4 Ways to Reset Windows 11 To Factory without Password

If you have issues with your Windows 11 computer or wish to sell it, you might have to reset it to factory settings. To do this, you must log in with an administrator account. But what if you’ve forgotten the password?

As much as this seems like an obstacle, you can maneuver your way to reset Windows 11 to factory without password. Ride on with us as we share with you 4 effective ways to restore Windows 11 to factory settings.

How to Restore Windows 11 to Factory Settings After Logging in

If you can log into your Windows 11, you are one step ahead in resetting your computer to factory settings. You can easily do this by using the Settings Menu or Command Prompt. These processes are explained below:

Reset Windows 11 To Factory Using the Settings Menu

These are the steps on how to reset computer without password using the Settings Menu:

Step 1. Go to Settings (Windows + I).

Step 2. Select System, click on Recovery, then click on Reset PC.

Step 3. Choose between Keep my files or Remove everything.

👉 Keep my files: This option will delete your apps and settings, but retain the personal files on your device.

👉 Remove everything: This option will delete all your apps, settings, and personal files.

Step 4. Choose how to reinstall your Windows 11. Either Cloud download or Local reinstall.

Step 5. Go through your settings. Select Next to continue or Back for changes.

Step 6. After you select Next, click Reset.

Step 7. Your PC goes into resetting mode and after a while, it will automatically restart.

Step 8. After it automatically restarts, it resets itself to the factory settings.

Step 9. When the reset is finished, wait a few minutes as your PC reinstalls your Windows 11 system files.

Reset the Computer Using the Command Prompt

These are the steps on how to reset laptop without password using the Command Prompt:

Step 1. Go to Start and type “cmd”.

Step 2. Click on Command Prompt, then select Run as administrator. Then, you need to choose “Yes” when the system asks “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”

Step 3. Type “systemreset –factoryreset” and press the Enter Key on your keyboard.

Step 4. Choose between Keep my files or Remove everything.

👉 Keep my files: This option will delete your apps and settings, but retain the personal files on your device.

👉 Remove everything: This option will delete all your apps, settings, and personal files.

Step 5. Choose the options that suit your situation in the “Additional settings“. Then, select Next to continue or Back for changes.

Step 6. When the system asks if you are ready to reset this PC, click on “Reset” to start the process.

Step 7. Your PC goes into resetting mode and after a while, it will automatically restart.

Step 8. After it automatically restarts, it resets itself to the factory settings.

Step 9. When the reset is finished, wait a few minutes as your PC reinstalls your Windows 11 system files.

How to Reset Windows 11 To Factory without Password before Logging in

If you have forgotten your administrator account password and can’t log in, don’t fret. You can do a Windows 11 factory reset from BIOS. It can be done through the Troubleshoot Option or Windows Installation Media.

The steps to follow are explained below:

Restore Windows 11 to Factory Settings via Troubleshoot Option

These are the steps on how to factory reset Windows 11 without settings using the Troubleshoot Option:

Step 1. On the login screen, click the Power button, then select Restart while holding the Shift key on your keyboard.

Step 2. Then, select the Troubleshoot option.

Step 3. There are 2 options in Troubleshoot, and you need to choose Reset this PC.

Step 4. Choose between Keep my files or Remove everything.

❗ NOTE: Since you’ve forgotten your password, choose Remove Everything. If you select Keep My Files, you will still have to input your password at the end of the reset.

Step 5. Choose how to reinstall your Windows 11. There will be 2 choices for the reinstallation of your Windows, i.e., Could download and Local reinstall. Choose a suitable one and continue the process.

Step 6. Pick Just remove my files. But if you wish to sell or give someone your computer, it’s advisable to choose Fully clean the drive for security reasons.

Step 7. Then, you need to confirm the reinstallation by clicking on the “Reset” button.

Step 8. Your computer begins to rest to factory settings and you only need to wait until the process reaches 100%.

Step 9. After the reset is finished, follow the on-screen steps for the final setup.

Reset Windows 11 To Factory Through Windows Installation Media

This procedure will wipe the hard drive, erasing all your data. Hence, you must know how to recover files after reinstalling Windows 11. These are the steps to reset Windows 11 to factory without password using Windows Installation Media:

Step 1. Download Windows 11 installation media from Microsoft’s official website. You need to store it in an external drive, preferably a USB flash drive (at least 8 GB storage).

Step 2. Launch the installation media, accept the terms, then select Create installation media for another PC, and choose Next.

Step 3. Insert the USB flash drive into your PC. Turn the computer on and press the F8, F9, or Esc key to open the Boot menu. Then, select Boot from USB drive. If your PC doesn’t have Boot Menu, go to the BIOS menu to effect the change.

Step 4. A few moments later, you will see the Windows installation interface. Pick your preferred language, time, currency, and keyboard input method. Then click Next and choose “Install now.”

Step 5. When the Windows system asks you to enter the product key, choose “I don’t have a product key” and then select Windows 11 as the system edition you want to install.

Step 6. Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). This helps to reset your Windows 11 to factory settings.

Step 9. Choose the drive you want to install the Windows and click Next.

Operations Before and After Resetting Windows 11 to Factory

To prevent losing your data completely due to a Windows 11 factory reset, it’s imperative you know how to recover PC data, including retrieval of deleted files from the recycle bin. You can do this before or after resetting the Windows.

The processes involved are explained below:

Backup Data before Resetting Windows 11

This method is only suitable for users who remember their administrator account password and can log in to Windows before resetting it.

Backup your data using the default tool provided by Windows. These are the steps to follow:

Step 1. Sign in with a Microsoft Account

• 1️⃣ Select Start > Settings > Accounts > Your info.
• 2️⃣ Click Sign in with a Microsoft account instead. If you see Sign in with a local account instead, that means you are already using your Microsoft account.

Step 2. Backup Your Folders and Settings

• 1️⃣ Select Start.
• 2️⃣ Type Windows backup and choose it from the results.
• 3️⃣ Select which of the folders and settings you want to back up.

When you get a new PC or reinstall Windows, and wish to restore your backup, do this:

• 4️⃣ Login with the same Microsoft account you used to make the backup.
• 5️⃣ You will see the various backups you made. Restore as much as you want.

Recover Data after Resetting Windows 11

In case you deleted your files while resetting your PC, don’t panic. You can easily recover all your laptop data using professional recovery software like ONERECOVERY.

Now, follow these steps:

Step 1. Download and install the software.

Step 2. Launch the software and select the folder your files were previously saved. Then, initiate the scanning process.

Step 3. The software rapidly scans all your files, including corrupted, deleted, and existing ones. Double-click the file you wish to recover.

Step 4. Preview the file you want to recover and click on the“Recover” button.

Conclusion

This article has shown reliable methods to reset Windows 11 to factory without password. These are proven solutions you can refer to when reinstalling Windows or doing away with your PC. You can also refer to ONERECOVERY for all forms of data and file recovery, including Mac data recovery.

FAQs About How to Reset Computer Without Password

It’s not easy to reset the Windows 11 system without the password, so you may still have a lot of questions about this issue. The following FAQs may be helpful for you.

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