How to Factory Reset a Lenovo Laptop Without a Password (Windows 10)

If you’ve forgotten the password to your own Lenovo laptop, or you’re preparing an old laptop you own to sell or give away, you can factory reset Windows 10 without signing in. Windows’ built-in recovery environment and Lenovo’s Novo button both let you reinstall Windows from the sign-in screen or at startup. This guide covers each method, what gets erased, and the BitLocker recovery key prompt that trips many people up.

Important: Only reset laptops you own or are authorized to manage. A factory reset erases everything on the drive. Work or school laptops may be tied to an organization and should be returned to IT instead.

Quick Answer

On the Windows sign-in screen, click the power icon, hold Shift, and click Restart. Choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything, then Cloud download or Local reinstall, and follow the prompts. No Windows password is required, but you may need the BitLocker recovery key if the drive is encrypted.

Before You Start

• Everything will be erased, including files, apps, and accounts. If you just forgot your password, try recovering it first. For a Microsoft account, reset the password at account.live.com/password/reset from another device. For a local account, answer your security questions on the sign-in screen.
• Plug in the charger. A reset can take an hour or more.
• BitLocker or device encryption: if prompted for a recovery key, get it from aka.ms/myrecoverykey by signing in with the Microsoft account used on the laptop.
• Windows 10 support ended in October 2025. After resetting, consider upgrading to Windows 11 if the laptop supports it.

Method 1: Reset From the Sign-In Screen

1. Turn on the laptop and go to the sign-in screen.
2. Click the power icon in the lower-right corner.
3. Hold Shift and click Restart. Keep holding Shift until the blue Choose an option screen appears.
4. Click Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
5. Choose Remove everything.
6. Choose Cloud download (downloads a fresh copy of Windows) or Local reinstall (uses files on the laptop).
7. If you’re giving the laptop away, choose Fully clean the drive (or Clean data) so files can’t be recovered easily.
8. Click Reset and wait. The laptop restarts several times.

Method 2: Lenovo Novo Button

Many Lenovo IdeaPad, Yoga, and Legion laptops have a small Novo button (a pinhole or tiny button with a curved-arrow icon, usually on the side or near the power button).

1. Shut down the laptop completely.
2. Press the Novo button with a paperclip. The Novo Button Menu appears.
3. Choose System Recovery and press Enter.
4. In the Windows recovery screen, choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything, as above.

Older Lenovo models with OneKey Recovery may offer Restore from initial backup, which restores the original factory image.

Method 3: Automatic Repair (If You Can’t Reach the Sign-In Screen)

Turn the laptop on, and when the Lenovo logo appears, hold the power button to force it off. Repeat two or three times. Windows then starts Automatic Repair. Click Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Method 4: Clean Install From USB

If the recovery environment is damaged, create a Windows installation USB on another PC, boot the Lenovo from it (press F12 or Fn + F12 at startup for the boot menu), and do a clean install. Windows reactivates automatically on most laptops that came with it.

After the Reset

• Set up Windows with a new account and password.
• Run Windows Update, and install Lenovo drivers with Lenovo Vantage or from Lenovo’s support site.
• If you’re selling the laptop, stop at the first setup screen and shut it down so the new owner can set it up.

Troubleshooting

“There was a problem resetting your PC”

Try Cloud download instead of Local reinstall, or use a Windows installation USB (Method 4).

It asks for a BitLocker recovery key

Get it at aka.ms/myrecoverykey with the Microsoft account used on the laptop, or from your organization if it’s a work device. Without the key, the encrypted data can’t be unlocked. Resetting may still be possible from a USB installer by deleting the drive’s partitions, but the data will be lost.

The Novo button does nothing

Make sure the laptop is fully off, not in sleep or hibernation, and hold the button for a second or two.

Related: Restore Windows 10 to factory settings.

Related: Reset any Windows 10 PC without a password.

Related: Get back into a locked Toshiba laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the Windows password to factory reset?

No. You can start a reset from the sign-in screen or the Novo menu without it.

Will a factory reset remove the Microsoft account?

Yes, with Remove everything. The new owner sets up their own account.

Summary

1. Hold Shift and click Restart from the sign-in screen, or use the Novo button.
2. Choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything.
3. Pick Cloud download or Local reinstall, and clean the drive if selling.
4. Have your BitLocker recovery key ready if prompted.