Reset This PC

Reset this PC is a system restore tool that helps you quickly reinstall Windows 11 and return it to a pristine, error-free state. You can do so in two ways: a refresh, in which Windows 11 is reinstalled but you keep your existing Microsoft account, its personal files, and any installed Microsoft Store apps, or a reset, in which Windows 11 is reinstalled and behaves as if used on a new PC for the first time.
Find Reset this PC
Like other restore tools, Reset this PC is available from multiple places:

Settings. You can find Reset this PC in the Settings app in Windows 11: navigate to System > Recovery and you will find a "Reset this PC" option under "Recovery options."

Recovery drive. If you created a USB-based recovery drive, you can use it to boot your PC, choose a keyboard layout, and then select "Recover from a drive."

Windows 11 installation media. If you created your own Windows 11 installation media, you can use it to reset or refresh your PC. To do so, boot with the installation media, click "Next" on the first Windows Setup screen, and then choose the "Repair your computer" link (instead of "Install now") on the second screen. In the Windows Recovery Environment that appears, select "Troubleshoot" and then "Reset this PC."

Windows Recovery environment. Reset this PC is one of the recovery tools available in this offline troubleshooting experience. To get to it, navigate to System > Recovery, find the Advanced startup option under "Recovery options," and click the "Restart now" button. When the PC reboots, select "Troubleshoot" and then "Reset this PC."

The most typical way to access Reset this PC is via the Windows 11 Settings app, and so we will focus on that here. But all of these methods work similarly.
Reset this PC can be customized by your PC maker so that it includes their bundled apps and utilities too. But you can override this choice if you'd like to avoid installing those programs, as noted below.
Reset this PC can use a local or cloud-based Windows install image when resetting (or refreshing) Windows 11. The local image---that is, the version stored in a hidden partition on your PC's primary storage device---is updated to the latest version each time you install a feature update. The cloud-based version is always up-to-date.
Be prepared. Reset this PC is inherently destructive, since it will wipe out your current Windows 11 installation and then reinstall the system from scratch. As such, you should proceed carefully: back up any important documents and other personal files, and prepare to reinstall any desktop applications you use. And make sure you have, on hand, any required product keys: some desktop applications, like Adobe Premiere Elements, use activation schemes to ensure you're not pirating the software. Be sure to deactivate these applications before you use Reset this PC, or you could lose an activation.
Use Reset this PC to refresh or reset your PC
When you run Reset this PC, you'l...