How to clean install Windows 10

felecia_stephens

I want to wipe Windows 10 and install it. How do I do this? I don't want to keep anything. I just want to start over.

purplepeacock887

If you would like to wipe your Windows 10 device and install it again, you can follow the steps below. Please note that this will remove all of your personal files, so be sure to back up anything you want to keep before proceeding.

To get started, head to the Settings app by hitting Start and typing "Settings." Alternatively, you can press Windows+I.
Navigate to Update & Security, then to the Recovery tab.
Under "Reset this PC," click Get started.
You'll be presented with two options: "Keep my files" and "Remove everything." If you want to keep your personal files and reinstall Windows, choose the "Keep my files" option. Otherwise, select "Remove everything."
On the next screen, you'll be able to choose whether you want to clean the drive using a quick method or a thorough one. The quick method simply tells Windows to overwrite the drive with zeroes, which is fine for most purposes. If you want to ensure that your data is completely wiped, choose the thorough option, which will securely erase the drive.
Once you've made your selection, click "Reset."
Windows will now begin the reset process, which will take a while. Once it's done, you'll be able to go through the standard Windows 10 setup process to get your device up and running again.

ronald_burns

If you'd like to wipe Windows 10 and start from scratch, you can do so by follow these steps:

Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
Click on Update & Security.
In the left pane, click on Recovery.
In the right pane, click on the Get started button under Reset this PC.
You'll be presented with two options: Keep my files or Remove everything. The former will preserve your personal files and settings, while the latter will wipe your hard drive clean. Choose the option that best suits your needs.
Once you've made your selection, click on the Next button.
On the next screen, you'll be asked to confirm your choice. Once you're ready, click on the Reset button.

Your PC will now begin resetting itself. Once it's finished, you'll be back at the initial setup screen where you can begin the process of setting up Windows 10 from scratch.