
Sometimes, your HP laptop may become slow, unresponsive, or infected with malware. In such cases, you may want to reset your laptop to its factory settings and start fresh. This will erase all your personal files, programs, and settings, and restore your laptop to the way it was when you first bought it. This can also help you troubleshoot any problems with your laptop or prepare it for selling or giving away. In this article, we will show you how to reset your HP laptop on Windows 10 or 11, with or without a password.
How to reset your HP laptop on Windows 10 or 11
If your HP laptop runs on Windows 10 or 11, you can use the built-in reset feature to restore it to its factory settings. This is different from the manufacturer’s factory reset option, which may require a special partition or a bootable media. To use the Windows reset feature, follow these steps:
- Back up any important data that you don’t want to lose, such as documents, photos, passwords, bookmarks, etc.
- Open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key + I on your keyboard, or by clicking the Start button and then the Gear icon.
- Click Update & Security and then Recovery on the left sidebar.
- Under Reset this PC, click Get started.
- Choose whether you want to keep your files or remove everything. If you choose to keep your files, you can also change the settings to not restore the apps and settings that came with the PC.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process. You may need to plug in your laptop to a power source and restart it several times.
- After the reset is done, you will see a window to set up your HP laptop again.
How to reset your HP laptop without a password
If you forgot your password and can’t log in to your HP laptop, you can still use the Windows reset feature by accessing the Troubleshooting menu. To do this, follow these steps:
- Turn off your HP laptop completely and then turn it on again.
- Press the F11 key repeatedly as soon as the system boots up to enter Troubleshooting.
- Click Troubleshoot and then Reset this PC.
- Choose whether you want to keep your files or remove everything.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.
- After the reset is done, you will see a window to set up your HP laptop again.
Conclusion
Resetting your HP laptop to its factory settings can help you fix any issues with your device or make it ready for a new owner. You can use the Windows reset feature on Windows 10 or 11, with or without a password, to restore your laptop to its original state. Just make sure you back up any important data before you do so, as you will lose everything on your hard drive.