How to easily reset a Windows 10 PC without losing your important files

How to easily reset a Windows 10 PC without losing your important files

Its quite normal for your Windows 10 PC to slow down after several app installs. Lagging could also be as a result of driver, registry or malware issues. Although we’d dropped a very helpful guide on how to fix a slow PC, resetting is sometimes the easiest fix but the fear of losing important files deters many. This guide will teach you how to reset your Windows 10 PC and most importantly, not lose your valuable files.

Will I lose my files and installed applications after I reset?

Installed applications? Yes. Files? depending on your selection. As a rule of thumb, backup all your important files to an external storage device (SSD, HDD, SD card or Flash drive). This guide is however aimed at preventing file loss as a result of the Operating System (OS) reset.

How do I reset my Windows 10 PC and still not lose my files?

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* Note: Ensure that the PC’s battery is well charged or charging throughout the process (recommended) to avoid an interruption due to a drained battery.

There are two methods you could use:

Reset from outside Windows

Reset from within Windows (recommended)

you wish to retain your files but remove apps and settings, select Keep my files (Recommended). If you wish to remove apps, settings and files, select Remove Everything.

You should get a notification of what is to be removed

Sit back and let the process complete. Once its done, you should find yourself in the Windows 10 setup menu.

* Note: It might take a while so fight off the temptation to interfere with the reset process.