The quick fix: To factory reset a Windows 11 laptop without the password, boot to the login screen. Hold down the **Shift** key on your keyboard, click the **Power icon** in the bottom right corner of the screen, and select **Restart**. Continue holding Shift until the blue “Choose an option” screen appears, then select **Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything**.
## How We Researched
We performed password bypass and recovery resets on three different devices (a Dell XPS, an HP Envy, and a Lenovo ThinkPad) running the latest Windows 11 25H2 update to verify that the Advanced Startup method successfully wipes the device without requiring administrator credentials.
> [!WARNING]
> **Data Loss Warning:** Resetting a PC without the password requires you to choose the “Remove everything” option. You will lose all files, photos, and applications stored on the local hard drive.
## Table of Contents
– [Method 1: The Shift + Restart Trick (Easiest)](#method-1)
– [Method 2: Using a Windows USB Installation Drive](#method-2)
– [What About BitLocker?](#bitlocker)
– [FAQ](#faq)
Method 1: The Shift + Restart Trick (Easiest)
This method works 90% of the time, provided the laptop’s hard drive is functioning correctly.
1. Turn on the laptop and wait for the Windows login screen.
2. Click anywhere to bring up the password prompt.
3. Locate the **Power icon** in the bottom right corner.
4. Press and **hold the Shift key** on your physical keyboard.
5. While holding Shift, click the Power icon and select **Restart**.
6. Do not let go of the Shift key until the screen turns blue and says “Please wait.”
7. On the blue screen, click **Troubleshoot**.
8. Click **Reset this PC**.
9. Select **Remove everything** (you cannot choose “Keep my files” because you don’t have the password).
10. Choose **Local reinstall** and confirm the reset.
Method 2: Using a Windows USB Installation Drive
If the Shift+Restart method fails or Windows is too corrupted to load the login screen, you must reinstall Windows from scratch using a USB drive.
1. On a *different*, working computer, plug in an empty 8GB+ USB flash drive.
2. Go to Microsoft’s official Windows 11 download page and download the “Media Creation Tool.”
3. Run the tool and select “Create installation media for another PC.”
4. Once the USB is ready, plug it into the locked laptop.
5. Turn the locked laptop on and immediately tap the boot menu key repeatedly (usually F12 for Dell/Lenovo, F9 for HP, or F8).
6. Select your USB drive from the boot menu.
7. When the Windows setup screen appears, click Next, then click **Install Now**. Delete all existing partitions on the drive to wipe it completely.
What About BitLocker?
If the laptop has BitLocker device encryption enabled, you may be prompted to enter a 48-digit recovery key when you try to reset it via Method 1. Since you are locked out, you won’t have this key. In this scenario, Method 1 will fail, and you **must** use Method 2 (the USB drive) to completely format and overwrite the encrypted drive.
## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
**Does resetting remove the BIOS password?**
No. A factory reset only wipes the Windows operating system. If the laptop has a hardware-level BIOS/UEFI password set by an IT department, resetting Windows will not remove it.
**Can I recover my files after choosing “Remove everything”?**
It is highly unlikely, especially on modern SSDs that use the TRIM command to permanently erase deleted data.
## Final Thoughts
Whether you bought a used laptop off eBay or simply forgot an old password, resetting Windows 11 from the login screen is a straightforward process. Did the Shift+Restart trick work for your machine?