Reset this PC with Keep my files keeps files in the Windows user profile, usually under Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos. It typically removes installed apps and most settings. Anything stored outside that profile, or synced from cloud services, may survive, return later, or need a separate backup. Back up files you cannot replace before you reset.
What “keep my files” means
Reset this PC on Windows 10 and Windows 11
This is the built-in Windows reset flow on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft also uses older names for the same general reset path, including Fresh Start, Push Button Reset, Reset PC, and Reset This PC. It is the built-in way to reinstall Windows without installation media.
Open it from Settings > System > Recovery on Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Recovery on Windows 10. Then choose Reset this PC and review the file choice before you continue.
What usually stays and what usually goes
“Personal files” means local user files, not a promise that every item tied to your account survives. Documents in your profile usually stay. App data, installed programs, many settings, and system-level changes do not. Browser data and synced content depend on where they live and whether another service restores them later.
Say your Downloads folder contains a 400 MB ZIP, a PDF, and a browser export file. Those local items usually remain. But if the browser keeps passwords in its own profile folder, or OneDrive syncs the same file from the cloud, the result depends on storage location, not the file name.
Why some files survive a reset
Some files survive because Windows is looking at location and account state, not a simple “keep” or “delete” label. Local folders under the user profile are treated differently from app data, cloud-synced folders, and data that a service can rebuild after sign-in. That is why a reset can look incomplete.
Local folders versus synced folders
A file saved directly to Desktop or Documents under your local profile is a different case from a file that lives in a synced OneDrive folder or a browser profile. If the local copy is removed but the cloud copy still exists, signing in again can bring it back. That is storage behavior, not a Windows bug.
How OneDrive and reparse data can leave traces
Microsoft warned that a wipe-clean option may not remove all files because of reparse data. That data exists both locally and on online servers. The warning applied to manual resets and remote resets, including Mobile Device Management and Intune resets, and it affected Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.
The affected Windows 10 builds were listed from 20H2 to 21H2. Microsoft’s workaround was to sign out of OneDrive before resetting. That helps break the link that can let cloud-backed content and reparse entries survive or reappear after the reset.
OneDrive-linked data
OneDrive can leave more behind than many people expect, especially when the same Microsoft account stays linked during the reset. The practical issue is not only the folder name; it is whether the account and sync relationship remain active. If they do, files may return after setup finishes.
Sign out or unlink before you reset
- Open the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar.
- Choose Settings, then Account.
- Select Unlink this PC or sign out of the account.
- In File Explorer, check C:\Users\yourname\OneDrive and move anything you want to keep into a local folder such as Documents.
- Run Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC after the account is disconnected.
Also check any app that stores files in a OneDrive path, not only the OneDrive folder itself. Office documents, desktop shortcuts, and some photo folders often point back to synced storage. If that content matters, copy it to a plain local folder before the reset.
What to check after the reset finishes
After first sign-in, open File Explorer and look for a fresh OneDrive folder, restored Desktop items, and any cloud-synced library that repopulates itself. If files appear again, they were likely stored or mirrored through the sync service rather than kept by the reset itself. Remove or relocate them if the device is changing hands.
Browser data after reset
Browser bookmarks, passwords, and profiles are separate from ordinary documents. Some of that data can survive if the browser syncs it to an account, and some can vanish if it lives only in a local profile folder. The browser vendor’s sync settings decide which side wins. (Microsoft)
Bookmarks and passwords
The Brave Community example describes a reset that kept files intact but lost bookmarks anyway. That fits the location rule: bookmarks can live in the browser’s local user data, while passwords may be stored in the browser account or protected profile. If sync was on, they may return after sign-in.
For Brave, the user data path cited in that discussion is under AppData\Local. Other browsers use their own profile paths, but the pattern is the same: if the profile folder is local only, a reset can remove it even when documents remain untouched.
How to recover browser folders with Previous Versions
If bookmarks disappeared, Windows Previous Versions can sometimes restore the browser folder. In File Explorer, go to the browser’s profile folder, right-click it, and open Properties > Previous Versions. If a restore point or file history copy exists, restore the folder to a separate location first.
Suppose a Brave profile folder under AppData\Local was wiped during the reset, but File History had saved it the night before. A restore from Previous Versions can bring back the bookmarks file, while the browser app itself still needs to be installed again.
