Reinstalling your operating system is something to be taken lightly. There are so many things to consider before committing to such an impactful change but sitting at the top of most people’s minds will be preserving their personal files. Reinstalling Windows 10 without losing data is a particularly difficult task, one that requires patience and careful planning.
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There are myriad reasons why you may want to reinstall Windows 10. General performance issues, such as freezing or sluggish apps, is a common cause, although more serious circumstances like the computer becoming infected with malware or ransomware could also force a business to resort to a clean install.
While a clean Windows 10 install might take longer to complete, it’s perfectly achievable even if you’re not the most technically minded. Microsoft built the operating system (OS) to be easy to reinstall and has made provisions so users can keep hold of their data even with a fresh version.
The types of reinstall on Windows 10 and what they do
Although Windows 10 provides plenty of options for reseting or reinstalling the operating system, it does a poor job of explaining what each option actually does, and whether it is right for your circumstances. Each option will handle your personal data and apps in slightly different ways, and choosing the wrong option may result in you losing data unnecessarily. There are also multiple methods for performing the reinstall, which are again poorly explained. Below we have pulled together the various options available to users, and what happens to your data during each process.
| Type of reinstall | Option you can choose | What happens to your data? | What happens to your apps? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reset Windows 10 | Keep my files | Preserved | Anything you installed is deleted |
| Reset Windows 10 | Remove everything | Everything is deleted | Everything is deleted |
| Reinstall Windows 10 using install media | Keep everything | Preserved | Preserved |
| Reinstall Windows 10 using install media | Keep personal data | Preserved | Everything is deleted |
| Reinstall Windows 10 using install media | Remove everything | Everything is deleted | Everything is deleted |
| Clean install of Windows 10 using install media | None available | Everything is deleted | Everything is deleted |
How do I reinstall Windows 10 without losing data?
There are three ways to reset Windows 10 without losing your existing data, with each offering near enough the same results through different methods.
Method 1: Using the “Reset this PC” option
The first option is the classic "Reset this PC" which can be found with the following steps:
- Right-click on the Windows start button on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to open the settings menu
- Click “Settings”
- Click on “Update & Security”
- In the left pane, select “Recovery"
- Under “Reset this PC,” click “Get started"
- Choose the "Keep my files" option in the popup message. Keep in mind, after this step, your device will update to the latest Windows 10 version
- If you are upgrading your PC from a previous version of Windows to Windows 10, you will see a warning message stating that you won’t be able to undo the upgrade or rollback to the previous version of Windows. Click “Next” to continue
- Click the “Reset” button in the “Ready to reset this PC” interface. Your PC will reboot and begin to reinstall Windows 10
Note: This is arguably the fastest way to reset the machine, though there is one caveat. "Reset this PC" only allows users to keep files. And all user-installed apps and programs will be lost. To avoid loss of pre-existing apps, drivers and programs, we recommend backing up all important data before going ahead with this method of reset.
Method 2: Using the Advanced Startup menu
To reinstall Windows 10 using the Advanced Startup option, use the following steps
- Click on the Start button on the lower left-hand corner of the screen
- Click the “Settings” on the left pane in the Start menu
- Click “Update & Security,” then click “Recovery”
- Click on the “Restart now” under the “Advanced startup” section in the right pane. Windows will restart into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) mode. Alternatively, pressing the ‘F11’ button as soon as you power on your PC will get you to the Windows 10 Advanced Startup options. This technique is beneficial when you can’t boot your PC the usual way
- Click “Troubleshoot” once you enter WinRE mode
- Click “Reset this PC” in the following screen, leading you to the reset system window
- Select “Keep my files” and click “Next” then “Reset”
- Click “Continue” when a popup appears and prompts you to continue reinstalling the Windows 10 operating system
Note: Like method 1, you’ll need to take a backup of all your data before resetting, as Windows will only save your files and wipe out apps, drivers and programs during reinstallation.
Method 3: Using Windows 10 ISO image file
An ISO file, commonly known as ISO image, is an archive file that contains an identical copy or image of data found on an optical disc, such as a CD or DVD. It allows you to reinstall Windows 10 and keep files given your computer is bootable.
Here are the steps you need to follow to reinstall Windows 10 using ISO image:
- Download Microsoft’s media creation tool to create Windows 10 ISO file
- After downloading the newly-created ISO file, right-click on it and select “Mount” to continue
- Double-click the Setup.exe file at the root directory
- Choose the correct option when prompted to “Download and install updates.” Choose the option if your computer is connected to the internet. If not, select “Not right now.” Click “Next” to continue.
- Click on "Change what to keep" in the subsequent popup window
- Choose between: "Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings," "Keep personal files only," and “Nothing,” according to your storage needs
- Click “Next” to install Windows 10
Your PC will now reboot with the saved settings.
Restoring applications after reinstalling Windows 10
Once you’ve reinstalled Windows 10, it’s time to restore applications.
Begin by verifying your account: Go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Your account and click the “Verify” link to get the code required to add your PC back into the saved accounts list. Once verified, log in to your Microsoft account.
To restore previously installed apps:
- Go to “Start” > “All Apps” > “Store.”
- Click on user (your) photo.
- Select “My Library” on the left pane to access all previously installed apps.
- Click the “Download” button next to the app(s) you wish to restore.
How long does it take to reinstall Windows 10?
If after completing all these steps anxiety starts to creep in - perhaps over how long the process is taking - it’s important to stay calm and understand that it’s supposed to take a substantial amount of time. The operating system is working hard to understand how to apply itself to your machine and how best to do that while preserving your files. A slow reinstallation could also be caused by a slow internet connection.
Although Windows 10 was designed so that a clean install would be possible, it is still a computer program and as such, it is prone to malfunctions. It’s highly unlikely your reinstallation attempt will end in disaster but in the worst-case scenario, it’s always wise to keep backups of everything that’s important before attempting to start afresh. Keep both a backup of the personal files you’re trying to keep, and a backup of all your old Windows 10 files so that if one reinstallation attempt fails, you have exactly what you need to try again.
