▷ How to format windows 10 【step by step】

Formatting our computer is something that sooner or later, we will always have to do. Therefore, in this tutorial we will explain in detail how to format Windows 10 yourself through different possibilities. Choose the one you like best.

Index of contents

Format Windows 10 without using an external copy

The first way we have to format our equipment is from within the operating system itself. This option is highly recommended if we do not have an installation CD or a USB device with a copy of the operating system. Certain bugs that existed with this procedure have been resolved in some versions of Windows 8, making it a safe and very comfortable option.

From our configuration panel

The first thing we have to do is open the Start tab and click on "Settings". Once inside, we go to the option " Update and security" and within it to "Recovery". We simply have to give the "Start" button under the Reset PC option.

After pressing two screens will appear asking us for different options to format Windows 10:

• It asks us if we want to keep the files or remove everything, since it is a complete format we will choose this second option.

Removing everything implies losing all the files, programs and settings that we have.

• Then it will ask if we want to clean the units. The first option will be the fastest but least secure, since only the file table will be deleted from the hard drive. The second option will do a physical erase of all the contents of the hard disk (this could take a long time).

Choosing the first option, it would be possible to recover those files through computer programs, so a complete formatting is better from a security point of view. Choose the one you want.

• Finally, a screen will be shown offering us the summary of actions to be carried out and asking us to confirm our desire to continue formatting.

From here you will lose all your files, so you should save what you consider important before continuing.

After this, the computer will reboot and begin to reinstall Windows 10.

Completing the installation

After completing the installation , the system configuration wizard will appear where we can choose to "use the quick configuration" (recommended for inexperienced users) or customize the configuration, to configure different privacy options.

After this, the computer will restart and we will be able to configure our user. For this we can directly enter an account that we have with a Microsoft product (Hotmail, bing, one drive, etc.)

Or if we omit this step, create an ordinary user without using any email.

Finally, the operating system will finalize all the details regarding the configuration of hardware devices and applications and finally we will have Windows 10 installed. Very easy!

From our Start menu

We can also reinstall Windows 10 in a more direct way by going to the start menu and while pressing the SHIFT key we choose the restart option and we will access the Windows recovery menu.

On this screen we will choose "solve problems".

Once inside, we will choose the option "Reset this computer" and then we can choose whether to keep our files or delete them completely. We will choose the second option.

The computer will reboot and enter the installation wizard. It will ask us again something that we already saw in the first method, and that is to do a quick format or instead physically delete all the files from the hard disk. Choose the option you want again.

From here the procedure will be practically identical to that of method 1, so we will not repeat the procedure.

Format Windows 10 using a DVD

To use the traditional method of formatting by using a DVD, we will need to create a bootable disk drive that contains a copy of Windows 10 for its installation.

Creation of the installation DVD

To create this unit we are going to use the Microsoft tool, Windows Media Creation Tool, which we can download from the Microsoft website for free.

Once downloaded, we run the application and choose “create installation media”. Going to the next screen we will choose the language, the Windows version and its architecture.

Next, we will choose the “ISO File” option from the next screen so that the program downloads Windows 10 from the company's repositories.

At this point, the program will ask us to choose the directory inside our computer to save the ISO image to download.

Once the process of downloading the ISO image is finished, we will close the program and go to the directory where we have saved our copy of Windows 10. We insert our DVD in the recorder and right-click on the file to click on “Burn image of disk ” and thus create our installation DVD.

Booting from CD / DVD drive

The first thing we will have to do is make sure that our computer is capable of booting from a CD before booting from the Windows installation on the hard drive.

To do this you just have to restart the computer and repeatedly press the "Delete", "F2" or the corresponding key to access our BIOS.

When booting it searches the screen for a message similar to this: Press to enter BIOS Setup

Within this and with the help of the keyboard dates, we will go to "Boot" and with the "+" and "-" keys, we can change the priority of the device boot sequence. We want the CD to boot before the hard drive so the result should be this.

To accept the changes and save, press F10. Then the computer will restart and boot the Windows installation CD, this will start the Windows 10 installation wizard.

In most computers, pressing the F8 key during startup will display a menu with the connected devices and we will be able to choose which one to boot from without having to configure the BIOS.

Installation process

From here the process is almost as simple as that of installing an application in Windows itself, so we click on "Next" to advance.

The screen that will appear will allow us to directly install Windows or Repair the equipment. If we click on this last option, we will get a menu practically identical to the one we saw in the procedure to format Windows 10 without using an external copy.

We will simply choose the "Install Now" option.

After choosing the option to install, the window for inserting the product key will open. We can write it right now or choose the option to skip to validate Windows once the installation is complete. In our we will click on skip.

Click on "next" and accept the license terms and conditions. We will then arrive at the following screen where we are presented with two options:

• The first one suggests us to perform a Windows update while preserving the files, which we do not want, and the second one suggests a custom installation, which is what we are interested in to perform a complete formatting and install the virgin operating system.

After choosing this option, a partition wizard will be opened for our hard drive, and the same as before we can do several things:

• (Quick option) Press the "Delete" button, which will delete all existing partitions one by one, leaving only a "unallocated space" that corresponds to the entire hard disk visible. (This option does not delete the physical data from the hard disk, it will only overwrite it). At this point we can click next and Windows will begin the installation with a single partition visible on the hard drive.

• (Slow option) We can also format each of the partitions that have been created with the "Format" button , thus leaving the data hard drive completely clean.

After this, we can carry out the steps of the previous point, or create new partitions of the size that we want. We recommend enabling one partition to install the system and programs between 100 and 200 GB and another partition to store documents. Windows will create an extra 500 MB partition for the exclusive use of the system.

After choosing which partition we want to host Windows on, the installation will begin. From now on it is not necessary to touch anything, the computer will restart repeatedly until it shows you the system configuration wizard, a sign that the installation has finished.

From here the Windows configuration process will be practically the same as that shown in the previous section of Completing the installation.

Format Windows 10 using a USB device

Creating the USB installation drive

In this case what we need is to create a USB installation device, and for this we are going to use Windows Media Creation Tool again.

Following the previous steps in the execution of this tool we are going to choose "USB flash drive" instead of "ISO file". We will need to have the USB storage device inserted in the computer, so that the device detects us on the next screen. (in case of having several inserted devices choose the one that suits us best)

The device must have a storage capacity greater than 4 GB

This will start the USB creation process with Windows 10. It will be downloaded from the Microsoft page and stored on the USB device.

Booting from USB devices

In this case, as with the DVD, the computer will need to be able to boot from a USB device rather than from the Windows installation on the hard drive.

We will restart our computer EYE: with the USB device connected, and we will access the BIOS again by pressing the corresponding key (Del, F2, etc). In this case we will select as the first option “Removable Devices” or a similar option depending on the type of BIOS.

Press F10 to store the changes made and restart the computer. From here the procedure will be identical to that of the installation by DVD.

Windows validation

In any method to format Windows 10, product validation will be necessary during or at the end of the installation. This will require obtaining a Windows 10 license and you do not yet have one. It is a good way to avoid legal problems and always keep your Windows 10 active and updated.

So that you can find a cheap Windows license we recommend our tutorial

• Where to buy cheap Windows license

Do you dare to format the computer yourself and install Windows 10 if you don't already have it? If you have any problem you just have to leave a comment.