Keep vs. remove matrix
This table maps common data types to what usually happens in a keep-files reset. Location matters more than the label on the file. If a folder is synced, cached, or stored in an app profile, treat it as separate from ordinary documents.
| Data type | Usually kept | Usually removed | Depends on sync/location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documents | Files in Documents under your local user profile | Files saved only in app-specific storage or temp folders | Cloud-backed documents can reappear after sign-in |
| Desktop files | Local Desktop items in your user profile | Shortcuts and items tied to removed apps | OneDrive Desktop backup can restore them |
| Downloads | Most local downloads in the Downloads folder | Browser cache and temporary download fragments | Sync tools may copy downloads elsewhere |
| Browser bookmarks | Only if the browser syncs them or you restore the profile | Local profile data can be removed with the reset | Stored in browser profile folders such as AppData\Local for some browsers |
| Browser passwords | If the browser account syncs them | Local-only browser credential stores | Account sign-in can bring them back |
| OneDrive-synced folders | Cloud copies remain online and may return | Local cache may be cleared | Linked accounts and reparse data can leave traces |
| Installed apps | None | All installed applications are removed | App installers can be re-downloaded later |
| Drivers | Basic drivers often return with Windows | Vendor tools and custom driver suites can be lost | Hardware-specific drivers may need reinstalling |
| System settings | Very few personal preferences | Most Windows settings are reset | Account sync can restore some preferences |
| User profiles | The account can remain as a sign-in option | Many profile-linked app data files are removed | Profile-linked cloud data may reappear after login |
Verify before reset
- Check Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and Pictures for files you still need.
- Look inside browser profile folders if you need bookmarks or saved passwords.
- Move important OneDrive items to a local folder and unlink OneDrive if the device is changing owners.
- Export browser bookmarks before reset if you cannot rely on sync.
- Save app data from any program that stores work outside Documents, such as a local database or project folder.
- Confirm which folders are backed up by File History, OneDrive, or another cloud tool.
If your goal is to repair Windows without wiping personal documents, use the keep-files path and read every prompt. The option is simple, but the warnings matter. It removes apps, can alter settings, and does not guarantee that linked cloud data disappears from every place it lives.
- Open Settings.
- Go to System > Recovery on Windows 11, or Update & Security > Recovery on Windows 10.
- Select Reset this PC.
- Choose Keep my files.
- Review the app removal notice and the account prompts.
- Proceed only after you have copied browser exports, app-specific data, and anything in synced folders that you cannot lose.
When to choose a clean reinstall instead
Pick a full wipe or a clean reinstall if you are passing on the device, if one account owns the whole machine, or if sensitive data has lived in cloud-synced folders. The keep-files option is for repair, not secure disposal. It is also a poor choice when app profiles are the real source of the problem.
A common first-timer mistake is leaving OneDrive signed in, resetting the PC, and then signing back into the same Microsoft account. The user sees old files reappear and assumes the reset failed, when the cloud copy simply repopulated the device.
Frequently asked questions
What personal files does windows reset keep
It usually keeps local files in the user profile, such as items in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos. It does not keep installed apps, and it may not keep browser data or app-specific files that live outside those folders. Sync status still matters.
Does windows reset keep files?
Yes, if you choose Keep my files, but that promise only covers the local user profile. Files stored in app folders, browser profiles, cloud sync locations, or removable drives need separate handling. Always verify the exact path before you start the reset.
Does windows reset keep bookmarks?
Not reliably. Bookmarks may survive if the browser syncs them, but local-only browser profiles can be removed. For Brave, profile data sits under AppData\Local, and Windows Previous Versions can sometimes restore that folder if a saved copy exists.
Does windows reset keep OneDrive files?
OneDrive cloud copies remain online, and linked accounts can leave data behind or restore it after sign-in. Microsoft’s workaround was to sign out of OneDrive before resetting. If the same account stays linked, local traces and synced files can reappear.
Why did some files remain after a windows reset?
That usually means the files were stored in a place the reset did not fully clear, or they were synced from a cloud service. Microsoft warned that reparse data tied to local and online storage could survive some wipes. Check OneDrive, browser sync, and app folders first.
Keep my files keeps local documents and removes apps, but it does not clear every cloud copy, browser profile, or synced folder. Use it for repairs, and check the file path before you trust a file to stay or go.