How to Factory Reset Windows 10 with a USB Recovery Drive: A Step-by-Step Guide

If your Windows 10 PC is running slowly, experiencing frequent crashes, or you simply want to start fresh, a factory reset can be a great solution. By using a USB recovery drive, you can easily reset your computer to its original factory settings without the need for installation media or a product key. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a USB recovery drive and using it to factory reset your Windows 10 PC.

Creating a USB Recovery Drive

Before you can use a USB recovery drive to reset your Windows 10 PC, you’ll need to create one. Here’s how:

1. Connect a USB drive with at least 16 GB of storage to your PC.
2. In the search box on the taskbar, search for “Create a recovery drive” and select it.
3. Make sure “Back up system files to the recovery drive” is selected and click “Next”.
4. Select your USB drive and click “Next”.
5. Click “Create” to begin copying files to the USB drive. This process may take several minutes.

Once the process is complete, you’ll have a USB recovery drive that you can use to reset your Windows 10 PC.

Using the USB Recovery Drive to Factory Reset Your PC

Now that you have a USB recovery drive, follow these steps to factory reset your Windows 10 PC:

1. Make sure the USB recovery drive is connected to your PC.
2. Power on the system and continually tap the F12 key to open the boot selection menu.
3. Use the arrow keys to highlight the USB recovery drive in the list and press Enter.
4. The system will now load the recovery software from the USB drive.
5. Select “Troubleshoot” from the options presented.
6. Select “Reset this PC” from the Troubleshoot menu.
7. Choose whether you want to keep your files or remove everything, then click “Next”.
8. Select “Just remove my files” or “Fully clean the drive” depending on your preference, then click “Reset”.
9. Wait for the reset process to complete, which may take several minutes.
10. Once the process is finished, your PC will restart with its factory settings.

It’s important to note that resetting your PC will remove all your personal files, apps, and settings. If you have any important data, make sure to back it up before proceeding with the reset.

Using a USB recovery drive to factory reset your Windows 10 PC is a straightforward process that can help resolve many common issues and improve the overall performance of your computer. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily create a USB recovery drive and use it to reset your PC to its original factory settings.