How to Reinstall Windows 11 without Losing Apps and Files?

By Andy Samuel to Partition Manager | 2024-04-30
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Are you facing issues with your Windows 11? To solve critical issues, you may need to reinstall Windows 11 for troubleshooting. You can utilize the built-in recovery option. But if you use the feature, it may delete all your data from the PC. We know how frustrating it is. The question remains, ‘’Can I reinstall Windows 11 without losing apps and data?’’ Yes, you can. To help you out, we have compiled a guide to help you reinstall Windows 11 without losing your private data. We have shown two easy solutions on“ how to reinstall Windows 11 without losing apps and files.”

Part 1: Remember to Backup Your Data Before Reinstalling Windows 11

Want to reinstall Windows 11 without losing Data? Before reinstalling Windows 11 you have to keep your necessary data. Besides, when you copy a disk or partition to another, you'll lose data on the new one. Back up your important data or use an empty disk first.

Don't do anything else on your computer while cloning to avoid issues. If your computer isn't very powerful, it might slow down or cause the new disk to reset or go offline, risking data loss.

Use PassFab 4EasyPartition to clone your disk before reinstalling Windows 11. Disk cloning makes an exact copy of a hard drive or SSD, including everything on it. It's great for upgrading or replacing old disks.

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PassFab 4EasyPartition

  • Safely migrate Windows to another disk or PC.
  • Make Windows boot faster with a new SSD.
  • Update to Windows 11 without data loss.
  • Clone HDD, SSD, or USB drives easily.
  • Move large amounts of data between partitions.
  • Migrate OS, data, and apps to new drives effortlessly.
  • Transfer data without reinstalling apps.
  • Seamless MBR and GPT conversion
  • Recover deleted and formatted partitions safely.
  • Resize, create, delete, and split partitions easily.
  • And more

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How to backup data before reinstalling Windows 11?

  • To clone a disk, use PassFab 4EasyPartition and select "Clone Disk" to begin.

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    *An OTG cable is required

    open the PassFab 4EasyPartition and click on the clone disk
  • Choose the disk you want to clone to, then click "Continue" to move on.

    Choose the disk you want to clone
  • A warning window will appear. Click "Sure" to continue to the next step.

    click on sure to go for next step
  • On the preview screen, review the details of the source and target disks. Click "Start" to begin cloning the disk.

    get a preview section
  • Disk cloning is done successfully. A confirmation window will appear. Click "Reload", then "Finish" to finish the process.

    Clone your desired disk using PassFab 4EasyPartition

Part 2: How to Reinstall Windows 11 without Losing Apps and Files?

Solution 1. Use a Bootable USB Drive to Reinstall Windows 11

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • A good internet connection.
  • An empty USB drive with at least 8GB for making a bootable USB drive. Use a completely empty drive since all data will be deleted.
  • Know which edition of Windows 11 you have on your PC. Go to Settings > System > About to find it.
  • Insert the USB drive into your PC where you want to install Windows 11.

Follow these steps to make a Windows 11 Installation Media:

  1. Go to this website on your PC to download the Windows 11 Installation Media.
  2. Run the media creation tool file after downloading. You'll need admin rights to run this tool.

    download the media creation tool
  3. Agree to the license terms by selecting "Accept".

    click on accept for installation
  4. Uncheck the "Use the recommended options for this PC" box to pick your language and edition. Then, click "Next" to proceed.

    Uncheck the  Use the recommended options for this PC
  5. Select "USB flash drive" and then click "Next".

    Select
  6. Choose the bootable USB flash drive you've prepared with at least 8GB space, then click " Next".

    click on next after selected the USB drive
    Note:

    Remember, all data on the USB flash drive will be deleted.

