Is your Lenovo laptop feeling sluggish, cluttered with files, or just not running like it used to? Sometimes, the best solution is a fresh start. Resetting your laptop to its factory settings can feel like giving it a new lease on life, wiping away years of digital clutter and returning it to the state it was in when you first took it out of the box. It’s a powerful tool for troubleshooting persistent problems or preparing your device for a new owner.
Before You Begin: Safeguard Your Files
The most important step in this entire process happens before you even open the reset menu. A factory reset will erase all your personal files, applications, and settings. Be sure to back up everything you want to keep to an external hard drive or a cloud storage service. This includes documents, photos, music, and any saved passwords.
How to Reset Your Lenovo Laptop from Windows
For most modern Lenovo laptops running Windows 10 or 11, the reset process is straightforward. Click the Start button, then go to Settings > System > Recovery. You’ll see an option labeled “Reset this PC.” Click the “Get started” button. You will then have a crucial choice to make.
Choosing the Right Reset Option
Windows will present you with two options. Keep my files removes apps and settings you’ve changed but keeps your personal files. This is a good first step for solving performance issues. Remove everything does a complete wipe, which is best if you’re giving the laptop away or need a truly clean slate. For a full factory reset, you will want to select “Remove everything.”
When Windows Won’t Start: Using the Novo Button
If your laptop is having serious issues and can’t load Windows, don’t worry. Lenovo laptops have a special one-key recovery system. Look for a small, pinhole button on the side of your laptop, often near the power port or on the left side. This is the Novo Button. Turn your laptop completely off, then press this button with a paperclip. This will boot you into a menu where you can select “System Recovery” to begin the factory reset process.
Whichever path you take, the process will take some time. Your laptop will restart several times. Once it’s finished, you’ll be greeted with the initial setup screen, just like when it was brand new. From there, you can restore your files from your backup and enjoy a faster, cleaner computing experience.
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