For Windows 10 PC users, there are times you may encounter issues caused by system file corruption, system settings changes, third-party software, malware, etc. In order to fix your device and to make it work as it uses to, you may need to reinstall the operating system. Microsoft offers you four options to reinstall Windows OS, including how to reset and reinstall Windows 10 locally, how to reset and reinstall Windows 10 from the cloud, Fresh start, and clean install by Windows installation media.

I will be highlighting the difference between Windows 10 reset, fresh install and the clean install below.

Reset This PC is a repair tool for serious system problems and it is available from the Troubleshoot menu or the Recovery page in Windows 10 Settings. If your PC cannot run properly, resetting your PC may solve issues without requiring the internet connection to work. The feature offers you two options to reinstall OS: keep the personal files and remove everything. The first option removes all installed software and apps, resets all Windows settings, but personal files including documents, music, and more are not removed.

Perform a Fresh Start installation of Windows

Fresh start: Fret Start lets you perform a clean reinstallation and update of Windows while keeping your personal data and most Windows settings intact. A clean installation may sometimes improve your device’s startup and shutdown experience, memory usage, Microsoft Store app performance, browsing experience, and battery life. It installs a fresh copy of the most recent version of Windows 10 by downloading it from the Microsoft website.

Clean Install: This refers to reinstalling Windows 10 by downloading the latest Windows 10 installation ISO file from the Microsoft website and burning it to a USB drive or CD/DVD disc. It also offers you a fresh system without any hidden corruption or problems. Here are similar examples of the clean install of Windows server 2019 and How to Windows Server 2016 Operating System.

Here are the steps to perform a Fresh Start installation.

Method 1: Search for Windows Security as shown below from the Start Menu through the Cortana search bar as shown below.

This will open the Windows security as shown below.
– Click on Device performance & health

This will open the Device performance & health Window
– Scroll down, under Fresh Start,
– Click on Additional Information

The Fresh start welcome screen will appear.
– Choose “Get started” and this will initiate Fresh start.

Consequently, On the next Windows, click on Next to continue and follow through the prompts to complete your installation.

However, The Windows 10 re-installation and update process takes about 20 minutes to complete. Moreover, Fresh Start will give you a list of the removed apps so you know which apps to reinstall when you reinstall a clean version of Windows 10. Nonetheless, you have a “fresh start” with a clean installation of Windows 10.

Method 2: Alternatively click on Settings
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click o Windows Security.
- Choose Device performance & health. 
The Windows Security app will automatically open.
- Under Fresh start, choose Additional Info. The Fresh start welcome screen will appear.
- Choose “Get started” and say yes to the UAC (User Account Control) prompt to initiate Fresh start.

Furthermore, I hope you found this blog post on how to perform a Fresh Start installation of Windows helpful. Please let me know in the comment session if you have any questions.