4 Steps to Reformat Windows 10 After Upgrade

Why Reformat My Windows 10 OS After an Upgrade?

For many reasons, Microsoft always recommends users to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10. Because updates usually contain security patches to fix operating system vulnerabilities or have other new features worth experiencing.

What does it mean to reformat my Windows 10 operating system? Reformatting essentially wipes all the data from your hard drive and reinstalls a fresh copy of Windows 10 on your computer. It's like starting over with a clean slate. Users may need to reformat Windows 10 after upgrade for several reasons. Here are some of the most common:

🍉 Compatibility Issues: In some cases, upgrading to Windows 10 may cause compatibility issues with existing software or hardware on your computer.
🍈 Virus or malware infection: If your computer is infected with a virus or malware, upgrading Windows 10 might not solve the problem. Instead, it may be necessary to reformat the hard drive and reinstall the operating system to ensure that all traces of malware have been removed.
🍒 Corrupted system files: If important system files become corrupted during the upgrade process, this can cause stability issues and other problems. Reformatting Windows 10 can help to resolve these issues.
🍩 Performance improvements: Sometimes, users may choose to reformat Windows 10 after upgrade simply to improve the overall performance of their computer. This can be particularly useful if the computer has become slow or sluggish after upgrade.

Overall, while reformatting and reinstalling Windows 10 can be a time-consuming process, it can often be the best way to ensure that your computer is running smoothly and free from any potential issues.

How to Backup Windows 10 before Reformatting

When you decide to do Windows 10 reformat after upgrade, it's crucial to understand that this process will wipe clean all data on your computer's hard drive, including personal files, documents, photos, and other valuable data. That's why creating a backup file is essential before starting the reformatting process. With a backup, you can save a copy of essential data to an external hard drive or cloud-based storage service and restore it after the reformatting process is complete.

Here I recommend to you a comprehensive backup tool, which can meet all your needs in different situations. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a FREE backup software which enables you to backup files, system, disk, partition and then restore them. What makes it stand out from the crowd? Let's take a look.

♨ Multiple backup destination: All the backup types support backing up to internal or external hard drives, cloud drives, network location and NAS devices. Such as set auto backup to USB drive, backup PC to cloud, etc.
♨ Automatic backup: This software helps users continuously backup data so you will never miss any changes. You can choose daily, weekly, or monthly frequency.
♨ Three backup methods: It provides Incremental Backup, Differential Backup and Full Backup. Creating a full backup each time wastes too much time and disk space, so you can choose incremental and differential backup feature to save disk space on the destination while keeping backup up-to-date.
♨ Create bootable media: If your computer has a problem and cannot start normally, you can use the bootable media created earlier to boot the computer.

All Windows PC operating systems like Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP are supported. However, if you are running Windows Server operating system, please turn to Server backup software. Next, I will show you how to backup hard drive before upgrading to Windows 11 via AOMEI Backupper. Take Disk Backup as an example, it will create a disk image of the specified hard disk, including the operating system, installed program, personal data etc.

Step 1. Download, install and launch AOMEI Backupper.

Step 2. In the left panel, click Backup, and then select Disk Backup.

Tips✍:
☪ File Backup: Quickly back up files to different storage spaces without taking up too much disk space.
☪ System backup: It involves all of the system files, boot files, and program files.

Step 3. Click “+ Add Disk” to choose the source disk that contains Windows 10.

Step 4. Choose the destination place you plan to store backup image to. (Optional) And you can check “Options”, “Schedule”, “Scheme” options in the left corner.

Step 5. After confirming all your settings, click Start Backup.

How to Reformat Windows 10 after Upgrade

After upgrading to Windows 10, you can use Reset this PC to reformat your Windows 10. This built-in tool allows you to completely reset your PC, which will remove all of your personal files, apps, and settings. It is a quick way to start fresh with a clean version of Windows 10. However, you'll need to reinstall any apps and restore your files from backup.

1. Open Reset this PC from computer or boot.

>> If it's a working computer and still bootable, please go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC and select Get Started under Reset this PC option.

>> If not, you can create a recovery drive and boot from it. Then choose your keyboard layout and press Enter > select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

2. After choosing it to get started, you can select Remove everything on the next page to erase all your personal files, apps and settings on the hard drive. This can help you reformat Windows 10 after upgrade.

3. Then you will be given options to Just remove my files or Fully clean the drive. Choose Just remove my files.
4. Confirm the operation and click Reset.

Final Words

Thanks for reading this comprehensive guide to reformat Windows 10 after upgrade. It's important to note that reformatting will erase all data on the hard drive, so it's critical to back up important files before proceeding with the process. Using a reliable backup tool like AOMEI Backupper Standard is a great way to keep your valuable data safe and secure. Also, resetting your PC using the built-in tools in Windows 10 is an effective way to start fresh with a clean version of the operating system.