How to Reset an Acer Laptop

July 23, 2026

To reset an Acer laptop to factory settings, use the Windows Settings menu, the boot-up recovery shortcut, or the sign-in recovery screen.

Before Resetting, Try a Restart First

A surprising number of issues that feel like they need a full reset actually clear up with a simple restart instead. Our guide on restart or reboot a laptop covers the safest way to do this, including what to do if the laptop has completely frozen and will not respond to a normal restart at all.

Reset from Windows Settings

Open the Start menu and click Settings.
Select System from the left menu, then click Recovery.
Click Reset PC.
Choose Keep my files or Remove everything.
Choose Cloud download or Local reinstall, then follow the on-screen steps.

Pro Tip

Back up important files to cloud storage or an external drive before starting a factory reset whenever possible. Even if you choose Keep my files, unexpected issues during the reset process can occasionally result in data loss, so having a recent backup provides extra peace of mind.

Reset Using the Startup Shortcut

Shut down your laptop completely.
Turn it back on and press and hold the Alt key while tapping the F10 key repeatedly until a recovery screen appears.
Click Troubleshoot.
Click Reset this PC and follow the prompts.

Reset from the Sign-In Screen (If Locked Out)

On the login screen, click the Power icon in the corner.
Press and hold the Shift key while clicking Restart.
Select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC from the blue menu options.

What a Reset Actually Does

Resetting an Acer laptop reinstalls Windows from scratch, clearing out accumulated clutter, misbehaving software, and in many cases, malware that a simple antivirus scan could not remove. Windows offers a choice between keeping personal files in place or wiping the laptop completely, giving flexibility depending on whether you are troubleshooting your own device or preparing it for someone else to use.

How to Reset an Acer Laptop Through Windows Settings

Use this method whenever the laptop is running normally and you can access the desktop.

Click the Start menu, then open Settings.
Go to System, then Recovery.
Under Reset this PC, click Reset PC.
Choose Keep my files to remove installed apps while keeping personal documents and photos, or Remove everything to wipe the laptop completely clean.
Select Cloud download or Local reinstall when prompted, then click Reset to begin the process.

Depending on the option chosen and the laptop’s storage speed, this typically takes between thirty minutes and two hours, with the laptop restarting itself several times along the way.

How to Reset an Acer Laptop From a Black Screen or Boot Loop

If Windows will not load at all, Acer laptops offer two built in ways to reach the recovery menu without ever signing in.

Option 1: Using Alt and F10

Turn the laptop off completely.
Turn it back on and immediately hold Alt and F10 together before the Acer logo fully appears.
This opens Acer’s built in recovery management tool, where you can choose to restore the laptop to its factory settings directly.

Option 2: Using the Windows Recovery Environment

Turn the laptop off, then turn it on and force it off again by holding the power button as soon as the Acer logo appears. Repeat this two or three times.
After a few forced shutdowns, Windows should automatically boot into the Recovery Environment instead of trying to start normally.
Select Troubleshoot, then Reset this PC, and follow the same Keep my files or Remove everything choice as above.

What to Back Up First

Even though Keep my files is designed to protect personal documents, it is always safer to copy anything important, photos, saved documents, or downloaded files, onto a USB drive or a cloud service before starting. Reinstalled apps, saved passwords, and desktop shortcuts are always removed during a reset regardless of which file option is chosen.

After the Reset Is Complete

The laptop will boot to the same initial setup screen shown when the device was brand new. From here, connecting to wifi, signing into a Microsoft account, and reinstalling any needed software will bring the laptop back into daily use, typically running noticeably faster than it was before the reset.

Renting a Laptop While Yours Is Being Fixed

If your Acer laptop needs more time to recover, or you simply need a spare device for work or an event in the meantime, laptop rental Dubai through HireTablets provides a fully tested, ready to use machine so you are never left without one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will resetting my Acer laptop remove Windows entirely?

No, Windows itself is reinstalled fresh rather than removed. The reset process specifically replaces a cluttered, slow installation with a clean one, keeping Windows in place throughout.

How do I reset an Acer laptop if I forgot my password?

A reset is one valid route, though it removes installed apps in the process. For a faster fix that keeps everything intact, our guide on remove or reset password covers official recovery methods that do not require a full reset at all.

Can I stop a reset partway through?

It is strongly discouraged, since interrupting a reset partway through can leave Windows in a corrupted, unbootable state. Once started, it is best to let the process run to completion even if it appears to take longer than expected.