How do you clean up Windows without reinstalling? See the first section in this tutorial for more details. For this reason, making a backup of all your files is the first recommended step. That is why it’s recommended to go for a custom install, which will delete all your files and applications. The whole purpose of a clean installation is to remove any traces of file corruptions and hard disk problems that have accumulated over time. What is the main purpose of a clean install for Windows? Choosing the first option (of an upgrade) will reinstall Windows without deleting your files and programs. When you boot from the Windows USB installation drive, you will be given two choices: upgrade or custom install. It’s not compulsory to delete your files while doing a clean install of Windows 10. Will a clean install of Windows delete my files? It’s akin to going for a “factory reset” on your smartphone. However, if your system has become slow and you find programs crashing frequently, it’s time to go for a clean install. In that case, you don’t need to reinstall Windows unnecessarily, although it will not harm your PC in any manner. If you’re taking proper care of your existing Windows with regular updates and proper security measures (for example, keeping SmartScreen as “on”), your system will stay fast and reliable – and even get better with time.

Is it worth doing a clean install of Windows? You will be asked to create a new username and password. Following this, wait for the installation to finish. Next, you will be asked to choose your Windows edition. Enter the one you noted in the previous section. However, in some cases, you will need to activate your Windows with a product key.

Installing Windows starts once the partition has been selected.

Windows media creation tool