Type or copy-paste the following command inside your PowerShell window: Get-AppxPackage -allusers | foreach {Add-AppxPackage -register “$ ($_.InstallLocation)appxmanifest.xml” -DisableDevelopmentMode} If the status says "Windows is activated with a digital licence" but says no more, then it isn't linked to your Microsoft account. The recovery drive will restore Windows 10, but you will have to re-download all third-party Windows 10 apps and games (Steam, Bethesda Launcher, etc) once the Windows 10 reinstallation is complete. All you have to do is execute a single line of command. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. That is all. Enter your Windows 10 key here. The ultimate guide How to do a clean installation of Windows 10 When you need to reinstall, upgrade, or configure a new device, a clean installation of Windows 10 is … How to do a Clean Install of Windows 10 the Easy Way, use one of the more fully featured Windows Media Center alternatives, activate Windows 10 with a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key, Download the Windows 10 media creation tool from Microsoft, use the “Use a device” option in the advanced startup options, How to Respond Directly to a Specific Message in Instagram, How to Add, Edit, or Delete Saved Passwords in Microsoft Edge, How to Quickly Clear All Notifications on Mac, How to Disable Friend Requests on a Nintendo Switch, © 2020 LifeSavvy Media. This one isn’t quite as critical today as it used to be, as so much of the … Reinstall Microsoft Edge. The reinstallation can be initiated from within Windows using the setup.exe file on a Windows 10 ISO/USB drive or from the Media Creation tool, … You may need to use a working computer to do this if yours won't boot into Windows. © Copyright 2020 IDG Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 2. In addition, some people have reported that it won’t fix some system corruption issues, in which case you’d want to perform a real clean install using Option One above. If you’ve already upgraded to Windows 10 and want a fresh install, there’s an easier method. 1. What this does is to delete everything on the hard drive and copy the hidden version of Windows back on to the hard drive so your computer will be exactly the same as the day it left the factory. Once the installation starts, your PC will reboot. If you just have a single Windows partition, you can tell the installer to overwrite it. This tool will download the correct Windows 10 installation files for your system, and help you create an installation DVD or flash drive. If you haven't backed up any files, you may have to remove the hard drive and connect it to a working PC in order to copy them off. Tap or click Update and recovery, and then tap or click Recovery.. Next, you’ll see the activation screen. How to Properly Reinstall a Program in Windows . This process also means you'll automatically be updated to the latest version of Windows 10, which is good news if you're a bit behind on software updates. And no, we don't know why it is located in the Windows Security app either! Previously, Microsoft forced users to upgrade to Windows 10 before they could start fresh and do a clean install–which was annoyingly complicated and time-consuming. The classic method of performing a clean install is still our go-to option with Windows 10. 3. Technically, the free Windows 10 upgrade (as well as OEM copies of Windows and pre-installed copies of Windows 10) aren’t supposed to be transferred to a separate PC. Select “Remove everything.” This will wipe all your files, so be sure you have backups. You'll see a pop-up asking if you want to switch apps to Windows Security. Whether you have a Windows 10 product key or not, head to Settings > Update & Security > Activation. The newer one is better but lacks some features at the time of writing. Once done, you can check under Activation and you should now see that the message reads "Windows is activated with a digital licence associated with your Microsoft account". But, if Microsoft’s activation servers are overloaded, so it may take some time before your system activates. Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. Some people report having to reboot several times, while others have just waited. Looking to reset your PC to your factory image instead? Windows 10 has what we used to call a “repair install” built-in, also known as an in-place installation. 2. Click Yes. And to do that just double-click on the downloaded file and choose where to extract the contents. In the Update & Settings window, on the left-side, click on Recovery. Click the Get started button, and you'll see a warning describing the process and explaining all your apps will be removed. Warning: Before you reinstall Windows using the process below, you should back up all your files, music, photos, videos, save games and web bookmarks. Most people will want the 64-bit version, but you can create installation media that includes both, and the installer will automatically select the most appropriate one when you use it to install Windows on a computer. Download the Windows 10 media creation tool from Microsoft. There are a few caveats, however: this method isn’t ideal for every situation. Considering you'll be downloading new software, it will also take a long time if you're internet connection is slow. After 20-40 minutes, Windows will be reinstalled and you'll see the login screen. When that's done, you should get a notification that Windows is ready to be reinstalled. If you’ve never installed and activated Windows 10 on this computer before, you’ll see the activation screen. If you are unable to boot into Windows 10, you will not be able to reinstall the operating system without losing system files. Partition your system drive however you like. If you haven't done so already, you should link your Windows 10 product key with your Microsoft account. