How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

If for any reason you need to reset your Windows 10 computer to factory settings there is an easy way to do it without using a disk or USB as its commonly the norm.

Please note that using this procedure you will lose all data saved on the computer’s hard drive. Your computer will be reset to Windows 10 fresh defaults.

Here is how you do it.

When you get to the  Windows logon screen:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

While pressing the “Shift” key on your keyboard down, click on the Power icon on the screen and then select Restart

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

After a while of keeping the Shift key pressed, this screen will pop up:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

Choose the Troubleshoot option and hit Enter. You will get to this next screen:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

Then choose “Remove Everything” on the following screen:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

Don’t try doing “Keep my files” option, it will ask you for the account password, which you obviously don’t have.

After you choose that option, the computer will reboot immediately, and then give you these two options:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

Choose whatever option fits you the best, and the computer should start resetting:

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

After a couple of reboots, you will be presented with a fresh install of Windows 10

How to factory reset laptop without password windows 10

Follow the configuration wizard after that.

Its kind of nice that Microsoft have added the option of resetting a computer to default settings without knowing the current account password. In previous Windows versions, this wasn’t possible without using an external disk or USB to reset the password, and if you needed to reinstall the operating system you needed to have the product key to activate it. Now every computer is digitally registered through the Internet so there is no need to keep the product keys around.

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Usually resetting your Windows 11 PC requires an admin password, but there are two ways you can get around this restriction.

reset-windows-11-pc-without-passsword

As a last resort, a factory reset can help you fix problems and improve your system performance. However, to factory reset your PC, you must log in to an administrator account. And sometimes, you have no idea what your administrator account password is.

However, don't fret yet; you can still factory reset Windows 11 without the admin password. Let's explore the two ways you can bypass a Windows admin password and reset your PC.

1. How to Factory Reset Windows 11 From the Login Screen

confirm Windows 11 pc reset 1

You can easily reset your Windows 11 and Windows 11 computer from the login screen using the recovery options.

To factory reset Windows 11 without an admin password:

  1. Turn on your PC and wait for the login screen to appear.
  2. In the bottom right corner, click on the Power options. It will show the Restart and Shutdown options. Don't click either just yet.

    restart login screen windows 11

  3. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and click the Restart button. If required, click on Restart Anyway to force restart your PC. Release the Shift key when you see the "please wait" screen.
  4. Your PC will now restart and enter the Windows Recovery Environment.
  5. In the Choose an option screen, click on the Troubleshoot option.
  6. In the Troubleshoot screen, click on Reset this PC.

    reset this pc Windows 11

  7. In the Reset this PC screen, you will be presented with two options. The Keep my files option will remove all the third-party apps and settings from your PC, but keep your personal files such as documents, media, etc. If you want to remove everything, then select Remove everything.
  8. Next, you will be presented with two options again to reinstall Windows. If you select Cloud Download, Windows will first download the required operating system files and then perform a reinstall. In comparison, Local Reinstall will use the existing system files from the device to reinstall Windows.

    reinstall windows cloud download local reinstall

  9. To speed up the process, select Local reinstall. If that does not work, you can use the Cloud download option.

    reinstalling Windows-11 after reset

  10. In the Are you ready to reset this device screen, click on the Reset button to confirm the action and start the reset process.

During the process, Windows will first reset your device to remove all the data and then reinstall the operating system. It may take a while to complete the process, so leave your device idle and connected to the power outlet.

If the reset process fails and requests additional system files, use the Cloud download option to reset and try again. This often happens if your existing Windows installation is missing critical system files.

Windows 11 setup

Using the Reset This PC option should help you bypass the Windows login password and reset the PC. However, if that does not work, you can clean install the Windows OS using a bootable USB drive.

That said, clean installing Windows will wipe the hard drive erasing all the data. Make sure you have a backup of any important data before proceeding with the steps below.

To clean install Windows 11, you need installation media. So, create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive. Once you have the bootable drive ready, proceed with the below steps.

  1. Connect your Windows 11 installation media to the PC.
  2. Restart your PC and start pressing the F8, F9 or Esc key to open the Boot menu. In the Boot menu, select your USB flash drive as the boot drive and press Enter. If your computer does not support Boot Menu, you’ll have to change the boot order by accessing the BIOS or UEFI menu.
  3. Next, in the Window setup screen, select your language, time, currency format, and your preferred keyboard layout.
  4. Click Next to continue.
  5. Next, click the Install Now button.

    install windows 11 clean

  6. On the Activate Windows page, click on the I don’t have a product key link.
  7. Next, select the Windows 11 edition you want to install. If not, select the default option and click Next.

    windows 11 setup select edition

  8. Accept the terms and click Next.

    custom install windows only

  9. The setup wizard will detect your existing Windows installation and offer you to Upgrade. However, the upgrade option will keep your apps, settings, and admin password. So, select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
  10. Select your installation drive and click Next. Follow on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Windows will wipe your installation drive and install a fresh copy of the Windows OS. After the restart, Microsoft will prompt you to log in with your Microsoft account to complete the setup. If you want to create and use a local user account instead, read our guide on how to install and set up Windows 11 without an internet connection and create one that way.

Factory Reset a Windows Computer Without an Admin Password

Although you can factory reset the PC to bypass the admin password, setting up your system from scratch is cumbersome. To avoid this hassle, consider using a password manager. It not only stores difficult and long passwords and syncs them across devices but also protect them from hacker and other prying eyes with encryption.

How do I force a Windows 10 to reset without a password?

How to Factory Reset Windows 10 Laptop without Password.
Go to Start menu, click on "Settings", select "Update & Security"..
Click on "Recovery" tab, and then click on "Get start" button under Reset this PC..
Select "Keep my files" or "Remove everything"..
Click on "Next" to reset this PC..

How do I wipe a locked laptop Windows 10?

To reset your device, which will delete data, programs, and settings: Press the Shift key while you select the Power button > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. Select Remove everything.

How do I factory reset my computer without a password?

To factory reset Windows 11 without an admin password:.
Turn on your PC and wait for the login screen to appear..
In the bottom right corner, click on the Power options. ... .
Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and click the Restart button. ... .
Your PC will now restart and enter the Windows Recovery Environment..

How do I factory reset Windows 10 without opening?

Answer: Follow these simple steps below:.
Click on the ''Start'' button in Windows..
Press shift and click on ''Restart''..
The system will guide you through the troubleshooting section..
Click on ''Reset my PC''..
Click on ''Keep my files''..
The system will reboot itself, and factory settings are restored..