Two decades ago, when I was using Windows XP, I tended to reinstall the desktop OS on my computer a few times each year. PC geeks like myself thought it made our computers faster and more stable. And besides, I enjoy tweaking things.
But I’ve grown up—I’m not a teenager using Windows XP anymore. And Windows has grown up, too. It’s less temperamental and lets you get rid of the things you don’t want far more easily than before. A clean Windows install doesn’t make all that much of a difference on modern PCs, and older machines I bought a decade ago are still going strong, despite my never reinstalling the latest Windows versions on them.
I’ve even found legitimate reasons why a clean install might make your PC worse. Here’s the lowdown.
Why Wiping Windows Used to Be the Smart Move
I have clear memories of watching family members use new Windows Vista-era PCs that were painfully slow. Their laptops had sluggish mechanical hard drives, and, after they signed in, Windows would waste time opening countless system tray icons for apps they didn’t want to use in the first place. Mechanical hard drives made the startup process bad, and the bloatware made it much worse. I couldn’t use a computer like that, so the first thing I did after buying a new PC during that era was to install a fresh, junkware-free version of Windows.
(Credit: Chris Hoffman)
Things got so bad that Microsoft eventually stepped in with its Signature Edition PCs in 2015, promising a bloatware-free experience if you bought your computer directly from the Microsoft Store. The company clearly saw how much better PCs could be without irritating bloatware.
The problem with bloatware went far beyond inconvenience, however. A decade ago, it often dug hooks deep into Windows and caused various security problems. As an example, Lenovo shipped the SuperFish advertising software on some laptops between 2014 and 2015. This software compromised web encryption on some of its laptops, allowing attackers to impersonate secure sites without warning.
Lenovo fixed the problem long ago (it settled with the FTC in 2017), and nothing as bad as the SuperFish fiasco has happened since, but this event served as a major warning about the risks of bloatware. Why should you want to use anything but an unaltered version of Windows if third-party companies were playing so fast and loose with security? Lenovo wasn’t the only culprit; other manufacturers were also flooding their PCs with questionable software. A clean Windows install was simply a good defense against these sorts of threats.
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Thankfully, the era of problematic bloatware on Windows PCs seems to be mostly behind us. Yes, many new PCs still come with some (mostly cosmetic) add-ons, including antivirus trials, Dropbox offers, preinstalled casual games, TikTok shortcuts, and the like. However, the primary difference is that these extras aren’t dangerous and don’t significantly slow down your PC; they’re legitimate programs and sites. And better yet, you can get rid of them simply by right-clicking their icons in the Start menu and selecting Unpin or Uninstall.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
What You Lose When You Wipe Everything
While removing preinstalled apps was a good reason to reinstall Windows in the past, the equation has shifted slightly. With new PCs, manufacturers often preinstall vital utilities that allow you to control fans, customize keyboard lighting, tweak other hardware features, and update your firmware. These apps are often available only from your PC manufacturer’s website, so it can be time-consuming to hunt them down if you get rid of them during the process of a clean Windows install. It’s much easier to just target the apps you don’t want and keep the ones that are actually useful.
The Myth of the Performance-Boosting Reinstall
With Windows PCs arriving out of the box in a much more usable state than ever before, it’s unlikely that anything preinstalled is causing an issue. Reinstalling Windows may have legitimately removed problematic apps and bloatware in the past, but that’s no longer necessary to keep things running smoothly. Modern Windows 11—and even Windows 10— PCs have been quite resilient in my experience, and I’ve owned a lot of PCs. And even when I’ve occasionally reinstalled Windows in an attempt to fix a problem, doing so hasn’t ever solved the hardware issue or software bug I was experiencing. I’ve wasted way too much time figuring out that reinstalling Windows isn’t the reliable solution it once was.
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When a Clean Install Still Makes Sense
To reiterate, I don’t regularly reinstall Windows on my existing or new PCs. When I encounter a bug, the Windows troubleshooting tools almost always catch it for me. And if it’s a hardware problem, a fresh Windows install won’t fix it anyway.
A clean install isn’t the best way to speed up your PC, either. You can simply delete apps, turn off startup programs, or even upgrade your hardware instead. Skip the part where you spend hours reinstalling Windows and configuring your desktop preferences from scratch.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
If you’ve exhausted all other troubleshooting options, reinstalling Windows 11 is a relatively straightforward process. With Windows 7 and earlier versions, you had to find a fresh Windows installer disc image and either burn it to a disc or use a software tool to create a USB installer. Then, you had to boot from the installer. That’s not even to mention the arduous task of backing up your files.
With Windows 11, simply head to Settings > System > Recovery. The Fix Problems Using Windows Update option reinstalls your Windows system files while leaving your apps, files, and settings alone. Meanwhile, the Reset This PC option fully reinstalls Windows using the options you select. You can even choose to remove manufacturer-provided software if you truly believe that’s the issue. At the very least, I recommend resetting everything if you intend to dispose of a PC or return it to the manufacturer.
About Our Expert
Chris Hoffman
Contributor
Experience
Chris Hoffman is the author of Windows Intelligence, an email newsletter that brings the latest Windows news, tips, and tricks to inboxes each week. He’s also the former editor-in-chief of How-To Geek and a veteran tech journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, PCWorld, Reader’s Digest, and other places.
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