How to factory reset your Windows 11 PC and start over safely

Learn how to factory reset Windows 11 or Windows 10, keep your files, wipe a laptop for sale, and recover a PC that won’t boot.

Windows 11 can now reinstall itself from the cloud, no USB stick required

Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9343 introduces a new reinitialization option that downloads a factory version of the OS from the cloud. The new feature ...

Windows 11 Insider build allows you to fully reset your OS without a USB, even when it won't boot

It's called 'cloud rebuild' in the Windows Recovery Environment.
ZDNet

Install Microsoft's emergency Windows patch now - what it fixes and why it was rushed out

Fixes a flaw that impacted the Windows reset and reinstall tools. The patch affects certain versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. To install the patch, head to Windows Update under Settings. Get more ...

Microsoft says September updates fix mouse settings reset issues

Microsoft has fixed a known issue that wiped mouse settings on some Windows 11 systems after installing the KB5120998 August ...

Microsoft fixes bug that wiped Windows desktop settings

Microsoft says the 2026 Patch Tuesday updates fix a known issue causing desktop settings to be lost or reset on some Windows devices.