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To protect your files before a Windows reset, use Windows Backup to sync the folders you choose to OneDrive, then verify the backup status and separately copy files stored elsewhere. Make sure you can access the Microsoft account used for the backup, have enough OneDrive space, and can retrieve your BitLocker recovery key if device encryption is enabled. The reset option matters: Keep my files preserves personal files but removes apps and settings; Remove everything removes personal files too.
How do I back up my files before resetting my PC?
Microsoft’s Windows Backup instructions cover Windows 10 and Windows 11. The consumer app workflow described here uses a personal Microsoft account; Microsoft says work or school accounts do not work with the app. Some labels may vary by Windows version.
- Sign in with your personal Microsoft account. Windows Backup associates the backup with that account, so note which account you use.
- Open Windows Backup. Search for Windows Backup from Start, or open Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. See Microsoft’s Windows Backup guide.
- Choose the folders to sync. Expand Folders and turn on the folders you want to back up to OneDrive: Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music. This selection does not cover every file on your PC.
- Choose supported settings and app preferences. Enable the categories you want, such as accessibility, account and Wi-Fi information, personalization, language preferences, other Windows settings, and installed apps. This saves supported settings and an installed-app list; it is not a full image of the computer or a guarantee that every program and custom setting will be restored.
- Start the backup and check its status. Select Back up, then return to Windows Backup or Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. Confirm the interface reports the intended backup as current before resetting; clicking the button alone does not confirm that syncing has finished or succeeded.
- Find files outside the selected folders. Check other locations on the PC, including folders you created on another drive. Copy anything important that is not covered to a separate location. Microsoft describes an external drive as one possible backup destination; it is optional for the OneDrive workflow.
- Check storage and resolve errors. Review the OneDrive space available to your account and fix any sign-in or sync errors shown in Windows Backup or OneDrive before proceeding.
- Keep the recovery key and reset guidance at hand. If device encryption is enabled, locate the BitLocker recovery key. Microsoft’s Reset your PC guidance says: “Back up important files before you begin.”
Which files and settings can Windows Backup restore?
Files in selected OneDrive folders
The selected Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music folders sync to OneDrive. Microsoft says files can be restored by signing in to OneDrive with the same Microsoft account used for the original backup. Files stored outside the selected folders need separate attention.
Supported settings and apps
During setup after a new or reinstalled Windows installation, signing in with the same Microsoft account can offer the option to restore a backup. Supported settings and app pins may be restored. Microsoft says Store apps need to be launched to begin restoring; non-Store apps may direct you to a web installer. Plan to reinstall some software and review settings rather than expecting Windows Backup to recreate every program or configuration. See Microsoft’s Windows Backup guide and its Windows Backup settings and preferences page.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
OneDrive sync is not a separate historical backup
Changes and deletions in synced folders can propagate to OneDrive, so syncing is not the same as keeping an independent, versioned copy of every file. For especially important files, consider making a second copy on an external drive or other separate storage before the reset. Microsoft’s OneDrive folder backup guidance describes folder sync; it does not make an external drive necessary for Windows Backup.
How much OneDrive storage do you need?
Microsoft states that a free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage; the support page does not display a publication year for this figure. More storage is available to purchase. If space is insufficient, some backup preferences may not be saved. Check available space and resolve OneDrive sign-in or sync problems before you rely on the backup. See Microsoft’s OneDrive storage plans and pricing.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What happens to files when you reset Windows?
Microsoft presents reset behavior and reinstall source as separate choices. Select the reset option based on what you intend to keep; choosing a cloud or local reinstall does not determine where your backup is stored.
| Reset choice | What Microsoft says it does | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Keep my files | Reinstalls Windows and preserves personal files, but removes apps and settings. | Apps must be reinstalled and settings revisited. Confirm the backup anyway, particularly for files outside the locations Windows preserves. |
| Remove everything | Reinstalls Windows and removes personal files, apps, and settings. | Verify the OneDrive backup and any separate copies before proceeding. |
| Cloud download | Downloads a fresh copy of Windows; useful if local files are corrupted or missing. | This chooses the Windows reinstall source, not the backup destination. |
| Local reinstall | Uses files already on the PC and may not include the latest updates. | This also chooses the reinstall source, not a backup method. |
Microsoft says its consumer data-erasure functionality does not meet government and industry data-erasure standards. Do not treat a reset’s clean-data option as certified secure sanitization.
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- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Before you start the reset
- Confirm Windows Backup shows the intended folders and settings as current, and that OneDrive has no unresolved sign-in, storage, or sync errors.
- Make a separate copy of important files outside the selected folders, especially user-created folders on other drives.
- Keep the Microsoft account credentials and, if applicable, BitLocker recovery key available.
- Choose deliberately between Keep my files and Remove everything; these have different effects on personal files.
- Let the reset finish. Microsoft warns that the screen can remain black for a while and that manually restarting during the process can cause the reset to fail.
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, according to Microsoft. The backup steps above apply to Microsoft’s Windows 10 and Windows 11 guidance, but Windows labels and account policies can change; consult the current support pages if the screens differ.
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- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
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