If you want to remove personal files and installed applications while keeping Windows installed, Windows 10’s Reset this PC feature is safer than manually deleting folders. Choose the reset option that removes your files rather than the option that keeps them. Back up first because the process is intentionally destructive.
Reset Windows and remove your data
- Copy documents, photos, browser data, license information, and anything else you need to an external or cloud backup.
- Make sure you have BitLocker/device-encryption recovery information and can sign back into any Microsoft account you need.
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
- Under Reset this PC, choose Get started.
- Select Remove everything.
- Review whether Windows offers local reinstall or cloud download and choose the appropriate source for your situation.
- Read the final summary carefully before confirming the reset.
- Let the process finish without interrupting power.
Reset is not the same as securely preparing a PC for sale
If another person will receive the computer, review the reset options for cleaning the drive rather than merely removing files quickly. Even then, organization-managed or highly sensitive devices may require a specific data-sanitization policy. Do not assume that manually deleting files or formatting a folder is sufficient.
Disconnect drives you do not want to affect
If the PC has extra external drives attached, disconnect them before a destructive reset unless they are required. This reduces the chance of confusing the Windows drive with backup storage during recovery work.
Windows 10 reached end of standard support on October 14, 2025. If you are resetting the computer for continued everyday use and it supports Windows 11, consider installing the supported operating system instead of starting over with Windows 10.
Before resetting, verify that cloud-synchronized folders have actually finished uploading. A sync icon is not the same as a separate backup, and files stored only on the PC can still be lost when you choose Remove everything.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.