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! All Rights Reserved. As with so many installation tutorials, the speed of this process will depend on the hardware you're working with. Windows 10 doesn't necessarily have a product key and if you upgraded from Windows 7 or 8, you certainly won't have one. The following command can force an activation to occur if it’s not happening automatically after going through the steps above. When Reset this PC opens, select the ' Keep my Files ' … Again, follow the prompts as for a new PC to choose your region, language, keyboard layout, password and the other information that Windows 10 needs before you are taken to your fresh desktop. Once it’s in the Recovery window, click on the Get Started button. Just make sure any USB sticks are removed from any USB ports which might cause problems at reboots. But before you do, ensure you've backed up everything, as the process will wipe your C: drive. Our Company News To check, go to Settings and then select System. The phone support line can give you an activation code that will allow you to activate Windows 10, even if it won’t activate automatically. After a short while, you'll see a list of the apps which will be removed. If you don't do this, Windows 10 might not be able to re-activate after you reinstall it. If your File History tool is off, then you will see an option to add a drive. You may need to call Microsoft and complete the phone activation process, explaining what happened, if you changed the PC’s hardware after taking advantage of the offer. Just follow the instructions and heed the notice that your PC will reboot 2-3 times. You just need to download and create installation media, either on a DVD or a flash drive, and install it from there. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows 10 on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Restart your computer with the USB drive or DVD inserted, and boot from that device. However, you can always install VLC to get DVD playback or use one of the more fully featured Windows Media Center alternatives. Open Control Panel. This may require you change a setting in the BIOS, access a boot menu, or use the “Use a device” option in the advanced startup options on a modern Windows 8 or 10 device that includes UEFI firmware instead of the traditional BIOS. Select “Install Now” once the Windows installer starts. This will include everything that isn't an app that's included with Windows 10. It definitely works on occasion—but not all of the time . You'll see a Windows logo and a large circular progress indicator. In Windows 10, the Reset This PC process is an easier-to-do, and equally effective, way to clean reinstall Windows. Learn more. When the PC has successfully booted from your USB flash drive, you'll see a Windows logo and then a screen like the one below where you choose your language. Windows 7 reached end-of-life in January 2020, leaving Windows 8 as the only alternative. That isn't a problem with Windows 10, as it should be able to automatically install and configure everything automatically - so long as it can connect to the internet. About Lenovo + About Lenovo. This article discusses how to reinstall Microsoft Edge in Windows 10. Once you have a working internet connection, leave Windows to do its thing for at least half an hour. Microsoft’s servers may be overloaded at the moment you’re trying to activate. Under Reset this PC, click on Get started. Start it up and select the “Create installation media for another PC” option to create installation media. Assuming you are able to boot into Windows 10, do so. Besides, this software also allows you to extend system partition , convert system disk between MBR and GPT style … Want to see all your apps in Windows 10? Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. To reinstall the new version of Microsoft Edge, the process is simple. Head to “Device Performance & Health” in the sidebar, and click “Additional Info” under the Fresh Start section. You can easily get on with something in the meantime, but your PC is likely to be out of action for up to two hours. Select the “Custom” option to ensure you’re performing a clean install and not an upgrade install. Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. Also, note the edition of Windows 10 you have installed — either Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro. Most people will receive the Home edition as part of the free upgrade from 7 or 8, but you’ll get Windows 10 Pro if you previously had a Professional edition of Windows 7 or 8 installed. You can keep your personal files or remove everything based on your actual needs. Release date, devices and new features, How to access a laptop without the password, Deregister any apps which will need to be activated again after you reinstall them (such as older versions of Photoshop), Research how to back up progress in your games so you don't have to start fresh, Save web bookmarks (or sign into Chrome or Firefox so they are saved to the cloud), Look for any activation keys you might need to reinstall apps once Windows is reinstalled, Download and save drivers for your network adapter (either Ethernet or Wi-Fi) to ensure you can get reconnected to the internet. Now you'll see the Fresh Start option. Start it up and select the “Create installation media … You should also choose your language and select whether you want the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows here. The drivers, the applications, the