How to Reset Windows 11 While Keeping Your Personal Files

Restore your Windows 11 system to factory settings without deleting your documents, photos, or personal data. Follow this step-by-step recovery guide.

1. Open the Recovery settings menu. Press the Windows key and select the Settings gear icon. Navigate to System > Recovery in the sidebar. Locate the Recovery options section to access the reset interface.
2. Initiate the Reset this PC process. Under Recovery options, click the Reset PC button. A blue dialog box will appear. Select Keep my files to proceed with the restoration while maintaining your user profile data.
3. Select your reinstallation source. Choose between Cloud download or Local reinstall. Cloud download fetches fresh system files from Microsoft servers, while Local reinstall uses existing files on your drive to build the new image.
4. Confirm your current settings. Review the summary of your choices. Click Change settings if you need to modify options regarding pre-installed applications or data retention before finalizing.
5. Start the reset procedure. Click the Reset button to begin. Your computer will restart automatically and begin the restoration process. Do not power off your machine during this period.
6. Complete the initial system setup. Once the process completes, follow the Windows Out-of-Box Experience prompts to log back into your user account. Your files will be available in their original locations.