As a last resort to fixing system issues on your HP laptop, you might consider bringing it back to its factory settings. Well, if that’s the case, then you would be glad you found this article. We will teach you how to factory reset an HP laptop running Windows 10. One of the methods will guide you through the steps needed when you cannot boot into your system normally. The other option will teach you how to reset your laptop when you can’t successfully log into it.

Method 1: Using Windows Settings to Factory Reset your HP Laptop

You can go to Windows Settings to factory reset your laptop. Of course, you will only be able to use this method when you can normally boot into your system. That said, here are the steps you must follow:

  1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+S.
  2. Type “reset this PC” (no quotes), then press Enter.
  3. Go to the right pane, then select Get Started.
  4. You can choose to keep your files or remove everything.
  5. Click Keep My Files when you want to retain your personal files, apps, and customizations
  6. Click Next, then select Reset. Your operating system will be re-installed, and your computer will restart.
  7. You can select Remove Everything when you prefer getting rid of all your personal files, apps, and customization settings.
  8. You can opt to remove all the files from all your drives or just the drive where Windows is installed.
  9. You have the option to just remove your files or to delete them while cleaning the drive.
  10. Once you click Reset, the process will start. It may take a while for it to complete.

Method 2: Using Windows Recovery Environment to Factory Reset your HP Laptop

If you can’t normally boot into your HP laptop, you can use Windows Recovery Environment to factory reset your device. You can do that by following the instructions below:

  1. Turn off your HP laptop.
  2. Disconnect all external devices (printers, USB drives, etc.) from your computer.
  3. Remove all recently added internal hardware.
  4. Press the Power button to switch your HP laptop on.
  5. Once your unit starts booting, immediately press the F11 key. Repeatedly press it until you see the Choose an Option screen.
  6. Select Troubleshoot.
  7. Choose Reset this PC.
  8. You can either opt to keep your files or to remove everything.
  9. Select Keep My Files when you want to retain your data. Once you click Reset, your operating system will be reinstalled. The process may take a while.
  10. Choose Remove Everything when you want to remove all your personal files.
  11. You can opt to remove everything solely on the drive where your operating system is installed. On the other hand, you can click All Drives when you do not want to retain any data.
  12. You can also fully clean the drive you selected or just remove your files.
  13. Click Reset.

Important Step after Factory Resetting your HP Laptop

Now that you have restored your HP laptop to its factory settings, the next thing you must do is ensure that you have the latest drivers for your operating system. You can manually update your drivers or automate the process, using a trusted tool like Auslogics Driver Updater. If you are not computer savvy, we recommend choosing the latter. After all, manually updating your drivers can be complicated, risky, and time-consuming. To give you an idea, let us show you the process.

  1. Press Windows Key+X on your keyboard. This should launch Device Manager.
  2. Now, you must go through all the drivers under every category. Make sure you expand the contents of each category to ensure that you won’t miss any drivers.
  3. Right-click the driver, then select Properties from the list.
  4. Go to the Driver tab, then click Update Driver.
  5. Choose the ‘Search automatically for updated driver software’ option.

You might see this message:

“The best driver software for your device is already installed.”

If you see that notification, there is an additional process you must perform to ensure that all the correct drivers are installed on your computer. You must manually search for the latest driver versions on the manufacturer’s website. It is critical that you download the ones that are compatible with your system. If you happen to download the wrong drivers, you might cause more harm than good to your computer.

As we’ve mentioned, the process can get complicated and can consume a significant amount of your effort and time. So, why would you risk installing the incorrect drivers when you can choose the easy and safe option? When you opt for Auslogics Driver Updater, you won’t have to search for the necessary drivers for your computer. You won’t even have to update your drivers step by step. What’s more, this tool will effectively protect your PC from almost all the problems related to drivers.

By using Auslogics Driver Updater after factory resetting your HP laptop, you will see a significant improvement in the speed and performance of your computer. As a certified Microsoft Silver Application Developer, Auslogics only provides quality software that can meet the stringent expectations of any Windows users. Even if you are looking for something specific (like how to defrag drives).So, you can trust that Driver Updater has been proven to be safe and effective.

Have you tried the methods we shared in this article?

Share your experience in the comments below!