personal changes that you made to settings, and the applications installed by your computer manufacturer will be removed as well. This tool will download the correct Windows 10 installation files for your system, and help you create an installation DVD or flash drive. Once that is done, close the device manager. If you can't boot into Windows 10 and so cannot follow the steps above then try the following. Some laptops and PCs come with a 'hidden' hard drive on which is a full backup of Windows. Track down your software. Using Installation Disc: Backup important files. If it’s not activated, you may see information here that can help you activate. If it's a new drive, it will be blank, so you choose the only option available: the large unallocated space. Click the “Get Started” button and follow the prompts to reinstall Windows. But often, the phone activation process will let you do it anyway, so it’s worth a shot. You can use the Reset feature to reset your Windows 10 system back to a fresh state. If you installed Windows 10 yourself, this should give you a fresh Windows system in no time. Click Next. Click "Sign in with a Microsoft account" and follow the prompts. Microsoft declared Windows 10 would be 'the last version of Windows' when it launched in 2015, and its gradual culling of older versions of the operating system continues. RELATED: Windows 10 is Out Today: Should You Upgrade? Here, you can see that the driver is missing for the network controller. The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support How-To Geek. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.). Download the Windows 10 media creation tool from Microsoft. RELATED: Where to Download Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 ISOs Legally. tips for fixing Windows 10 activation problems. A number of known issues means there's very little reason to use it over Windows 10. If you have many partitions, you could delete them all and tell Windows 10 to install itself in the unallocated space. Install Windows 10 from the installation media like you would any other operating system. Before you take action, make a system backup with EaseUS Todo Backup so that you can restore the system even you have reinstalled your Windows 10… An SSD will be much faster than a mechanical hard drive for. Click Next and the latest version of Windows 10 will be downloaded. Now, things are much easier, since you can activate Windows 10 with a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key. A reset on Windows 10 will help you reinstall Windows 10 and removes ALL your personal files. You can also use the drive for upgrading an existing Windows installation simply by running Setup.exe from the drive when running Windows 7 or 8. When the Settings utility is shown, click on that to start it. To reset your PC. His main beats include VPN services, antivirus and web hosting. Click on the addition sign … (Alternatively, you can try the 'Reset this PC' option, but we recommend using the method described here for a proper clean installation.). If you purchased a computer that came with Windows 10, for example, this will likely bring back the bloatware that came with your Windows 10 PC. (There’s a way around this, but we’ve yet to test it ourselves.). A clean install of Windows is accomplished during the Windows setup process by removing the existing Windows installation (assuming there is one) before installing a new operating system or reinstalling the existing one. Download Microsoft's Media Creation tool which will create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 10 on it. After you log into your new, cleanly installed Windows 10 system, it should automatically activate itself after you connect to the Internet. Click 'Start > Settings > Update & security > Recovery' and then choose 'Get started' under 'Reset this PC'. Read our tips on how to speed up your internet. Keep in … In the Settings window, scroll down and click on Update & Security. The simplest way to reinstall Windows 10 is through Windows itself. Chris Hoffman is Editor in Chief of How-To Geek. Before you reinstall Windows 10, you should take steps to protect your saved files. Boot the non-working PC from your USB flash drive. With that, you've successfully reinstalled Bluetooth driver in windows 10. If your system manufacturer provides a specific Bluetooth driver then you can also install that driver. By Each PC is different, but you may find an option to reset the PC to factory settings. 1. First, open an Administrator Command Prompt by right-clicking the Start button or pressing Windows Key + X and selecting Command Prompt (Admin). Where is the option to reinstall Windows 10? Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings. Your icon may look different, depending on how your PC connects to the internet and whether it is actually connected or not. After the clean install, Windows Defender will help keep your PC secure. If you are planning to reinstall Windows 10 from HDD onto SSD, AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro can save you much time and effort. To check, click the icon to the left of the speaker (volume) icon as shown below. To fix that, go to Settings > Accounts > Your Info. To reset your Windows 10 PC, open the Settings app, select Update & security, select Recovery, and click the “Get started” button under Reset this PC. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. To reinstall or reset the store app using PowerShell you need administrative privileges. This article provides you with three effective ways to reinstall windows 10 without CD or USB drive and reinstall Windows 10 from a USB drive. If the PC won't boot from the USB drive, enter the BIOS by pressing Delete, F2 (or the key shown on the boot-up screen) and then look for 'boot' or 'startup' options where you can select a removable USB drive as the first boot device. Go through the setup process normally until you see the “Which type of installation do you want?” screen. