When you buy a new PC with Windows 10 pre-installed, it usually comes with all kinds of OEM software installed – trial version of antivirus, trial version of the Office software, and other tidbits that reveals itself as the time passes by. But all this bloatware is something that you can do without. In fact, if you leave the device driver software which has very important role to play, then most of the other software installed by the OEM just makes your PC slower. To make your PC faster and get rid of all the junk installed by the OEM, you have to re-install or refresh Windows installation.
In the latest version of Windows 10, Microsoft has added a useful tool called “Refresh Windows” that performs a clean installation of the operating system removing all the unnecessary software that came bundled with the PC. After this you will need to install only the device drivers. And as far as the drivers are considered, Windows 10 supports almost all the devices and you have to download the drivers only for some relatively obscure hardware.
So how do you run this new Refresh Windows tool and perform the clean re-installation? If you are running Windows 10 (release build 14342 or later only), then you can get the Refresh Windows tool from the Microsoft servers at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=808750.
After launching the tool, you are shown two options – keep the personal files, or keep nothing. In the first option, it deletes all the apps and settings but keeps the personal files. In the second option, it deletes everything including your personal files. As you click the “Next” button, it prepares and continues to re-install Windows 10 all over again – this time avoiding the OEM software.
In the future builds of Windows 10, this feature is going to be integrated inside Windows 10 options so that you do not have to download this tool from the internet.
Conclusion: The Refresh Windows brings a relief for all the people who do not like really unnecessary software that comes bundled with your PC. This tool can remove the bloatware and clean install Windows all over again.