Reset laptop to default

Question

Using Microsoft 365 on a laptop. Want to reset to default. How?

Answer 1

Duplicated answer, deleted

Answer 2

Hi,

To clarify, are you trying to reset the laptop or the Microsoft 365 installation?

Are you using Windows 10 or Windows 11?

Answer 3

Resetting the laptop to default is done through Windows, not Microsoft 365. Resetting will reinstall Windows and remove apps and settings; depending on the option chosen, personal files may also be removed.

To reset the laptop from Windows:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select System > Recovery.
3. Under Recovery options, select Reset PC.
4. Choose one of the options:
   • Keep my files: Reinstalls Windows, removes apps and settings, keeps personal files.
   • Remove everything: Reinstalls Windows and removes all personal files, apps, and settings.
5. Choose Cloud download (downloads a fresh copy of Windows) or Local reinstall (uses files already on the device).
6. Follow the on-screen instructions until the reset completes.

If Windows will not start, the reset can be done from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE):

1. Access Windows RE (for example, by interrupting normal boot several times until Automatic Repair appears, then choosing Advanced options).
2. Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
3. Choose the desired reset option (for example, Keep my files or Remove everything) and follow the prompts.

Before resetting, important files should be backed up, and if the device is encrypted, the BitLocker recovery key should be available.

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References:

• Reset your PC