, use that disc. For more info, see Create a USB recovery drive. Having a recovery drive can help you troubleshoot and fix problems with your PC, even if it won’t start. The computer will restart and take you to the troubleshooting option screen. While holding the Shift key, click Restart.
Follow these steps and you can factory reset Windows 10 or 8 from the login screen: From the login screen, click the Power icon in the lower right corner of the screen. If you don’t have either of those, you can make them if you have a USB thumb drive of 16 GB or larger. Reset Dell Laptop to Factory Settings Without Knowing Admin. In some cases, you might have created them when you first set up your PC. When you choose to erase data, make sure you click on the 'thoroughly' option rather than. Finally, choose Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows. Head to the Start screen, find the Charms bar, click on Settings and then hit Change PC settings.
Check the info that came with your PC to see if your PC manufacturer provided these discs or media. Its much easier to wipe a hard drive in Windows 8 or 8.1. If your PC came with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, you’ll need the discs or thumb drive that came with your PC. If that happens, what you’ll need depends on your PC. However, if Windows needs missing files, you’ll be asked to insert recovery media, which is typically on a DVD disc or thumb drive. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators. In most cases, once you start to refresh or reset your PC, it’ll finish on its own. Before you start to refresh or reset your PC If you want to back up and restore your personal files using File History, see Set up a drive for File History. The Just remove my files option just deletes your files. When Windows is ready it will display a prompt asking how you would like to clean your data. Windows 8 will now start preparing the Reset process. Wipe off any dust/ dirt by using a soft, (preferably) cotton cloth without using water. If you are sure you want to reset your PC and erase all of your data, please click on the Next button. You can refresh, reset, or restore your PC from the Windows Recovery Environment. Alternatively, you can reset your computer by pressing Shift+F8 before boot and searching for Reset option.
If you're having trouble starting (booting) your PC, see Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode), and go to the “Get to Windows Startup Settings in the Windows Recovery Environment” section. Restore your PC to undo recent system changes you've made. Reset your PC to reinstall Windows but delete your files, settings, and apps-except for the apps that came with your PC. Refresh also keeps the apps that came with your PC and the apps you installed from the Microsoft Store. Refresh your PC to reinstall Windows and keep your personal files and settings. If you're having problems with your PC, you can: Note: For information about this topic in Windows 10, see Recovery options in Windows 10.