We all know how handy a factory reset can be. Be it a rigid virus that just won’t leave or even if you’d just like to wipe everything clean, the Factory reset will help you out.
But, what most people aren’t aware of is how you can use Command prompt to Factory reset everything. Don’t panic, though, as we’ve got everything covered. Here’s how you can get stared.
How to factory reset Windows 10 using Command prompt
The Command prompt is an interpreter that can be used to do everything without a GUI. Unsurprisingly, it can also be employed for doing a factory reset. Before we get started with the actual resetting, however, we'd first recommend you to back up everything on your PC. This ensures you have a way to restore everything back, in case anything goes south during the reset process. Here’s how.
First, open the Command prompt in an elevated mode. Go to the Start menu search bar, type in ‘command prompt,’ and run it as administrator.
In the Command prompt, type in the following command and hit Enter:
systemreset --factoryreset
A Choose an option dialog box will pop open. You’ll see two options in here: Keep my files and Remove everything. The first option lets you keep all your files intact while resetting all your settings. In the latter option, though, all your files along with settings will be formatted, helping you begin from a clean slate.
Choose the option you’d like to go with. Next, you’ll be asked for a confirmation. Click on that and hit Reset.
It might take anything from minutes to a whole hour for the reset to complete, so you might have to wait for a while.
All about Factory reset
And that’s all you need to know about Factory resetting your PC through Command prompt. But rest assured, this isn’t the only way to reset your PC. For instance, if you’re interested in other methods, you can go through our piece on Factory resetting your PC using Windows Settings and Boot menu as well.