# How to reset Windows 11 without losing your files > The ways to fix Windows 11 while keeping your documents, from the lightest to the most drastic: reinstalling Windows through Windows Update, going back to a restore point, Reset PC with "Keep my files". Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value. Category: Windows PCs Procedure verified on: 2026-09-29 Windows 11 has several ways to get itself back on track, and some of them **don't touch your documents**. The lightest is **Reinstall now** (in Settings > System > Recovery), which keeps your files, apps and settings. If that's not enough, you can go back to a **restore point**. The last resort is **Reset PC** with the **Keep my files** option: your documents stay, but programs need to be reinstalled. Microsoft recommends trying them in exactly this order, from the least to the most disruptive. ## Before you start - **Make a copy of your files anyway** on an external drive or in the cloud. The options below are designed to keep them, but something unexpected (a power cut, a disk already in poor shape) can always happen. See [how to back up a Windows PC](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/backup-pc-windows). - **Write down the programs you use** and find the license keys of the paid ones: with Reset PC they'll need to be reinstalled. - **Check whether you have the BitLocker key.** If the disk is encrypted, some operations ask for it. From another device you can look for it in your Microsoft account at https://aka.ms/myrecoverykey. - **Plug the laptop into power** and don't turn it off during the reset. The screen may stay black for as long as 15 minutes: that's normal. ## On Windows 11: the options, from the lightest ### 1. Reinstall now: keeps everything It reinstalls the same version of Windows you already have, through Windows Update. According to Microsoft it keeps your **apps, files and settings**. It's ideal when Windows is misbehaving or updates won't install. 1. Open **Start** > **Settings** > **System** > **Recovery**. 2. In the **Fix problems using Windows Update** section, choose **Reinstall now**. ![Diagram of System, Recovery: at the top, Fix problems using Windows Update with the Reinstall now button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file-reinstalla-en.svg) 3. Decide whether to let the PC restart on its own 15 minutes after it finishes. 4. Choose **OK** and wait: the PC downloads and installs Windows, so keep it on and connected to the Internet. You need Windows 11 22H2 or later, updated at least to February 2024. On PCs managed by a company or school the option may be missing. ### 2. Go back to a restore point: keeps your documents A restore point is a "snapshot" of Windows settings and installed programs, taken on a certain day. Going back to it undoes later changes, for example a driver or program that caused problems, **without touching your personal files**. 1. Press **Windows + R** together, type `rstrui.exe` and press **Enter**. 2. In the **Restore system files and settings** window, choose **Next**. 3. Choose a restore point dated before the problems began. If you don't see the right one, check **Show more restore points**. 4. If you like, choose **Scan for affected programs**: it shows you which programs will be removed or put back. 5. Choose **Next** and then **Finish**. The PC restarts on its own. If there are no restore points in the list, there's nothing to go back to: move on to the next option. ### 3. Reset PC with "Keep my files" This is the most drastic of the options that keep your documents. Windows is reinstalled from scratch: your **documents, photos and personal files stay**, but **apps and settings are removed**. 1. Open **Start** > **Settings** > **System** > **Recovery**. 2. Under **Recovery options**, next to **Reset this PC**, choose **Reset PC**. ![Diagram of System, Recovery: under Recovery options, next to Reset this PC, the Reset PC button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file-reimposta-en.svg) 3. Choose **Keep my files**. Don't choose **Remove everything**: that option also erases your documents and is meant for people selling or giving away the PC. 4. Choose how to reinstall Windows: - **Cloud download**: downloads a fresh, updated copy from the Internet; - **Local reinstall**: uses the files already on the PC. 5. If the **Restore preinstalled apps** option appears, turn it on to get back the apps installed by the PC manufacturer. 6. Read the summary and follow the on-screen instructions to the end. At the end, sign in with your account, check that your documents are there and reinstall the programs you need. ## If Windows won't start anymore If Windows fails to start several times in a row, it opens the **Windows Recovery Environment** on its own: a set of repair tools that run before Windows. If the disk is encrypted, the BitLocker key may be needed here. If the **Automatic Repair** screen appears, choose **Advanced options**. Then: - To try automatic repair first: **Troubleshoot** > **Advanced options** > **Startup Repair**. - To reset while keeping your files: choose **Troubleshoot** and then **Reset this PC**, then **Keep my files**. - To go back to a restore point: choose **Troubleshoot** > **Advanced options** > **System Restore**. ![Blue Troubleshoot screen of the Windows Recovery Environment: two choices, Reset this PC and Advanced options.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file-risoluzione-en-1024.webp) (Image: [Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/reset-your-pc)) ![Blue Reset this PC screen: two choices, Keep my files (at the top) and Remove everything (at the bottom).](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file-mantieni-en-1024.webp) (Image: [Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/reset-your-pc)) If instead Windows starts but you want to get to that screen, go to **Start** > **Settings** > **System** > **Recovery** and, next to **Advanced startup**, choose **Restart now**. ## If it still doesn't work - **Did the problems start after an update?** Before resetting, try removing it: the guide on [Windows Update not working or showing an error](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/errori-windows-update) explains how. - **Is the PC just slow?** Often nothing needs resetting: first try [how to speed up a slow PC](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/velocizzare-pc-windows). - **Does the reset stop with an error?** Try again choosing the other mode (**Cloud download** instead of **Local reinstall**, or vice versa). - **Do you have a recovery drive or the manufacturer's discs?** Microsoft also describes reinstalling from a recovery drive or from installation media, but those routes **erase everything**: you need a full copy of your files first. - **When to call a technician:** if the PC won't start and you don't have a copy of your documents, stop before resetting. A technician can often recover the files by connecting the disk to another computer, and only then fix Windows. ## Frequently asked questions ### With "Keep my files", do I lose my programs? Yes. Documents, photos and other personal files stay, but installed apps and settings are removed. You'll have to reinstall your programs, so keep the license keys of the paid ones handy. ### Is "Cloud download" or "Local reinstall" better? "Cloud download" downloads a fresh, already updated copy of Windows from the Internet, and it's useful if the PC's files are damaged. "Local reinstall" uses the files already on the computer: it's better suited to a slow connection, but it may not have the latest updates. ### The PC is asking me for a BitLocker key: what is it? It's a 48-digit code that protects the disk when it's encrypted. It's often saved in your Microsoft account, at aka.ms/myrecoverykey from another device. Microsoft Support can't recover it if it's been lost. ## Sources - [Recovery options in Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/recovery-options-in-windows) - [Reset your PC](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/reset-your-pc) - [Fix issues by reinstalling the current version of Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/install-upgrade/fix-issues-by-reinstalling-the-current-version-of-windows) - [System Restore](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/system-restore) - [Windows recovery environment](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/windows-recovery-environment) - [Find your BitLocker recovery key](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/encryption/find-your-bitlocker-recovery-key)