To format an ASUS laptop running Windows 11, use Windows reset and choose Remove everything, which reinstalls Windows and erases personal files, apps, and settings. Back up your files before starting, retain your BitLocker recovery key, and connect AC power.
For a reset that preserves personal files, select Keep my files, though apps and settings are still removed. Start with the Windows reset procedure below, open recovery if Windows cannot start, or follow the Chromebook procedure if your ASUS runs ChromeOS.
The short version
- Prepare first: Back up your files, retain your BitLocker recovery key, and connect AC power.
- Erase your files: Choose Remove everything during Windows reset to remove personal files, apps, and settings.
- Preserve personal files: Select Keep my files to retain personal files while removing apps and settings.
- Windows will not start: Open Windows Recovery Environment and select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
- Check your model: ASUS factory recovery and ASUS Cloud Recovery depend on the laptop’s exact model.
| Method | When to choose it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Windows reset | Windows opens normally | Reinstalls Windows with a choice to retain personal files |
| Reset from recovery | Windows cannot start | Offers Windows reset through recovery tools |
| ASUS factory recovery | A supported model needs its original factory image | Restores the ASUS factory Windows image |
| ASUS Cloud Recovery | A supported model needs recovery from a download | Erases the Windows storage device, including its other partitions |
| Windows installation USB | You need a clean installation | Removes files, apps, and ASUS customizations |
| Chromebook Powerwash | Your ASUS Chromebook needs a factory reset | Resets ChromeOS settings and removes local user data |
| ChromeOS internet recovery | ChromeOS needs reinstalling and internet recovery is offered | Reinstalls ChromeOS and erases local data |
| ChromeOS USB recovery | You need external recovery media and a compatible image is available | Reinstalls ChromeOS from a recovery USB and erases local data |
Back up files and choose what to erase
Save a backup of the files you want to keep before using any destructive recovery option. Retain your BitLocker recovery key because recovery can request it, and keep the laptop connected to AC power throughout the process.
Decide whether you want to erase your personal files or reset Windows while keeping personal files. For the latter, select Keep my files; for a reset that also removes personal files, choose Remove everything. Keeping personal files does not preserve installed apps or Windows settings.
Check which storage device holds your files before choosing ASUS Cloud Recovery. That method erases the entire storage device containing Windows, including other partitions on it. Back up files from those partitions too, even when they are separate from your Windows partition.
Reset your ASUS laptop from Windows
On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery, then select Reset PC. Alternatively, search for Reset this PC, select Open, then select Reset PC.
The reset removes apps and settings, and the full erasure option also removes personal files, so finish your backup before continuing. Select Keep my files or choose Remove everything, then select Cloud download or Local reinstall. These are the reinstall choices within Windows reset; ASUS Cloud Recovery is a separate method.
Select Change settings to review the reset options. Controls depend on the reset mode, storage configuration, provisioning, and recovery image, so the choices on your laptop may differ. Review Clean data?, Delete files from all drives?, Delete workplace resources?, and Download Windows? when offered.
For a reset that preserves personal files, ASUS also provides a customization control on supported recovery images. Under Restore apps and settings which came with this PC, choose Yes to restore ASUS customizations or No to remove them. If that control is absent, continue with the options your recovery image provides.
Select Confirm after reviewing any changes, then select Next. Check the final choices against what you intend to keep, and select Reset. If the operation fails, try the recovery route below or work through the steps to fix Windows when resetting fails.
On a managed work or school laptop, your organization can restrict reset availability. If that prevents you from continuing, ask your administrator to handle the reset through the organization’s device management tools.
Fix startup problems and reset from recovery
Windows Recovery Environment lets you reset without reaching the desktop. To access the Windows recovery environment from a screen with power controls, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart. On Windows 11, another route is Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now.
With a supported ASUS laptop off, hold F9, press the Power button, and release F9 when recovery appears. If that fails, repeat with F12; the correct key varies by model. ASUS also supports repeatedly pressing F12, or F9 on some models, during startup. These shortcuts open recovery without automatically formatting the laptop.
If necessary, enter BIOS with F2 and set Fast Boot on the Boot page to Disabled. In the MyASUS in UEFI interface, open Advanced Settings > Boot > Fast Boot, select Disabled, then press F10 and select Confirm; other BIOS interfaces also save with F10. Then try the recovery shortcut again.
When Windows cannot load and the shortcut does not work, interrupt startup at the logo twice using the Power button. On the third start, select Advanced options. A recovery USB or Windows installation USB offers another entry route; with current Windows installation media, choose Repair my PC, then select Next.
Resetting removes apps and settings and can erase personal files, so back up what you need before proceeding. In recovery, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC, then follow the on-screen prompts. When the reset options appear, select Keep my files or choose Remove everything, then choose Local reinstall or Cloud download. Provide account credentials or the BitLocker recovery key when requested, review the erasure options, and select Reset. This recovery reset route also applies to Windows 10.
Restore the original ASUS factory image
Choose ASUS Recovery to restore ASUS laptop factory settings using its original Windows image. Support includes selected ROG and TUF models released after January 2020 with Windows preinstalled, plus selected Intel and AMD ProArt and Zenbook models from 2025. Check your exact model specifications and ASUS’s exclusions before relying on this route.
