The Ultimate 2025 Guide: 7 Steps To Factory Reset Your Laptop (Windows 11, 10, & MacOS)

Is your laptop sluggish, riddled with errors, or ready to be sold? Performing a full factory reset is the digital equivalent of a deep spring cleaning, wiping away years of clutter, corrupted files, and performance-sapping programs to restore your machine to its original, out-of-the-box speed and stability. As of December 2025, the process has become streamlined on both Windows and macOS, offering modern features like 'Cloud Download' for a truly fresh installation.

Before you begin this powerful process, the single most critical step is backing up all your personal data—photos, documents, and important files—to an external drive or cloud service like OneDrive or iCloud. A factory reset, especially the "Remove everything" option, is permanent and will delete all user data and installed applications.

Essential Pre-Reset Checklist and Key Terminology

A successful laptop reset hinges on understanding the options available and preparing your system. Don't skip these steps, as they are crucial for data preservation and a smooth process.

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Key Entities and Terminology:

• Factory Reset: The process of restoring an electronic device to its original system state.
• Cloud Download: A modern Windows option that downloads a fresh, current copy of the operating system directly from Microsoft's servers. This is highly recommended for the cleanest install.
• Local Reinstall: An option that uses the operating system files already stored on your laptop's recovery partition. It is faster as it doesn't require an internet connection but might use older, unpatched files.
• Keep My Files: A reset option that removes apps and settings but retains your personal files. This is great for fixing software issues without losing documents.
• Remove Everything: A complete wipe of all personal files, apps, and settings. This is mandatory if you are selling or donating the laptop.
• Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE): A troubleshooting and repair environment that is accessible before Windows fully boots. It contains the tools needed to reset the PC.
• Time Machine: Apple's built-in backup software, essential for backing up macOS data before a reset.

The Pre-Reset Checklist:

1. Backup Your Data: Use an external hard drive, USB stick, or cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud) to save all critical files.
2. Locate Software Keys: Note down any product keys for paid software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite) that you will need to reinstall.
3. Charge Your Battery: Plug your laptop into the wall. The reset process can take several hours, and a power failure mid-reset can corrupt the operating system, leading to a "bricked" device.
4. Sign Out of Accounts (macOS Only): On a MacBook, sign out of your Apple ID, iTunes, and Find My Mac before wiping the drive.

Method 1: How to Factory Reset Windows 11 (The Modern Way)

Windows 11 makes the process incredibly straightforward, integrating the factory reset tool directly into the Settings application. This is the recommended method for most users.

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1. Access Recovery Settings: Click the Start Menu, go to Settings, then select System, and click Recovery.
2. Start the Reset: Under "Recovery options," click the Reset PC button next to "Reset this PC."
3. Choose Your Option:
   • Select Keep my files (to keep personal data).
   • Select Remove everything (for a complete wipe or if selling).
4. Select Reinstallation Type:
   • Choose Cloud Download: This downloads the latest Windows version from Microsoft, ensuring your system is fully up-to-date and clean. This is the best option if you have a fast internet connection.
   • Choose Local Reinstall: This uses the existing recovery files on your drive. Use this only if you have a slow internet connection or no Wi-Fi.
5. Final Confirmation: Review the settings (confirming if it will keep files or remove them) and click Reset. The laptop will restart and begin the process, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours.

Method 2: How to Factory Reset Windows 10

The steps for Windows 10 are nearly identical to Windows 11, though the menu locations differ slightly.

1. Access Recovery Settings: Click the Start Menu, go to Settings, then select Update & Security, and click Recovery.
2. Start the Reset: Under "Reset this PC," click the Get started button.
3. Choose Your Option: Select either Keep my files or Remove everything.
4. Select Reinstallation Type: Choose between Cloud Download or Local Reinstall (Cloud Download is still preferred for a cleaner, more stable outcome).
5. Review and Reset: Click Reset to confirm and start the process.

Advanced Reset: Without Logging In (Windows 10 & 11)

If you're locked out and need to reset the PC without a password, you can force the system into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

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1. From the login screen, click the Power icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click Restart. Keep holding Shift until the blue "Choose an option" screen appears.
3. Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
4. Proceed with Remove everything and choose your reinstallation method (Cloud or Local).

Method 3: How to Factory Reset a Modern MacBook (macOS Sonoma/Ventura)

For MacBooks running recent macOS versions (especially those with Apple Silicon chips like M1, M2, or M3), the process is now managed through the System Settings to ensure proper activation lock handling.

1. Access Erase Assistant: Click the Apple Menu () in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions).
2. Find Reset Option: In the sidebar, click General, then scroll down and click Transfer or Reset.
3. Start the Erase: Click the Erase All Content and Settings button.
4. Follow Prompts: A new window, the Erase Assistant, will guide you through signing out of your Apple ID and erasing the drive. You will need your administrator password.
5. Reinstall macOS: After the erase is complete, the Mac will restart into macOS Recovery. Follow the on-screen instructions to select your Wi-Fi network and reinstall the operating system.

Troubleshooting: The Common "There Was a Problem" Reset Error

The most frustrating issue is encountering the error message: "There was a problem when resetting your PC. No changes were made." This often occurs because the system's recovery files are corrupted or missing. You can often fix this using the Command Prompt within the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

Fixing the Reset Error via Command Prompt:

1. Access WinRE: Use the Shift + Restart method from the login screen (as described in the 'Advanced Reset' section).
2. Open Command Prompt: Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. Run System File Checker (SFC): In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter. This scans and repairs critical Windows system files:

   sfc /scannow

4. Run DISM Tool: Once SFC is complete, run the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool, which prepares the Windows image for the reset. Type the following and press Enter:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

5. Retry the Reset: After both processes finish, exit the Command Prompt, restart your laptop, and attempt the factory reset process again. This often resolves the underlying corruption that prevented the reset from working.

If the above steps fail, the final alternative is a "Clean Install" using a bootable USB drive created with the Windows Media Creation Tool or a bootable macOS installer. This bypasses the internal recovery partition entirely, guaranteeing a fresh start.