How To Factory Reset a Lenovo Laptop 

So you are facing problems with the corrupt operating system? Or viruses have attacked your Lenovo laptop? One of the best ways to remove corrupt files efficiently is restoring the computer to factory settings.

But how should you do that? Restoring a Lenovo laptop isn’t hard, but you need to know the appropriate process of restoring the settings correctly.

In this article, we have discussed two ways to factory reset a Lenovo laptop. You can even use these methods if you don’t know the administrator password. The methods apply to most of the top Lenovo laptops, including YOGA, IdeaPad, ThinkPad, and much more.

How to Factory Reset a Lenovo Laptop

Method 1: Using OneKey recovery to factory reset a Lenovo laptop

Most of the Lenovo laptop models come with a Recovery Key. You can find this button either on the right side of the laptop or near the power button on the keyboard. After finding the Recovery Key, follow the below-mentioned steps to factory reset the computer.

In case you are not able to find the key, check the instruction manual of the laptop, or you can search for it on the web with your laptop model number.

1. Shut down your Lenovo laptop. If you are not able to do it manually due to many reasons like blue/black screen or you don’t know the password then take out the battery from the battery compartment.
2. Plug-in the AC adapter to charge your laptop, and click on the Recovery Key (NOVO Key) button for around 5 seconds.
3. You will see a pop-up menu named “Novo Button Menu”.
4. Go on System Recovery using the down arrow key and click on “Enter”.
5. Now navigate to “Restore from Initial Backup”. Click on “Next”.
6. The system will ask you for permission. Click on the “Start” option and then select “Yes” to commence the restoration process.
7. Wait for some time till the system is resetting to factory defaults. Once done, you can follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Lenovo laptop.

So you own an older Lenovo laptop that has no Recovery Key (Novo Key button)? Well, if that’s the case, then this restoration method will not work for you.

Don’t worry; we have another method available that requires the administrator password to access the settings. If you are not aware of the password, then check this article to reset it before trying the factory reset process.

Method 2: Using repair/setup disk to factor/y reset a Lenovo laptop 

You can try this method on Lenovo laptops with Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. Using the repair/setup disk option has multiple benefits like you can repair or reinstall the system.

1. Power on your Lenovo laptop and connect the repair/setup disk with it.
2. The laptop will start booting automatically as soon as you connect the disk with it. In case, the laptop doesn’t start booting, then press F1 or F2 to enter into UEFI (BIOS) settings to adjust the boot order to CD/USB Drive.
3. After successful booting, the laptop will display the instructions on the screen.
4. Click on Next and then select Repair Your Computer.
5. From the Choose an Option screen, click o Troubleshoot.
6. On the Troubleshoot screen, you will see “Reset this PC”. Click on it to factory reset your Lenovo laptop.
7. You will see two options on the screen: Remove Everything or Keep My Files.
8. Choose “Remove Everything” as you are factory resetting the system.
9. The system will ask for a password to remove everything from it.
10. After entering the password, choose the drive, you want to format, i.e. All Drives or Only the drive where the Windows is installed.
11. Now click on “Reset”, and the system will reset to factory settings.

You can set up the laptop again from scratch, and there will be no viruses and other issues at all.

Also Read: How to Factory Reset ASUS Laptop

Tips to Know Before Factory Resetting Your Lenovo Laptop 

Here are some tips you need to know before factory resetting the laptop to default settings.

Tip 1: Backup the data

Resorting the laptop to factory defaults will result in formatting all the data from it. It would be great to back up the beforehand following the factory reset process.

You can use a portable SSD or HDD to backup all the data in it, and then you can reuse it after resetting the laptop. Most users fail to back up the data, which is a huge mistake if your laptop is loaded with crucial information.

Once you start resetting the laptop, you cannot retrieve the data.

Tip 2: Connect it to the power supply 

Connecting the laptop to the power supply will ensure that it will not shut down in-between the process. The first thing you should do is connect the AC adapter and then start with the process of resetting the laptop to factory settings.

Also, there are some cases when the users reported a damaged hard drive due to power failure while resetting the laptop. Factory resetting your Lenovo laptop is an unstoppable process, so it is indispensable to connect the AC adapter.

Tip 3: Install antivirus

So you have decided to factory reset your Lenovo laptop due to viruses and malware? These things will attack the laptop again as viruses are inevitable, but you can tackle them using a good antivirus program.

Install a reputable antivirus and anti-malware program before installing the application or transferring the data. Furthermore, using an antivirus curtails the chances of Windows corruption, and you will get a smooth experience with your Lenovo laptop.

Tip 4: Note the software version and credentials

So you have backed up all the essential files, but what about the software you need? Yes, you can install most of the software and tools but making a list of the required tools will be a great help.

Deauthorize all the software and tools you won’t be using in the future before resetting the laptop.

Also Read: ThinkPad vs IdeaPad

Final Thoughts 

These are the two most practiced methods to factory reset a Lenovo laptop. If you are unaware of the password, then you can use the Novo OneKey method to reset the laptop, but you won’t get any option to recover the data in this case.

On the other hand, the repair/setup drive method allows you to back up the data, and you can even clean the specific drive if required.

Both methods work well in the factory resetting a Lenovo laptop, and you can go ahead with the one you need. Make sure to follow the aforementioned tips before you start with restoring the default settings on your laptop.