How To Fix the “There Was a Problem Resetting Your PC” Error on Windows 10/11

Getting that “There Was A Problem Resetting Your PC” error pop up is super frustrating, especially when Windows just refuses to reset itself. Usually, it’s because some system files or recovery environment components are hosed or missing. You’ll notice it mainly when trying to do a factory reset through Settings or Windows Recovery. The goal here is to troubleshoot those corrupted files or environment settings so Windows can actually reset without throwing errors. It’s not always straightforward, and sometimes the recovery environment just hiccups or gets corrupted after failed updates or malware. So, these methods are about fixing those barriers to get your PC back to a clean slate.

How to Fix “There Was A Problem Resetting Your PC” in Windows 11/10

Repair the System Files Using SFC

Corrupted or missing system files are a common reason Windows’ reset feature throws a fit. Running the System File Checker (SFC) can help fix that by scanning your system for broken files and restoring them.

Hit the Windows key and type Command Prompt.
Right-click on it and select Run as administrator — because of course, Windows has to make it harder than it should.
In the Command Prompt window, type SFC /scannow and press Enter. This will start scanning your system for missing or corrupted files.
Once it finishes (this might take a hot minute), close the Command Prompt and try resetting your PC again. Sometimes, fixing the files is enough to clear the way.

It’s kinda weird, but on some machines, it works right away. On others, you might need to run it again or do some extra steps.

Re-enable the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

Broken or disabled WinRE is another culprit. If the recovery partition or environment isn’t working properly, resetting your PC might just give up and throw that error. Resetting that environment can be a quick fix and refresh the reset process.

Press Win + S to open Windows Search.
Type Command Prompt, right-click, and choose Run as administrator.
Type these commands one after the other:
- reagentc /disable — this disables WinRE.
- reagentc /enable — this re-enables it, refreshing the recovery environment.
After running these, try the reset again. Sometimes, just resetting that environment fixes underlying issues.

This fix applies if WinRE was disabled or corrupted. On some setups, it’s disabled by default or gets turned off after system errors.

Reset Windows via Windows Recovery Environment

If Windows can’t run the reset from within, do it directly through WinRE. Sometimes, your normal Windows won’t cooperate, but the recovery mode will.

Hold Shift and click Restart from the Start Menu or on the login screen. Alternatively, you can power off/on your PC three times to trigger automatic recovery.
Once in WinRE, go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
Follow the prompts—this method tries to bypass issues from within the recovery environment. If that still throws the error, move on to creating a fresh install media.

Use System Restore to Go Back in Time

If you have a restore point saved from before this issue started, using System Restore might help roll back settings or system files that got corrupted. It’s kinda like hitting undo on Windows.

Press Win + R, type rstrui, and hit Enter.
Choose a restore point from before the problem started and click Next.
Follow the prompts until the restore begins. This might take a little while, but hopefully, it clears the issue.

Just keep in mind, if no restore points are available, this won’t help. And if the restore point itself is corrupted, it might fail or be useless.

Reinstall Windows from an ISO

When nothing else works, a clean install might be the only option. Of course, back up data first—this wipes everything on your system drive.

Download the Windows Media Creation Tool. Run it, accept the license, select your USB drive as the target, and create bootable media. Then, reboot your PC, boot from the USB (hit the boot menu key, usually Esc, F12, or F2 depending on the manufacturer), and follow the installation prompts.

This fresh install often bypasses whatever’s broken in the recovery partition or system files. It’s a big step but can wipe out stubborn issues that prevent resets.

Not sure why it works, but on some setups, doing this clean install fixes the error where other methods fail. Just make sure everything important is backed up—once you start installing, it’s all gone.

Summary

Run SFC /scannow to fix corrupted system files.
Reset or re-enable the Windows Recovery Environment with reagentc /disable and reagentc /enable.
Try resetting Windows from WinRE if normal options fail.
If you’ve got restore points, roll back before trying more drastic options.
As a last resort, create a bootable Windows installer and do a clean install.

Wrap-up

Dealing with this reset error isn’t fun, but thankfully, these steps cover the common culprits. Sometimes, just fixing system files or refreshing the recovery environment does the trick. If all else fails, a clean install clears out whatever’s causing the headache. Fingers crossed this guides someone through it without pulling their hair out. Just remember to back up your stuff first, because these fixes can sometimes involve wiping your drive. Good luck!