Refreshing a laptop helps improve speed, remove glitches, and restore smooth performance without deleting your personal files. Whether you want to clear clutter or fix system issues, refreshing your laptop can be very helpful. Here is how to refresh laptop.
- Understand What Refresh Means
On Windows laptops, “refresh” refers to resetting the system while keeping personal files. It reinstalls Windows, removes apps and settings, and keeps your documents and pictures intact. On macOS, the equivalent is reinstalling macOS without erasing your files.
- Backup Your Important Files
Although the refresh process keeps your data, it’s still wise to back up important files to a USB, external hard drive, or cloud service (like Google Drive or OneDrive), just in case anything goes wrong.
- Refresh a Windows Laptop
- Click the Start menu and open Settings.
- Go to System or Update & Security, then select Recovery.
- Under “Reset this PC,” click Get started.
- Choose Keep my files to refresh without deleting your documents.
- Follow the on-screen instructions. Your laptop will restart and begin the refresh process.
- Refresh a MacBook
- Click the Apple logo and select Restart.
- Hold Command + R during startup to enter macOS Recovery.
- Choose Reinstall macOS, then follow the prompts.
- This keeps your data and apps intact while installing a clean macOS version.
- Let the Process Complete
The refresh process may take 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure your laptop is plugged into power. Once complete, you may need to reinstall some apps or sign back into certain programs.
- Update and Reinstall Apps
After refreshing, go to the App Store or Microsoft Store to reinstall your commonly used apps. Also, update your drivers and software to the latest versions to ensure good performance.
Also Read: How To Reboot MacBook
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