How to Reinstall Windows 11 Without Losing Apps and Files

Quick Tips

• Most ways to reinstall or upgrade to Windows 11 will try to keep as many of your apps and files intact as possible.
• Before reinstalling Windows, back up your most important data, especially if it’s on the same partition (drive) as the operating system.
• Reinstalling your Windows may reset its legality. If you’re using a retail version of the operating system, keep the activation key nearby.

In some cases, your Windows 11 might get so corrupted by a virus or another issue that the only way forward is to reinstall the operating system. Typically, installing via a USB or CD drive boot clears the entire partition the operating system is on, which means you can lose some data and files.

While that’s exactly what you might want to get rid of viruses, it often won’t be. Here’s how to reinstall windows 11 without losing apps and files.

Method 1. How to Reinstall Windows 11 Without Losing Apps via USB

If your PC doesn’t have internet access, you’ll need to use a different PC to download the Windows 11 installation and offload it onto a USB stick. Then, you can modify the stock installation to not remove files.

Part 1. Creating the Installation Media

Step 1. Go to the Microsoft Windows 11 download page and to the section “Create Windows 11 Installation Media.” This contains the instructions for using the downloader and comes with other requirements and warnings.

Step 2. Select the “Download Now” button in the section to download the media creation program.

Step 3. Open the downloaded program. You need to be on the administrator account for this to work.

Step 4. Accept the License Agreement.

Step 5. On the “What do you want to do?” page, select “Create installation media for another PC,” then click on “Next.” If this doesn’t show up, just proceed.

Step 6. Select which media file you want to choose, USB or ISO file. The ISO file needs to be burned onto a DVD later.

Step 7. For convenience, you can use a USB drive with at least 16GBs of memory. Use a USB drive with no data on it, as it will get reformatted and cleared.

Step 8. Follow the remaining instructions to download the file onto the media of your choice.

If you chose to use the ISO option, you’ll need a file burner software to burn it onto a DVD, which will clear and reformat it.

Part 2. Installing Windows

Step 1. With the installation media created, insert it into the PC where you want to reinstall Windows.

Step 2. Restart the PC and while it’s restarting, open the BIOS menu by pressing F2, F12, Delete, or Esc. The correct key should be displayed in the instructions during bootup. Alternatively, you can use the “Advanced Start” option in the “Recovery” menu to enter BIOS. In some cases, pressing “Shift” while selecting to restart the PC will also work.

Step 3. In the BIOS menu, go to Boot settings and make sure that the USB drive or the DVD reader are placed above the hard drives.

Step 4. Save the changes and exit BIOS.

Step 5. Your PC should boot into a Windows installation.

Step 6. Choose your language and region preferences and follow the instructions. When prompted, choose “Keep personal files and apps.”

Step 7. Wait for the process to finish.

Method 2. Using Windows Update to Reload the Same Windows 11 Version

If you’ve recently updated Windows, Windows Update can reload the same version to clear any issues that might be in the system. This requires an active internet connection.

Step 1. Go to “Settings,” then choose “System” and go to “Recovery.”

Step 2. From the list of options, choose “Reinstall Now.”

Step 3. If you want to automate the process, select restart and apply the fix 15 minutes after the download.

Step 4. When you confirm, you will see the download progress in the Windows Update page in Settings. Once the files have been downloaded, you can install them via restarting the PC and choosing to update it.

Method 3. Using Windows Restore to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Files

In some cases, you can factory reset your Windows OS without affecting files. However, this will remove all the installed apps.

Step 1. Go to “Settings,” choose the “System” tab, and open “Recovery.”

Step 2. Choose the “Reset PC” option.

Step 3. Select “Keep my files” from the list of options, then follow the on-screen instructions.