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How To Perform a Factory Reset on Windows 10 Without Using Settings

How to Reset Windows 10 Without Going Through Settings

So, your Windows 10 machine is acting up and the Settings app is nowhere to be found? It can be a real pain. Thankfully, there’s a way to do a factory reset using the advanced startup options — no classic settings menu necessary. The process might seem a bit tangled, but when everything else fails, it’s a go-to lifesaver. Here’s a rundown of how to reset your PC without tapping into that elusive Settings menu.

Resetting Windows 10 via Boot Options

If the usual routes are blocked, trying to reset from the boot menu can actually clear things up. This method gets you into some special troubleshooting areas that can repair or reinstall your system. It does take a bit of patience, but if normal recovery is out, this is worth a shot.

First Off: Restart Your PC

Start by completely shutting down your computer. Hold the power button if you have to, or if you can get to the login screen, go to Power > Shut down. For a quick jump into recovery mode, you might want to try Ctrl + Alt + Del and hit the restart option. If you’re lucky, as Windows loads (or fails), force a shutdown by holding the power for three times in a row, which can push it into recovery mode on the next startup.

Next: Get Into Advanced Startup Mode

As you reboot, press and keep the Shift key down while you select Restart from the login area or power options. If the system’s still messing around, you can just keep killing the power during startup (three times!) until you end up in the automatic repair screen. It feels a bit brutal, but sometimes that’s what it takes.

For those who have some command line access, you can even jump into recovery with this command:

shutdown /r /o /f /t 00

Now Navigate to Troubleshoot

When the system finally restarts and throws up the “Choose an option” screen, select Troubleshoot. This gets you to a whole bunch of recovery tools. If you booted from a recovery USB, this part will feel familiar, too. If you need to create a bootable drive, the Windows Media Creation Tool is your friend — just grab it from Microsoft’s site and boot from it.

Starting the Reset

In the Troubleshoot menu, hit Reset this PC. You’ll see two options: Keep my files or Remove everything. This decides whether your docs and apps are getting saved. If you have access to a recovery partition, it’ll kick off the process to reset Windows back to where you bought it.

Finish It Up

After picking your reset method, just follow those on-screen instructions. Windows will do its thing, which might involve a few automatic restarts. It’s a bit of a waiting game — you’re looking at anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours depending on your machine setup. Seriously, don’t turn it off mid-process; just let it run.

Some Extra Tips & Tricks

Accessing Recovery Options: If Windows is failing to load, get into recovery by turning it off repeatedly during launch to trigger Automatic Repair. Another way is to boot from a USB recovery drive. Making this drive? Use the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft: Windows 10 Download.
Command Line Recovery: If Command Prompt is open, run a few commands like reagentc /enable to ensure recovery is active, or kick off with shutdown /r /o.
Using Recovery Media: Plug in your bootable USB/DVD and change the boot order via BIOS/UEFI (hit Delete or F2 when starting up), then reboot. After it loads, select language settings and go to Repair your computer for recovery choices, including reset.
Command-line Reset: If you’re stuck in the WinRE Command Prompt, initiate the reset with:

systemreset

Or for a deeper clean, try DISM commands like DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth before the reset.

Some Common Questions

Can I reset Windows 10 and keep my files?

Absolutely. Pick the Keep my files option, and it’ll reinstall Windows while holding onto your documents. Just know that apps and settings will be lost.

What if I can’t get to the login screen to reset?

If the login screen isn’t cooperating because of glitches, use those advanced startup options mentioned earlier. If it’s a no-go, boot up with recovery media and dive into recovery mode.

Will a factory reset wipe out viruses?

A factory reset can scrub lots of malware, but if it’s a bad one embedded into your firmware or BIOS, you might need extra removal tools or re-flashing firmware.

How long does the reset usually take?

Time can be all over the place; expect anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on what’s on your PC.

Can resetting Windows improve performance?

You bet. A reset can resolve software hiccups, eliminate bloat, and help get your system responsiveness back to something decent.

Quick Recap

Shut down and prepare for recovery mode based on system symptoms.
Access advanced startup options by holding Shift and clicking Restart.
Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
Choose whether to Keep my files or Remove everything.
Follow the prompts, and let the system finish resetting.