What to know
- If your Surface Pro is running slow, lagging, or experiencing frequent crashes, a reset can often resolve these issues by clearing out temporary files, cache data, and other unnecessary files that can slow down your device.
- Before selling or giving away your Surface Pro, it’s essential to reset it to factory settings to protect your personal data and ensure the new owner has a clean slate.
- Before you begin the reset process, it’s crucial to prepare your Surface Pro to ensure a smooth and successful operation.
Are you experiencing performance issues with your Surface Pro? Does it feel sluggish, or are you facing constant crashes? Maybe you’re planning to sell your Surface Pro and want to wipe it clean. Whatever the reason, knowing how to reset your Surface Pro with buttons is a valuable skill. This guide will walk you through the process, ensuring you can restore your device to its factory settings and regain optimal performance.
Why Reset Your Surface Pro?
Resetting your Surface Pro can be a powerful solution for various issues. Here are some common scenarios where a reset might be necessary:
- Performance problems: If your Surface Pro is running slow, lagging, or experiencing frequent crashes, a reset can often resolve these issues by clearing out temporary files, cache data, and other unnecessary files that can slow down your device.
- Software glitches: Sometimes, software updates or installations can cause glitches or errors. Resetting your Surface Pro can help fix these issues by reinstalling the operating system.
- Selling or giving away your Surface Pro: Before selling or giving away your Surface Pro, it’s essential to reset it to factory settings to protect your personal data and ensure the new owner has a clean slate.
- Troubleshooting issues: If you’re facing a persistent issue that you can’t resolve through other troubleshooting steps, a reset might be the best option.
Preparing for the Reset
Before you begin the reset process, it’s crucial to prepare your Surface Pro to ensure a smooth and successful operation. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Back up your data: Resetting your Surface Pro will erase all data from your device. Before proceeding, back up all your important files, including documents, photos, videos, and any other data you want to keep. You can use cloud storage services like OneDrive or Google Drive, an external hard drive, or a USB flash drive.
2. Sign out of your accounts: Log out of all your accounts, including your Microsoft account, other online accounts, and any apps you’ve signed into.
3. Disconnect external devices: Remove any external devices connected to your Surface Pro, such as USB drives, printers, and external monitors.
4. Charge your Surface Pro: Ensure your Surface Pro has at least 50% battery life before starting the reset process. This will prevent the device from shutting down unexpectedly during the process.
How to Reset Your Surface Pro with Buttons
Now that you’ve prepared your Surface Pro, follow these steps to perform a factory reset using the buttons:
1. Shut down your Surface Pro: Press and hold the power button until the “Power off” option appears. Choose “Shut down.”
2. Press and hold the volume-up button: While holding the volume-up button, press and release the power button.
3. Release the volume-up button: When the Surface Pro logo appears, release the volume-up button.
4. Select “Troubleshoot” from the menu: You’ll be presented with a menu. Use the volume buttons to navigate and select “Troubleshoot.”
5. Choose “Reset this PC” option: Navigate to the “Reset this PC” option and select it.
6. Select “Remove everything” option: You’ll be presented with two options: “Keep my files” and “Remove everything.” Choose “Remove everything” to perform a complete factory reset.
7. Confirm the reset: You’ll be prompted to confirm your decision. Select “Yes” to proceed with the reset.
The Reset Process
Once you’ve confirmed the reset, your Surface Pro will begin the factory reset process. This process can take some time, depending on your Surface Pro’s storage capacity and the amount of data on your device. During this time, your Surface Pro will restart several times, and the screen may display a progress bar.
Things to Remember During the Reset
- Don’t interrupt the process: Avoid interrupting the reset process by turning off your Surface Pro or disconnecting it from power. Doing so can damage your device.
- Wait patiently: The reset process can take a while. Be patient and let the process complete.
- Don’t worry about the screen: During the reset process, the screen may go black for extended periods. This is normal and part of the reset process.
Setting Up Your Surface Pro After the Reset
Once the reset process is complete, your Surface Pro will restart. You’ll be greeted by a setup wizard that will guide you through setting up your device. This includes:
- Choosing your language: Select your preferred language.
- Connecting to Wi-Fi: Connect your Surface Pro to a Wi-Fi network.
- Creating a Microsoft account: If you don’t already have a Microsoft account, you’ll need to create one.
- Setting up privacy and security: Choose your privacy and security settings.
- Installing apps: You can choose to install apps from the Microsoft Store.
What to Do After Resetting Your Surface Pro
After you’ve successfully reset your Surface Pro, you can start using it again. Here are some things to do:
- Install necessary apps: Install the apps you need, such as web browsers, productivity tools, and entertainment apps.
- Restore your data: If you backed up your data before the reset, you can restore it to your Surface Pro.
- Update your device: Check for and install any available updates for your Surface Pro and its apps.
- Customize your settings: Adjust your settings to your preferences, such as language, time zone, and notification settings.
The End of the Journey: Your Surface Pro is Ready!
Congratulations! You’ve successfully reset your Surface Pro and restored it to its factory settings. You can now enjoy a clean and optimized device, free from the performance issues and glitches that may have plagued your device before the reset.
Popular Questions
Q: Will resetting my Surface Pro erase all my files and apps?
A: Yes, resetting your Surface Pro will erase all data, including files, apps, and settings. It’s crucial to back up your data before performing a reset.
Q: Can I reset my Surface Pro without losing my data?
A: No, a factory reset will always erase all data from your device. If you want to keep your data, you can try other troubleshooting methods or contact Microsoft support.
Q: Can I reset my Surface Pro if it’s not working?
A: If your Surface Pro is not functioning properly, you may still be able to reset it using the buttons. However, if the device is completely unresponsive, you may need to contact Microsoft support for further assistance.
Q: How often should I reset my Surface Pro?
A: There’s no set schedule for resetting your Surface Pro. However, if you experience performance issues or software glitches, resetting your device can often resolve these problems.
Q: What if I forget my Microsoft account password after the reset?
A: If you forget your Microsoft account password after resetting your Surface Pro, you’ll need to recover it using Microsoft’s password recovery tools. You can find these tools on the Microsoft account website.