How to Fix a Windows Reset Stuck at 62 Percent

Leave a Windows reset stuck at 62 percent running first, then retry with Cloud download if the reset fails and Windows or its recovery tools become accessible. Microsoft warns that manually restarting during a reset can cause it to fail, and it gives no universal waiting limit for 62 percent. Extended black screens and automatic restarts can be part of the process.

Your next step depends on what happens afterward: repair and retry from Windows if it returns to the desktop, or use Windows Recovery Environment if startup fails. Before another reset or a destructive reinstall, back up recoverable files and obtain your BitLocker recovery key.

Let the reset continue before interrupting it

Your PC can show an extended black screen and restart automatically several times during a reset. Microsoft's reset guidance does not identify 62 percent as a unique error or provide a guaranteed fix for that percentage. Avoid treating the number alone as a reason to force the computer off.

Microsoft gives no rule that you should interrupt a reset after a particular number of hours at 62 percent. Leave it running instead of repeatedly restarting it. Move to repair tools after the reset fails, rolls back, or leaves Windows unable to start.

Check which operation is displaying the percentage before choosing a fix. A Windows reset and a DISM repair command are different operations, even though both display a progress percentage. Instructions for one cannot be treated as a way to resume the other.

Protect your files before another recovery attempt

Once Windows becomes accessible again, back up files you need before retrying. You can select Keep my files during a reset, but that choice should not replace a backup before further recovery work. A clean installation removes files, apps, settings, and manufacturer customizations.

For an encrypted PC, record the recovery key ID shown when BitLocker requests it. On another device, open the Microsoft recovery key portal, sign in to the relevant Microsoft account, and match the ID to the corresponding 48-digit key. You can also check a printed copy or a key saved on a USB drive or in a text file.

Before a new installation attempt, shut down and disconnect unnecessary external drives, printers, scanners, headphones, and docks. Keep devices needed for power, input, display, networking, or installation media connected. Microsoft recommends this for installation failures generally, so treat it as preparation for a retry rather than a specific cure for 62 percent.

Retry the reset with a different installation source

After Windows returns to the desktop in Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Recovery, then select Reset PC. In Windows 10, open Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, then select Get started under Reset this PC. Choose Keep my files or select Remove everything based on your intended outcome. For the broader reset choices, see how to factory reset a laptop.

Select Cloud download when local Windows installation files may be damaged, and maintain internet connectivity. This obtains replacement Windows files instead of relying on the local installation source. If downloading Windows is impractical, select Local reinstall, which requires usable local files.

Open Additional settings > Change settings to review the options offered for your chosen reset mode. For troubleshooting when you are keeping the PC, turn off Clean data because cleaning takes longer. After you select Keep my files, turn off Restore preinstalled apps if you want to omit manufacturer customizations and that option is offered.

You can change these choices only when preparing a new reset attempt, not on the frozen progress screen. If the retry fails again, move to the repair or recovery route that matches whether Windows can still start.

Repair Windows before trying another reset

If the failed reset rolls back and Windows starts, repair its system files before another attempt. Search for Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and run this command:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Wait for DISM to finish, then run System File Checker with the following command. Keep the window open until verification completes.

sfc /scannow

These commands target the running Windows installation, so use them after reaching Windows. If DISM cannot obtain repair files, it may need a compatible repair source. Use the repair installation route below if the normal file-repair route cannot complete.

Also review available storage before retrying. Open Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations, review the categories, select unwanted items, then select Clean up. Preserve the Windows.old folder if you may need to return to a previous Windows version.

Open recovery when the desktop is inaccessible

From the sign-in screen, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart to enter Windows Recovery Environment. When Settings still opens in Windows 11, use Settings > System > Recovery and select Restart now beside Advanced startup. In Windows 10, use Settings > Update & Security > Recovery instead. These routes give you recovery tools after a failed reset.

If normal startup is failing, Microsoft provides a power-button procedure to trigger Automatic Repair. At the Windows or manufacturer logo during startup, hold the power button until shutdown, repeat once, then start the PC a third time. On Automatic Repair, select Advanced options.

Use that procedure only when normal startup fails, not while a reset is progressing. The instructions to restart an unresponsive computer provide broader restart guidance, but Microsoft's warning about interrupting an active reset still applies. Do not repeatedly force shutdowns just because the reset percentage has stopped moving.