Factory restoration replaces the current installation and removes its files, so back up your files first. Enter Windows Recovery Environment, select Troubleshoot, open MyASUS in WinRE, then select ASUS Recovery followed by Yes. Some models show ASUS Recovery directly under Troubleshoot.
Wait for restoration to finish, then complete Windows setup. If your model lacks the recovery feature, use Windows reset or the installation USB method below instead.
Use ASUS Cloud Recovery on a supported model
On selected models originally supplied with Windows 11 22H2 or later, excluding S mode, you can open MyASUS in WinRE to use ASUS Cloud Recovery. This erases the whole storage device containing Windows, including other partitions, so back up all files you need from that device. Keep power and networking connected throughout recovery.
Enter Windows Recovery Environment, select Troubleshoot, and open MyASUS in WinRE. If the privacy notice appears, select Agree. Select Update, then select Cloud Recovery. Choose your wireless network, select OK, enter the network password, and select Connect.
At the backup prompt, select OK to back up files to external storage, or select Cancel to skip that backup. After backing up, select Next, then select OK at the final reset prompt. If your model does not support this route, use Windows reset or compatible Windows installation media.
Clean install Windows from a USB drive
A clean installation removes personal files, apps, and ASUS customizations, so back up your files before starting. Use this method when resetting fails or you want a clean Windows installation. You can also recover Windows using a USB drive when the built-in recovery environment cannot be used.
For a compatible Intel or AMD x64 ASUS laptop, get the tool from Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page. Under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download Now, run the tool, and select Accept. Choose Create installation media for another PC, select Next, choose the language and edition, and choose USB flash drive.
A compatible Qualcomm or ARM ASUS laptop requires the Windows 11 Arm64 download and its installation requirements instead. The x64 Media Creation Tool does not create ARM media. Obtain the drivers your model needs through the ASUS Download Center by entering your laptop under Product Model and opening its downloads.
With the laptop off and installation USB connected, hold Esc and press the Power button. Release Esc when the boot menu opens, select the USB device, and press Enter. Alternatively, enter BIOS and press F8 or select Boot Menu, depending on the model.
If your laptop uses the firmware interface named MyASUS in UEFI, press F7 and open Advanced Settings > Boot > Boot Option #1. Select the USB device, press F10, and select Confirm.
In Windows Setup, choose the language and select Next, then choose the keyboard and select Next. Select Install Windows 11, then turn on the setting that reads "I agree everything will be deleted including files, apps, and settings" and select Next. Enter your product key, or select I don't have a product key when an existing license covers the installation, and match the licensed Windows edition. Select Accept.
Deleting partitions erases their contents, so confirm your backup is complete and verify the intended system disk before deleting anything. Select each partition on that disk and choose Delete Partition, then select that disk’s Unallocated Space. Select Next, then Install; do not assume the correct target is Disk 0 simply because Microsoft’s example uses it.
Reset an ASUS Chromebook with Powerwash
On an unmanaged ASUS Chromebook, Powerwash removes local user data, so back up your files before starting. Sign out, then press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R. For a work or school Chromebook, ask your administrator to handle the reset.
Select Restart, then select Powerwash and Continue. Complete the welcome setup afterward; the first account used becomes the Chromebook’s owner. The keyboard route also avoids differences between ChromeOS Settings layouts.
If ChromeOS needs reinstalling, internet recovery erases local data, so back up your files before continuing. Disconnect peripherals, hold Esc + Refresh, and press the Power button; release Power, then release the other keys when the recovery message appears. Some models use Esc + Maximize + Power instead. Select Recover using internet connection when offered and follow the network and recovery prompts.
If internet recovery is not offered, use USB recovery when a recovery image is available for your model. On another Chromebook, Windows PC, or Mac, install Google’s Device Recovery Utility in Chrome and open it through Extensions. Google’s recovery instructions also refer to it as Chromebook Recovery Utility.
Creating recovery media overwrites the USB drive, so use an expendable drive of at least 8 GB. Select Get started, choose Select a model from a list or enter the model identifier, then select Continue. Choose the USB drive, select Continue, then select Create now. Enter recovery mode on the ASUS Chromebook using the keys above, then select Recover using external disk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does holding the power button factory reset an ASUS laptop?
An ASUS EC or RTC hard reset resets hardware state rather than formatting storage or factory resetting Windows. ASUS uses a 40-second Power button hold on some models and a different indicator-based procedure on models with the 20-second design.
Will resetting the BIOS delete files or remove a BIOS password?
Resetting ASUS BIOS settings restores firmware defaults while leaving Windows and personal files intact. It does not remove a BIOS password.
Can you format the Windows partition from Disk Management?
Windows cannot format the partition containing the operating system that is currently running. Disk Management can format a separate data volume, but that erases the volume’s contents and does not reset or reinstall the laptop.
Can you reinstall Windows without removing apps and settings?
On Windows 11 22H2 or later with the February 2024 optional update or later, the repair reinstall through Windows Update preserves files, apps, and settings. On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery, then under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now. Select OK, then restart manually when installation finishes. Your organization can restrict this option when it manages Windows updates.
Does a Windows Recovery Drive include personal files?
Personal files are not included in a Windows Recovery Drive backup, so back them up separately. For recovery, use media created for the target laptop.