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Here’s the Windows 10 clean install you’ve always needed

Published Jun 18th, 2016 12:00PM EDT
Windows 10 Clean Install

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Windows 10 has been the center of countless controversies over the past year. But while many users have been (often justifiable) complaining about some of the software’s privacy settings and intolerable update notifications, Microsoft has been quietly working behind the scenes to improve Windows 10.

On Thursday, the company released a preview build for Windows 10 which included a new tool that makes it even easier to perform a clean installation.

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“This tool is now available from the Settings app for Windows Insiders using the latest builds that installs a clean copy of the most recent version of Windows10 and removes apps that were installed on your PC,” software engineer Dona Sarkar explained in a post on the Windows Experience Blog.

Windows 10 shipped with a “Reset your PC” option in the settings menu, but it wasn’t as thorough as some users would have liked. With the new tool, you can erase “ALL applications that do not come standard with Windows.”

This should be especially handy for consumers who have recently purchased a Windows 10 PC and want to remove any of the bloatware that came preinstalled on the machine. It’s also a great way to clear any personal data or important files before you throw out or sell your Windows 10 PC.

The tool isn’t currently available outside of the most recent Windows 10 Insider Preview Build, but it stands to reason that it will be included in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update later this summer.

Jacob Siegal
Jacob Siegal Associate Editor

Jacob Siegal is Associate Editor at BGR, having joined the news team in 2013. He has over a decade of professional writing and editing experience, and helps to lead our technology and entertainment product launch and movie release coverage.