How to Reset Your Windows 11 PC While Keeping Your Files

Before You Reset: Important Steps

Before we start, there are things you need to do. Doing these first will save you trouble later.

1Back Up Your Important Files (Just in Case!)

Before you reset your Windows 11 PC, it’s a smart idea to back up your important files, like documents, photos, and videos, even though the ‘Keep my files’ option is designed to protect them.

• What to back up: This includes your documents, photos, videos, music, and any other personal files you saved or downloaded.
• Where to back up: You can use an external hard drive, a USB drive, or online storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

2Get Your App Installers and License Keys Ready

Resetting your Windows 11 PC will remove all your installed programs, so you’ll need to reinstall them later. Gather your app installers and any license keys or product codes now, as you can’t get them back after the reset.

3Check Your BitLocker Recovery Key (If You Use It)

If you use BitLocker to protect your Windows 11 drive, you absolutely need your BitLocker recovery key before resetting your PC. Without it, you might not be able to access your data after the reset, so find it now.

How to find it: Your BitLocker recovery key is usually saved to your Microsoft account. You can find it by going to account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey on another device. You can also print it and keep it safe.

How to Reset Your PC and Keep Your Files

Now that you’re prepared, let’s reset your PC. We’ll do this through ⚙️ Windows Settings, which is the most direct way.

Step 1Go to Recovery Settings

To begin resetting your Windows 11 PC, you first need to go to the Recovery settings. ⚙️ Open Settings by clicking the ⊞ Start button and the gear icon, then select System, and finally click on Recovery in the left-hand menu.

1. Click the Start button (the Windows logo) in the bottom-left corner.
2. Click the Settings icon (it looks like a gear). Or, press Windows key + I on your keyboard.
3. In ⚙️ the Settings window, click on System.
4. Scroll down the menu on the left and click on Recovery.

Step 2Start the Reset

In the Recovery settings, you’ll see a few options. Find the one to start resetting your PC.

Under “Recovery options,” you should see Reset PC. Click the Get started button next to it.

Step 3Choose “Keep my files”

When resetting your Windows 11 PC, the most important choice is to select the ‘Keep my files’ option. This option reinstalls Windows, removes apps and settings, but crucially preserves your personal files.

• Keep my files: This option reinstalls Windows. It removes apps and settings but keeps your personal files. This is the one you want!
• Remove everything: This option reinstalls Windows and removes all your files, apps, and settings. Use this if you want a completely fresh start or are giving your PC away.

Click on Keep my files.

Why: Choosing “Keep my files” tells Windows to keep your documents, pictures, music, videos, and other personal files in folders like Desktop, Documents, and Downloads. However, all the apps you installed, like games or software, will be removed.

Step 4Choose How to Reinstall Windows

After selecting ‘Keep my files’ for your Windows 11 reset, you’ll choose how to reinstall Windows: either via a ‘Cloud download’ for the latest version or a ‘Local reinstall’ using existing files.

• Cloud download: This downloads a new copy of Windows from Microsoft’s servers. It’s usually best because you get the latest version with all updates. You need a good internet connection for this.
• Local reinstall: This uses the Windows files already on your computer. It’s usually faster if your internet is slow, but it might not have the newest updates.

Pick the option that works best for your internet speed. If you have good internet, Cloud download is often the best choice.

Step 5Check Extra Settings

Before confirming your Windows 11 reset, check the ‘Extra settings’ screen, which explains what will happen. You might see options to change settings, like whether to clean the data or reinstall preinstalled apps, so ensure they are correct.

Click on Change settings if it’s there. You might see options for cleaning the data (this isn’t usually what you want if you’re planning to keep your files) or if preinstalled apps should be put back.

Make sure ⚙️ the settings are what you expect. Double-check that your personal files will be kept and that you are not choosing to erase all data.

Click Confirm or Next to continue.

Why: This screen is your last chance to review the details. Look carefully to make sure you haven’t accidentally chosen an option that would delete your personal files.

Step 6Confirm and Start the Reset

You’re almost done! Windows will now show you a final summary and ask if you’re ready to start.

Read the summary screen carefully. It will say again that Windows will be reinstalled, apps and settings will be removed, but your personal files will be kept.

Click the Reset button.

Step 7Wait for the Reset to Finish

Resetting your Windows 11 PC can take a long time, from 30 minutes to several hours, and your PC will restart multiple times. Be patient during this process, as it’s normal for the screen to go black for extended periods.

Your PC will restart several times during this process.

The screen might go black for a while (sometimes 15 minutes or more). This is normal. Don’t force your PC to shut down or restart it yourself during this time. Doing so could cause problems.

You will eventually see a progress bar showing you how far along it is.

Step 8First Setup After Reset

After your Windows 11 PC resets, you’ll go through the first setup again, similar to when it was new, but your personal files will remain. You’ll choose your region, keyboard, connect to 📶 Wi-Fi, and sign in with your Microsoft account.

• You’ll be asked to choose your region, keyboard layout, and connect to 📶 Wi-Fi.
• You’ll probably need to sign in with your Microsoft account again.
• Windows will then 🔃 install updates and get your desktop ready.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e

Summary

Resetting your Windows 11 PC while keeping your files is a great way to fix issues or refresh your system without losing data. By backing up files, gathering app installers, and choosing the ‘Keep my files’ option in Settings, you can successfully reinstall Windows.