  7. The USB will be formatted, and Windows installation files will be copied to the drive.

    track the progress of the work
  8. Your USB flash drive is now set up as bootable Windows 11 Installation Media. Click "Finish".

    click on finish and make your USB bootable

Before you continue, make sure to back up all important files like photos, documents, and applications from your PC using PassFab 4EasyPartition. (As we have shown above)

Now, with your installation media ready, you can clean install Windows 11 by following these steps:

  1. Plug in the USB flash drive to the PC where you want to install Windows 11.
  2. Restart your PC and hold down the Shift key to boot into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

    Restarting PC and hold down the Shift key
  3. Once in WinRE, select Use a device.

    Select Use a device in WinRE
  4. Choose the bootable USB device you have just created.

    Choose the bootable USB device
  5. In the Windows Setup window, choose your language, time zone, and keyboard settings. Then, click "Next".

    choosing a language, time zone, and keyboard settings in Windows setup menu
  6. Choose Install Now.

    Click on install now
  7. On the "Activate Windows" page, choose "I don't have a product key" if you're reinstalling the same Windows edition. Windows will activate automatically after you sign in to your Microsoft Account. Then, click "Next".

    clicking on I don’t have a product key on the Windows setup menu
  8. On the "Select the operating system you want to install" page, pick the same Windows 11 edition you identified earlier. Then, click "Next".

    Selecting the operating system you want to install from windows 11 setup menu
  9. If you agree to the Microsoft Software License Terms, click on the line to accept, then click "Next".

    click on the line to accept
  10. Select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)" as the installation type. Make sure you've backed up all your PC's content before continuing.

    Selecting  Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) while installing windows 11
  11. Choose the hard drive where you want to install Windows, then click "Next". The Windows installation will start.

    Choose the hard drive where you want to install Windows from windows setup menu
  12. Wait for the process to complete and don't turn off your PC while it's happening.

Solution 2. Reinstall Windows 11 by Mounting the ISO File

Downloading the Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft and mounting it to reinstall is straightforward. Just follow these steps:

  1. Go to this this website and you have to download the Windows 11 ISO file

    downloading the Windows 11 ISO file
  2. Once you've downloaded the .ISO file, right-click on it and select "Mount".

    mounting windows iso file
  3. Right-click on the mounted drive and choose "Run as administrator" to open Windows 11 setup.exe.

    installing a setup file using run as administration option
  4. Click "Yes" if you see this prompt.

    click on yes to agree the terms while installing windows from iso file
  5. Select "Next" to begin installing Windows 11.

    Click next to installing windows 11
  6. After checking for updates, the setup will show the license terms. Click "Accept" to continue.

    Accept all the updates while installing windows 11
  7. Before installing, Windows 11 Setup lets you choose whether to keep your files or not. Click "Choose what to keep" to make your selection.

    Click
  8. Select what you want to keep, then click "Next".

    Select what you want to keep while installing Windows 11
  9. Click "Install" to start reinstalling Windows.

    click install to reinstall Windows 11
  10. Wait for the installation to complete, and then you'll have a fresh new Windows 11 ready to use.

    Completing the windows 11 install process
Tips:

Turn off your antivirus and close other programs before Windows 11 reinstall without losing apps.

FAQs about Reinstall Windows 11 Without Losing Apps

How do I reinstall Windows 11 without deleting apps?

Use the installation media to reinstall Windows 11. During installation, select "Change" to determine what to keep. Choose "Keep personal files and apps" to preserve your data, apps, and settings.

Will I lose everything if I reinstall Windows 11?

No, you can choose to reinstall Windows 11 while keeping your personal files and apps intact.

Can I reinstall Windows without losing my installed apps?

Yes, you can reinstall Windows 10 from within the OS. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. Under "Reset this PC," click "Get started" and choose either "Remove everything" or "Keep my files" based on your preference.

Final Thoughts

Hope you got complete idea about how to reinstall Windows 11 without losing apps. Follow these simple procedure to reinstall your OS. But it’s best to use tools like PassFab 4EasyPartition to clone your disk before reinstalling. So that you don’t loose your important data or apps.

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*An OTG cable is required

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