Inside recovery, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC to retry the reset. Choose your file-retention option, then select Cloud download or Local reinstall when offered. Enter your BitLocker recovery key if requested.

Repair startup after the reset fails

When the reset has failed and Windows will not start, try Startup Repair before another destructive recovery attempt. In Windows Recovery Environment, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair > Restart. Allow diagnosis and repair to finish.

If Startup Repair cannot restore startup and you have a usable restore point, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore. Choose a suitable restore point, selecting Show more restore points if necessary. Optionally select Scan for affected programs, then select Next > Finish.

For problems that began after a recent feature upgrade, you can revert to a previous Windows version once Windows starts. In Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery and select Go back when available. This is normally available for 10 days after upgrading and requires the Windows.old and $windows.~bt folders, so preserve both. These recovery options do not resume the interrupted reset.

Reinstall Windows while preserving apps and files

If Windows starts but reset keeps failing, you can try reinstalling the current Windows version while preserving files, apps, and settings. Open Settings > System > Recovery. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now, then select OK. Keep power and internet connected, then restart after installation if required.

This option requires Windows 11 version 22H2 or later with the February 2024 optional update or later, and it may be unavailable on managed devices. If the option is absent, you can use compatible installation media for an in-place repair. On a managed PC, ask IT about update policies that may suppress the option.

For an x64 PC, obtain the tool from the Windows 11 download page under Create Windows 11 Installation Media by selecting Download Now. Run the tool, select Accept, choose the installation-media options, then select USB flash drive or ISO file. USB creation requires an empty drive of at least 8 GB.

Match the media to your PC's architecture. The Media Creation Tool does not create Arm64 media; for an Arm-based PC, use the Windows 11 Arm64 download and select the offered edition and language. You may also need matching manufacturer drivers when preparing boot media.

While signed into Windows, open compatible installation media in File Explorer and run setup.exe. Select Yes, then select Change what to keep > Keep personal files and apps > Next > Install. Start this repair from within Windows, because booting from the USB follows a different installation route.

Use installation media when other recovery fails

Installation media can also open recovery when the internal recovery environment is inaccessible. Boot the affected PC from the media, choose the language and keyboard settings, then select Repair my PC and select Next. If you need firmware access to select the USB device, follow the steps to enter BIOS on a Windows PC.

If recovery and repair still fail, back up recoverable data before proceeding with a clean installation. Boot from current Windows 11 installation media, choose the language and keyboard settings, and select Next after each. Select Install Windows 11, then select I agree everything will be deleted including files, apps, and settings and select Next. If requested, choose I don't have a product key, select the licensed edition, then select Accept.

On Select location to install Windows 11, identify the target disk before deleting anything. Delete the target Disk 0 partitions using Delete Partition, without modifying other disks. Select Disk 0 Unallocated Space > Next > Install.

If you cannot confidently identify the target disk or protect needed files, stop before deleting partitions and open Get Help on a working device. Describe the reset failure and, if directed, select Contact Support, choose the product and offered routing options, then select Confirm. Choose an available contact method for help with the next recovery step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Safe Mode help after a reset fails?

You can use Safe Mode for diagnosis when the Windows installation remains sufficiently intact. In recovery, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 4 or F4 for Enable Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Enable Safe Mode with Networking. It cannot resume an active reset.

Should you uninstall antivirus software before retrying?

Only consider removing third-party security software when installation interference has been identified. Microsoft recommends removal for certain installation errors, but antivirus is not a universal explanation for a reset stopping at 62 percent. Use the product's supported uninstaller and keep what you need to reinstall it.

Can a previously created Recovery Drive reinstall Windows?

Yes, you can use a usable recovery USB created for the affected PC to reinstall Windows. Boot from it, select Recover from a drive, then choose Just remove my files or select Fully clean the drive. Select Recover to proceed, which removes personal files.

Should you rename registry files to fix the reset?

No, you should not apply the historical registry-hive renaming workaround as a general Windows 11 fix; Microsoft limits it to a specific Windows 8 recovery failure. You should also avoid blindly copying RegBack files: Microsoft says automatic backups stopped starting with Windows 10 version 1803, and those files can be empty. For registry corruption, use an existing usable System Restore point.

Can manufacturer recovery tools help when Windows recovery fails?

You may have a device-specific recovery option on a supported Dell, ASUS, or Surface model. Availability depends on your exact model, and factory recovery can erase personal files. Choose the recovery image or tool intended for your device.