When a Windows 11 PC has become so unstable, slow, or riddled with problems that ordinary troubleshooting isn't cutting it, a full reset is often faster and more reliable than continuing to chase individual faults — and Windows 11's built-in Reset this PC feature can do this while keeping your personal files completely intact. This guide covers when a reset is the right call, exactly how to do it safely, and what to check both before and after.

Pro tip: "Keep my files" removes installed apps and restores default settings, but keeps your personal files in folders like Documents, Pictures, and Desktop. It is not a substitute for a backup — always back up anything genuinely important before starting, since interruptions (a power cut, for instance) during the process carry real risk even though the feature is designed to be safe.

When a Reset Is the Right Choice

Consider a reset over more targeted troubleshooting when:

  • The PC suffers from persistent, unexplained crashes or slowdowns that survive a malware scan and driver updates.
  • You're preparing to sell, give away, or retire the PC and want a clean starting point for the next owner (in this case use Remove everything instead, covered below).
  • Software has become so tangled — conflicting drivers, remnants of uninstalled programs, registry bloat — that a clean slate is genuinely faster than manual cleanup.
  • You've tried System Restore and driver rollbacks without success, and the problem persists across multiple restore points.

If the issue is narrow and recent (started right after a specific update or install), try System Restore first, since it's much faster and reversible — see our guide on using System Restore to undo recent Windows changes.

Before You Start: Preparation Checklist

  1. Note down your installed applications. "Keep my files" removes all installed programs — Windows creates a list on your desktop after the reset (a file named something like "Removed Apps.html") but it's worth knowing in advance what you'll need to reinstall, especially anything requiring a licence key you might not have readily available.
  2. Locate your Microsoft account details and any local account passwords, since you'll need to sign back in afterwards.
  3. Back up files stored outside the standard user folders. Anything saved directly to the C: drive root, in unusual locations, or on a second internal drive with a custom folder structure should be copied to an external drive or cloud storage as a precaution, since "Keep my files" specifically protects your user profile folders (Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Downloads, Music, Videos) rather than the entire drive indiscriminately.
  4. Ensure the laptop is plugged into mains power, or the PC has an uninterrupted power supply, since a reset can take an hour or more and must not be interrupted.
  5. Check you have a stable internet connection, as the process may need to redownload Windows components.

Step-by-Step: Resetting Windows 11 with Keep My Files

  1. Open Settings (Win + I).
  2. Go to System > Recovery.
  3. Under Recovery options, click Reset PC.
  4. In the dialog that appears, select Keep my files.
  5. Choose how Windows should be reinstalled: Cloud download (downloads a fresh copy of Windows 11 directly from Microsoft, recommended if your current installation may itself be corrupted, but requires more data and time) or Local reinstall (uses files already on your PC, faster if your internet connection is limited but relies on the existing installation files being intact).
  6. Review the list of apps that will be removed, shown on the next screen, and note anything you'll need to reinstall.
  7. Click Next, then Reset to confirm.
  8. The PC will restart multiple times during the process. Do not turn it off — this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on drive speed and the option chosen.

What Happens During the Reset

Windows removes all installed applications and drivers not included in the base Windows 11 installation, resets system settings to their defaults, and reinstalls the core operating system files, all while preserving the contents of your user profile folders. Your Wi-Fi passwords, most personalisation settings, and installed Microsoft Store apps are typically not preserved and will need to be reconfigured or reinstalled after the process completes.

Safety warning: Do not close the laptop lid or allow it to enter sleep mode during a reset — this can interrupt the process. If it's a laptop, disable automatic sleep temporarily via Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep before starting, or simply keep the lid open and stay nearby.

After the Reset: What to Do Next

  1. Reconnect to Wi-Fi and sign back into your Microsoft account if prompted.
  2. Check for Windows Updates immediately via Settings > Windows Update, since a freshly reset PC is often several updates behind.
  3. Reinstall essential applications, referring to the "Removed Apps" list left on the desktop if you didn't note them down beforehand.
  4. Reinstall device drivers if anything isn't working correctly — most are handled automatically via Windows Update, but specialist hardware (a dedicated graphics card, for instance) may need drivers downloaded directly from the manufacturer for full functionality.
  5. Restore any files you backed up externally that lived outside your user profile folders.
  6. Run a malware scan with Windows Security once updates are complete, as a clean baseline check on the freshly reset system.

Reset This PC vs Remove Everything vs Fresh Start

Windows 11 offers a few related but distinct options worth distinguishing:

  • Reset this PC > Keep my files — covered above, the best choice for fixing a struggling but salvageable PC you're keeping.
  • Reset this PC > Remove everything — deletes all personal files and apps, restoring the PC to a clean state. Use this when selling, donating, or fully retiring a machine, and always ensure a complete backup exists first, since this option offers no recovery of your files afterwards.
  • Fresh Start (via Windows Security > Device performance & health) — a similar clean-reinstall option that also keeps personal files but, unlike a standard reset, always downloads the very latest version of Windows fresh from Microsoft rather than offering a local reinstall option, useful specifically when you suspect the local Windows installation files themselves are corrupted.

If the Reset Itself Fails

If Reset this PC fails partway through or won't start due to underlying corruption, boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (interrupt startup three times consecutively to trigger it automatically) and attempt the same Reset this PC option from Troubleshoot > Reset this PC within the recovery environment instead of from within Windows itself — this uses a more resilient recovery-mode path that can succeed even when the regular in-Windows reset cannot. If that also fails, a full clean install from Windows installation media, after manually backing up your files first, is the remaining option.

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