How to Prepare Your Windows PC for Transfer

Follow this guide to securely wipe your data and reset your Windows PC to factory settings before selling or giving it away.

1. Back up your personal files. Connect an external storage drive or use a cloud service to copy your documents, photos, and desktop files. Ensure that application-specific data, such as browser bookmarks and local save files, are included in the transfer. Verify that the backup is complete before proceeding to data destruction.
2. Sign out of your Microsoft account. Navigate to Settings > Accounts > Your info. If you are signed in, ensure your data is synced or exported, then proceed to remove the device from your Microsoft account online portal at account.microsoft.com/devices. This prevents the new user from accessing your cloud-linked preferences.
3. Initiate the system reset process. Navigate to Settings > System > Recovery. Locate the 'Reset this PC' option and click 'Reset PC'. This triggers the automated recovery environment built into Windows 11.
4. Select the removal options. When prompted, choose 'Remove everything'. This ensures all personal files, apps, and settings are wiped from the drive. Select 'Change settings' to toggle 'Clean data' to 'On' for a more secure erasure, which prevents file recovery tools from retrieving your old data.
5. Finalize and execute the reset. Review the summary screen to ensure your preferences are set correctly. Click 'Reset' to begin the process. The computer will restart automatically and perform the reinstallation of Windows.