How to Reinstall Windows 11: Repair, Reset, or Clean Install

You can reinstall Windows 11 in three main ways. A repair reinstall keeps your files and apps. Reset this PC rebuilds Windows from Settings and can keep or erase your files. A clean install from a USB drive wipes the drive and starts over. This guide explains when to use each one, how to do it, and what to back up first, including how to wipe the PC properly before you sell it or give it away.

Which reinstall method should you use?

• Windows feels broken, but your files and apps are fine: try the repair reinstall first. It replaces the system files and leaves your data, apps, and most settings alone.
• The PC is slow or cluttered and you want a fresh start: use Reset this PC with Keep my files. Your documents stay, but your installed apps are removed.
• You are selling, donating, or recycling the PC: use Reset this PC with Remove everything, and turn on the option that cleans the drive.
• Windows will not start, or you want a completely clean drive: do a clean install from a bootable USB drive.

Before you start: back up and collect what you need

Every method except the repair reinstall removes something, so prepare first:

• Back up personal files to an external drive or cloud storage. Check the Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, and Videos folders, plus any folders you made elsewhere on the drive.
• Save browser data. Sign in to your browser’s sync feature or export your bookmarks and passwords.
• List your apps and license keys. Desktop apps must be reinstalled after a reset or clean install. Some paid apps need you to deactivate the license on the old installation first.
• Find your BitLocker recovery key. If device encryption or BitLocker is on, you may be asked for the key. For a Microsoft account, it is usually saved at account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey.
• Know your sign-in details. You will need your Microsoft account email and password, or a plan for a local account, during setup.
• Plug in the charger. A laptop that dies mid-reinstall can leave Windows unbootable.

You usually do not need a product key. If Windows 11 was activated on this PC before, it has a digital license tied to the hardware and reactivates on its own once you are online.

Method 1: Repair reinstall with Windows Update (keeps files and apps)

Recent versions of Windows 11 can reinstall the current version of Windows in place.

1. Open Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now.
3. Confirm. Windows downloads a fresh copy and installs it in the background, then asks you to restart.

If you do not see this option, you can do the same repair with the Windows 11 ISO. Download it from Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, double-click the ISO to mount it, run setup.exe, and choose to keep personal files and apps when asked.

Method 2: Reset this PC from Settings

1. Open Settings > System > Recovery.
2. Next to Reset this PC, select Reset PC.
3. Choose Keep my files or Remove everything.
4. Choose Cloud download or Local reinstall. Cloud download gets a fresh copy of Windows from Microsoft, which helps when local system files are damaged. It needs a few gigabytes of download. Local reinstall rebuilds Windows from the files already on the PC.
5. Review Additional settings. If you chose Remove everything, select Change settings to turn on Clean data, and decide whether to remove files from all drives or only the Windows drive.
6. Select Next, then Reset. The PC restarts several times. When it finishes, you go through the normal Windows setup screens.

If Windows will not start, you can still reach Reset this PC. After two or three failed boots, Windows opens the recovery environment. Go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Method 3: Clean install from a bootable USB drive

A clean install erases the Windows drive completely and installs a fresh copy. You need a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB. Creating the installer erases everything on it.

Create the installation USB

1. On a working PC, go to Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page and download the Media Creation Tool.
2. Run it, accept the license terms, and choose your language and edition.
3. Select USB flash drive, pick your drive, and let the tool download Windows and build the installer.

For more detail, see our guide on creating a bootable USB drive for Windows 11.

Boot from the USB and install

1. Plug the USB into the PC you want to reinstall.
2. Restart and open the boot menu. The key depends on the manufacturer; F12, F11, F9, F8, and Esc are common. If Windows still works, you can instead go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then choose Use a device.
3. Select the USB drive. Windows Setup starts.
4. Choose your language and keyboard. When asked for a product key, choose the option saying you do not have one if this PC was activated before.
5. Pick the same edition you had before (for example, Home or Pro). A different edition will not activate with your digital license.
6. Choose the option to install Windows without keeping files, apps, or settings. Then select the drive where Windows was installed. You can delete the old Windows partitions so Setup creates fresh ones. Only do this on the drive that held Windows, and only after your backup is done.
7. Setup copies the files and restarts several times. Remove the USB drive when the PC starts the setup screens, so it does not boot into the installer again.

How to wipe and reinstall Windows 11 before selling a PC

If the computer is leaving your hands, a plain reinstall is not enough. Use Reset this PC > Remove everything and turn on Clean data. Windows then overwrites the drive so deleted files are much harder to recover. Expect this to take hours instead of minutes, especially on large hard drives.

Before you start the wipe:

• Sign out of apps that limit how many devices you can use, such as Microsoft 365, and deauthorize stores or music services.
• Remove the PC from your Microsoft account device list at account.microsoft.com after the wipe, so it no longer shows up as yours.
• Check for second drives. Choose to remove files from all drives if every drive is leaving with the PC.

For a more thorough wipe, including other versions of Windows, see our guide to wiping a hard drive and reinstalling Windows.

After reinstalling Windows 11

1. Run Windows Update under Settings > Windows Update until no more updates are offered. Check Advanced options > Optional updates for driver updates too.
2. Install drivers from your PC maker’s support site if any device, such as Wi-Fi, a touchpad, or graphics, is not working correctly.
3. Check activation under Settings > System > Activation.
4. Restore your files from your backup, then reinstall your apps from trusted sources.
5. Create a restore point or backup once everything is set up, so you have a clean state to return to.

Common problems

• “There was a problem resetting your PC”: try Cloud download instead of Local reinstall, or use the USB method.
• The PC will not boot from USB: recreate the USB, try a different port, or check the firmware settings for a boot-order option.
• Windows is not activated after reinstalling: make sure you installed the same edition, connect to the internet, and run the Activation troubleshooter. If you recently changed the motherboard, you may need to sign in with the Microsoft account linked to the license.
• Asked for a BitLocker recovery key: enter the key you saved in the backup step. Without it, the data on an encrypted drive cannot be read.

Before you commit, the overview of how to factory reset Windows 11 and 10 compares Keep my files, Remove everything and Cloud rebuild.

Before you erase the drive, work through the Windows 11 repair tools in order, since Reinstall now and Reset this PC often fix the same problems.

Frequently asked questions

Does reinstalling Windows 11 delete my files?

A repair reinstall and Reset this PC with Keep my files keep your personal files. Remove everything and a clean install from USB delete them. Back up either way.

Do I need a product key to reinstall Windows 11?

Usually not. A PC that ran an activated copy of Windows 11 reactivates automatically with its digital license, as long as you install the same edition.

How long does reinstalling Windows 11 take?

A reset or clean install often takes 30 minutes to an hour or two, depending on the drive and internet speed. Turning on Clean data can add several hours.

Is Reset this PC the same as a clean install?

Remove everything with Cloud download is very close. A USB clean install goes further because you can delete and recreate the partitions, and it works even when Windows will not start.