Learn how to create a USB recovery media that can help you restore your Windows 10 device to its factory settings. Follow the steps to use Recovery Drive tool, connect a USB drive, and reinstall Windows with a recovery drive.

This tool can be used to download the latest version of Windows and create a bootable USB drive or DVD, which can then be used to perform in-place installations or brand-new installations of Windows.

Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port. Select Start, enter recovery drive, and then select Create a recovery drive or Recovery Drive from the results. You may need to enter an admin password or confirm your choice. In the User Account Control box, select Yes.

Learn about the recovery options in Windows. Find out how to reset your PC, go back to a previous version of Windows, or use media to reinstall Windows.

Resetting your PC in Windows is a powerful feature that allows you to restore your device to its original state, which can be useful whether you're experiencing performance issues, software problems, or simply want a fresh start.

Learn how to back up and restore apps, settings, files, photos, and Microsoft Edge favorites and preferences on your Windows PC using Windows Backup.

Learn about Windows RE, how to access it, and the different tools it offers.

For info about how to create a bootable USB drive for your Surface, see Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface. To download a recovery image for your Surface device, see Surface Recovery Image Download for next steps.

You can apply a restore point when you are signed in to Windows or from the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE). Select the option that best suits your needs:

From the Start menu, search for “Create a Recovery Drive” control panel applet and follow the instructions to create a recovery drive. With the newly created flash drive mounted (for example, as drive “D:”), run the following commands as an administrator.