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"There Was a Problem Resetting Your PC" — What to Do

Intermediate Startup & Boot Issues Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 11

Reset this PC fails partway through, often with "No changes were made" — here's what actually causes it and how to get past it.

Before you start: save any open work and note down what you were doing when the problem started — that context helps if you need to search further or ask for help.
  1. If you can still reach the desktop normally, run sfc /scannow first, then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth — corrupted system files are the single most common cause of a reset failing partway through, and both commands directly repair that. See our guides on sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth for the full walkthrough of each.
  2. Uninstall any Windows Store (UWP) apps you've installed recently before trying the reset again. A specific, well-documented pattern behind this exact error is a Store app whose files conflict with the reset process — removing recently added ones and retrying has resolved it for a large share of people who hit this.
  3. Make sure you have enough free disk space — Reset this PC needs meaningful free space to stage the reimaging process, and running low can cause it to fail without a clear explanation.
  4. Try the other reset option if one specific mode is failing: if "Keep my files" fails, try "Remove everything" (via a full backup first — see our guide on backing up before major changes), or vice versa. Sometimes only one of the two paths is actually broken.
  5. Check Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is actually enabled: open an administrator Command Prompt and run reagentc /info. If it shows disabled, run reagentc /enable — a disabled or corrupted WinRE is a known cause of reset failing with no further detail given.
  6. If you can't reach the desktop at all, boot from Windows installation media (a USB drive created with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool) and use its repair options instead of the in-Windows reset, which routes around whatever's broken in the installed copy.
  7. As a last resort, an in-place upgrade repair — running setup.exe from installation media while booted into Windows and choosing "Keep personal files and apps" — reinstalls Windows itself without the dedicated reset feature, and succeeds in some cases where Reset this PC specifically fails.
Still not fixed? Send us the details and we'll help you dig further, or browse related guides in Startup & Boot Issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this mean I've lost the ability to reset my PC entirely?
Not necessarily — this error usually points to a specific missing or corrupted file needed for the reset, which the steps in this guide (sfc, DISM) can often repair, restoring the reset function without needing external media.
Is my data at risk when I see this error?
No — this error happens before any reset actually begins, so no data has been affected. It's telling you the reset process itself can't start yet, not that anything has gone wrong with your files.

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