I'm trying to free up storage, but I never organized or labeled my files, so I don't know which ones are important. If I remove everything and start over, what exactly will happen, and what should I do first? I'm using Windows and want to avoid losing personal files or making the computer unusable.
3 Answers
Don’t delete everything blindly. A clean Windows reinstall can remove your apps, settings, and personal files, depending on the option you choose. Before doing that, copy important documents, photos, and other personal data to an external drive or another backup location. If you mainly want to remove programs, uninstall apps individually instead.
Since you’re unsure what the files are, have someone experienced look through the computer with you before deleting anything. System folders and files used by applications may be necessary for Windows to start or for your programs to work. You can also use Windows’ storage tools to identify large temporary files and installed apps safely.
For a Windows reset, open Settings, go to System, then Recovery, and choose Reset this PC. You’ll usually be offered options to keep personal files or remove everything. Read each screen carefully, and make a backup first because even the ‘keep my files’ option removes installed applications and can still cause data loss.
How do I reinstall Windows while keeping my personal files?