How to Factory Reset a Dell Laptop

David Darlington

Nov 16, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

Resetting your Dell Laptop is one of the best ways to fi some of the problems that your computer may be facing. But resetting the laptop can be a problem for most people since it means that you lose most or all of the data on the device. This is why it is important to ensure that you back up all the data on our Dell laptop before you attempt to factory reset the laptop.

Before we show you how to reset your Dell laptop, however, it is vital to point out that resetting any device of any kind is one of the best ways to refresh the device and clear any conflicting settings that could be causing the problem. In this article, we are going to be looking at the best way to reset a Dell Laptop.

Part 1: How to Factory Reset Dell Laptop

Before we share with you the best way to factory reset a Dell Laptop, there are a few things you must do to ensure that the whole process will go as planned. The following are some of the things you should do before resetting the Dell laptop;

• Begin by Backing up all the important files and data on your computer to prevent losing the files. It is important to note that a factory reset will cause data loss and a backup will at least limit the amount of data you lose.
• Disconnect all the non-essential hardware components on your computer. This includes everything that you don't need to turn on the computer and includes the scanner, printer, modem or network cables, phone or tablet, and USB flash drive.
• If the laptop is docked, it is also a good idea to remove it from the docking station
• If the computer is on, turn it off before starting the process.

With all that done, follow these simple steps to factory reset your Dell computer;

Step 1: Turn on the computer

Step 2: As soon the computer starts, press "F8" on your keyboard to access the Advanced Boot Options Menu. Keep in mind that you must press this key as soon as the Windows Logo appears on the screen. If you press the key after the Windows logo appears you will not see the Advanced Boot Options. If this happens, restart the computer and begin the process again.

Step 3: In the "Advanced Boot Options" menu, use the down arrows on your computer and select "Repair your Computer" and then press "Enter"

Step 4: Choose the language you would like to use and then click "Next" to continue

Step 5: Log in to the computer with your administrative account and then click "OK"

Step 6: Click on "Dell Factory Image Restore" and then click "Next" in the next interface

Step 7: Click on "Yes, reformat hard drive and restore system software to factory condition" to check the box

Step 8: Click "Next" and wait for the process to be completed.

Once the restore is complete, click on "Finish" and then restart the computer.

You can then restore the backup to the computer to get your files back on the device.

More Related: Backup Computer Before Factory Reset Windows 11/10

Part 2: How to Recover Data Lost During Dell Laptop Factory Reset

Even with all the precautions, you take before resetting a Dell laptop to factory settings; it is still very likely that you could lose some of the data on the device. If this happens, it is necessary to have a data recovery program that will allow you to scan the laptop's hard drive for the missing data and easily recover it. One of the best tools for this task is Recoverit Data Recovery. It comes with one of the highest data recovery rates in the business, allowing users to easily recover the data on the device regardless of the reason for data loss.

Some of its other features include the following;

Recoverit Data Recovery - The Best File Recovery Software

• It recovers lost or deleted files including photos, audio, music, emails, and up to 1000 other types of data.
• It supports data recovery from all storage devices including the hard drive, memory card, flash drives, and so many others
• It can recover the files regardless of the reason why you lost the data in the first place; whether the data was lost through accidental deletion, formatting, lost partition, system crash or virus/malware attack s
• It is very easy to use, allowing you to recover data on the drive in just a few minutes.

Download | WinDownload | Mac

Here's how you can use Recoverit to recover data from the devices hard drive;

Step 1: Choose the Drive Location

Download and install Recoverit on your computer and then double-click on the program's icon on your computer to run it. In the main window, select the drive that contains the missing data, in this case, the hard drive and click "Start"

Step 2: Scan the Drive

Recoverit will then begin a full advanced scan of the selected hard drive for all the lost or deleted data on it. This scanning process can take some time depending on the size of the files on that drive. But you can use the "Pause" or "Stop" button to stop the scanning process when you see the missing data.

Step 3: Preview and Recover Data

Once the scan is complete, you can preview the files by clicking on the file. Once you are certain you're recovering the file you want, click "Recover" to recover the file.

Keep in mind that Recoverit allows users to recover up to 100MB of data on any drive for free. To recover more than 100MB, you may need to purchase the premium version.

Resetting your Dell laptop can be useful for several reasons. We hope that the simple procedure above will help you reset the Dell computer easily, quickly, and with minimal problems. Let us know in the comments section below if you encounter any problems resetting the device. By the way, you can also use Recoverit to recover lost data from a factory-resetting Acer computer.

More Related: How to Restore Data After Factory Reset Android With/Without Backup