How to Refresh Windows 10


Resetting reinstalls Windows 10, but lets you choose whether to keep your files (refresh) or remove them (reset), and then reinstalls Windows 10.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18312, Microsoft added a new UI for Reset this PC as part of Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. The new UI provides a more consistent experience across devices with different configurations and requires fewer clicks to complete.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18970, Reset this PC now provides users a new choice to cloud download Windows or use local reinstall. Previously, Reset this PC was only able to do a local reinstall and would build a new Windows installation from existing Windows files.

The cloud download option will reinstall the same build, version, and edition, that is currently installed on your device. This new cloud download option is available to all Windows 10 devices and is different from the “Recover from the cloud” feature available on some earlier Windows 10 devices.

The cloud download option is not currently working when specific optional features are installed. The process will begin, but an error will occur and roll back the changes. To work around this issue, remove the optional features before trying the cloud download option. Microsoft will let us know once this issue has been resolved. The optional features are: EMS and SAC Toolset for Windows 10, IrDA infrared, Print Management Console, RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK), RIP Listener, all RSAT tools, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Storage Management, Wireless Display, WMI SNMP Provider.

For more information, see also:

• Push-button reset (Windows Drivers)
• Recovery options in Windows 10

Option	What it does
Keep my files	This is to refresh Windows 10. Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your accounts and personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
Remove everything	This is to reset Windows 10. Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes all your accounts and personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.) If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option and choose to fully clean the drive. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed.
Restore factory settings	This is to do a factory restore on an OEM PC that came preinstalled with Windows 10. Reinstalls the version of Windows that your PC came with (either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and removes your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Reinstalls any apps your PC manufacturer installed on your PC. This option isn't available on all PCs.

This tutorial will show you how to refresh Windows 10 on your PC to reinstall Windows and keep your personal files and settings, and apps you installed from the Windows Store.

The Reset this PC feature is not available in Safe Mode.

You must be signed in as an administrator to refresh Windows 10.

Refreshing a Windows To Go workspace is not supported.

When Windows 10 is refreshed, it will place a Windows.old folder in the root directory of the Windows drive that contains a copy of the previous Windows 10 installation as a backup. If you like, you can delete the Windows.old folder to recover the large amount of space it uses.

The $SysReset folder is created when a Refresh or Reset is performed. It contains a log folder that may be useful to troubleshoot a problem with refreshing or resetting a PC. The $SysReset folder is safe to delete if you like.

If you reset or refresh your PC within a month of your upgrade to Windows 10, the option in Settings that lets you go back to your previous version of Windows will no longer be available.

For a Windows 11 version of this tutorial, see:

Reset Windows 11 PC

Contents

• Option One: To Refresh Windows 10 at Boot
• Option Two: To Refresh Windows 10 from Settings in Windows 10

OPTION ONE

To Refresh Windows 10 at Boot

1 Boot to advanced startup options.

The Reset your PC option in step 2 below will not be available if you boot from Windows 10 installation media.

2 Click/tap on Troubleshoot. (see screenshot below)

3 Click/tap on Reset this PC. (see screenshot below)

4 Click/tap on Keep my files. (see screenshot below)

If you click/tap on Remove everything, it will reset Windows instead.

5 If prompted, click/tap on an administrator account you want to provide credentials for. (see screenshot below)

A) Enter the password for this administrator account, and click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)

6 Click/tap on Cloud download or Local reinstall for how you would like to reinstall Windows 10. (see screenshots below)

Cloud download is only available in Windows 10 build 18970 and higher.

You can use the new cloud download option to get Windows from the cloud to reinstall instead of reusing the existing Windows files to construct a fresh copy. This can be a more reliable way to reinstall Windows and, depending on internet speed, can be a faster as well. To achieve a similar result previously, you would have to download Windows and create a USB stick, but because this is built-in to Windows it doesn’t require the extra steps of creating a USB stick to do the installation.

7 If prompted to Insert Media, you will need to insert your Windows 10 installation media or recovery drive to continue. (see screenshot below)

8 If prompted, click/tap on the Windows 10 installation that you want to refresh. (see screenshot below)

9 Click/tap on Reset when ready to begin. (see screenshot below)

This will be your last chance to Cancel the reset if wanted.

10 Refreshing Windows 10 will now start. This will take a while to finish, and your PC will restart a few times during the process. (see screenshot below)

11 When resetting has finished, sign in to Windows 10. (see screenshot below)

12 A Removed Apps.html file will be saved on your desktop. It will show a list of all apps removed by the refresh. (see screenshot below)

OPTION TWO

To Refresh Windows 10 from Settings in Windows 10

1 Do step 2 (Settings) or step 3 (Control Panel) below for how you would like to open Recovery in Settings.

2 Open Settings, click/tap on the Update & Security icon, and go to step step 4 below.

3 Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the Recovery icon, click/tap on the If you're having problems with your PC, go to Settings and try resetting it link, and go to step step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

4 Click/tap on Recovery on the left side, and click/tap on the Get started button on the right side under Reset this PC. (see screenshot below)

This will open the C:\Windows\System32\systemreset.exe file.

5 If prompted to Insert Media, you will need to insert your Windows 10 installation media or recovery drive to continue. (see screenshot below)

6 If prompted it Could not find the recovery environment, then you will need to insert your Windows 10 installation media or recovery drive and use Option One instead. (see screenshot below)

7 Click/tap on Keep my files. (see screenshot below)

If you click/tap on Remove everything, it will reset Windows instead.

8 Click/tap on Cloud download or Local reinstall for how you would like to reinstall Windows 10. (see screenshot below)

Cloud download is only available in Windows 10 build 18970 and higher.

You can use the new cloud download option to get Windows from the cloud to reinstall instead of reusing the existing Windows files to construct a fresh copy. This can be a more reliable way to reinstall Windows and, depending on internet speed, can be a faster as well. To achieve a similar result previously, you would have to download Windows and create a USB stick, but because this is built-in to Windows it doesn’t require the extra steps of creating a USB stick to do the installation.

9 Click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)

10 If prompted, click/tap on Next to confim. (see screenshot below)

11 Click/tap on Reset when ready to begin. (see screenshots below)

You can click/tap on the View apps that will be removed link first to see all apps that will be removed by the refresh.

12 Refreshing Windows 10 will now start. This will take a while to finish, and your PC will restart a few times during the process. (see screenshots below)

13 When resetting has finished, sign in to Windows 10. (see screenshot below)

14 A Removed Apps.html file will be saved on your desktop. It will show a list of all apps removed by the refresh. (see screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn Brink

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create a Reset this PC shortcut in Windows 10
• How to Reset Windows 10
• How to Clean Install Windows 10
• How to Custom Install Windows 10
• How to Clean Install Windows 10 without any External Installation Media
• How to Reinstall Windows 10 with this media
• How to 'Recover from a drive' to Reset Windows 10
• How to Download a Recovery Image for a Surface Device
• How to Go Back to Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10
• How to Do a System Restore of Windows 10
• How to Do a Repair Install of Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade
• How to Start Fresh with Clean up-to-date Installation of Windows 10
• What is $SysReset folder and how to delete $SysReset folder in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in Windows 10

Windows 11 Tutorials