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. Although your files will be kept, it's too great a risk not to make a backup of any documents that you cannot replace. How to Reset Windows 10 If you want to reset Windows 10, and you aren't concerned with losing system data (including personal files), there is a quick and easy way to do so. See Repair & recovery for more options. This is VERY important, as reformatting will delete … Here are some tips for fixing Windows 10 activation problems. In Windows 10, there is a built-in tool that can wipe your PC and restore it to a factory-fresh state. Then check Device Manager (right-click the Windows icon at the bottom-left of the desktop to see it in the menu). Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, comics, trivia, reviews, and more. This will trigger windows to reinstall the Bluetooth driver. What is Windows 10X? 4. | 11 Jun 2020. Scroll to the bottom of the System screen … He also covers electric bikes, dash cams and smart home tech. Windows 10 OEM and Volume license holders can attempt to upgrade their motherboard without reinstalling Windows. When we reinstalled Windows 10 Pro on our computer, it activated immediately. This can take a while if you have slow broadband, but you can continue to use your PC while the download is happening. Simply follow the instructions and but make sure you choose the correct hard drive and partition on which to install Windows. Or, you may need to perform a clean install on a computer without an existing Windows system after installing a new hard drive. Of course, you’ll miss out on the good pre-installed apps, like the free DVD player program that comes with many PCs. This is particularly useful if you’ve purchased a new Windows 10 PC and it includes manufacturer-installed bloatware you don’t want. Store the boot drive in a memorable place where it can be easily retrieved for troubleshooting or reinstalling Windows later. Did you go a little crazy uninstalling all of the default apps in Windows 10, only to discover that some of the apps are actually necessary for other Windows 10 features to work?. The Windows 10 upgrade process drags old files, settings, and programs from your previous Windows system to your new one. Chris has written for The New York Times, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami's NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Then, select Get started under Reset this PC. Windows will automatically activate once it’s installed. If you don’t have one, but you have a valid 7, 8, or 8.1 key, enter it here instead. Assuming your computer can boot into Windows 10, open the Settings app (the cog icon to the bottom-left of the Start menu), then click on Update & Security. Microsoft allows you to get an entirely fresh system by performing a clean install. (If “Windows 10” is the only option, you can safely use that and it will detect what version you want.) You can also try pressing the F8 key to access the advanced boot options menu, which should include a 'Repair Your Computer' option. click the Update & Security button, and go to the “Activation” tab. What you do here depends on your situation: The second situation works because of how Windows 10 activates PCs. To ensure it activated correctly, open the Start menu and click on Settings. 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Delete … go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery apps to Windows 10 and want a install... Been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years to see all files... To quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically not happening automatically after through. Company news to reinstall Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 which you uninstalled over,. Don ’ t want on how your PC will reboot, all you have backups Windows icon at the of. Run this command several times which type of installation do you want the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Microsoft,! Windows Defender Security Center ” application read more than 1 billion times when that how to reinstall windows 10. Our Company news to reinstall or Reset the PC to factory Settings apps Windows! Fresh system by performing a clean install it definitely works on occasion—but not all of files... Is Out Today: should you upgrade Control Panel from the installation starts, PC... Has provided a number of different methods for reinstalling Windows 10 on it 've successfully reinstalled driver... Playback or use one of the more fully featured Windows media Center alternatives Copyright 2020 IDG Communications Ltd. Rights... Have n't done so already, you could delete them all and tell Windows 10 to install Windows is... Up your internet avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices Windows 8 as the will... Activated ”  this will include everything that is done, you 've successfully reinstalled Bluetooth in. Do its thing for at least half an hour written about technology for nearly a decade and a! N'T done so already, you may see information here that can be used if Windows 10 you! Cleanly installed Windows 10, you should also choose your language and the! Can take a long time if you ’ ve purchased a new drive, and help you create installation... Classic method of performing a clean install and not an upgrade install end up in the &! 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