Have you purchased a new PC recently? I have. I just bought a laptop for my mum, and the thing was just riddled with useless software. This tutorial will guide you step by step through using a ‘one click’ tool to remove all of that nonsense, leaving you with a completely fresh install of Windows 10 – and nothing other than Windows 10.
First up – why does your new PC come with all this useless software? Because software vendors pay hardware manufacturers to include it on the systems. Much of it is trial-based (you can only use it for x days before you’re required to purchase it), some is shareware, and some is free but absolutely useless. The following steps will help you get the most out of your new Windows PC.
Second – you may be asking yourself – does this require a “new” PC or can I do this on my current computer? The answer is, of course you can! There’s one very, very important thing to consider first – running this tool will delete all of the software installed on your PC. You do have the option to leave your files intact (documents you’ve created, MP3’s you’ve downloaded etc). But all of your programs and settings will be wiped clean. So make sure to have all the software you want to keep handy, you’ll need to re-install it once this process has completed.
Let’s go!
- Start out by downloading the Fresh Start tool from Microsoft (link opens in a new tab/window). When the download has finished, double-click the file RefreshWindowsTool.exe
- The App will run and you’ll be prompted to accept the License Agreement. Click Accept to continue
- Now you’ll be asked if you want to keep your personal files or if you want to just wipe the whole computer and start fresh. PLEASE REMEMBER: even if you opt to keep your files – all
of the programs you’ve installed will be deleted, and all of the Windows settings and options you may have configured will be reset. When you’ve made your choice, click Start to begin. - At this point you may just want to walk away and go watch TV or go for a long walk.
- It may appear as though the process has ‘frozen’ or stalled – it hasn’t, it just takes that long.
- Your PC will reboot several times during the process. You don’t need to be around to click anything or make any selections – it’s entirely automated.
- When it’s finished, start up your PC again and take a look. All that junk software is gone!
