How To Refresh A Windows 8 PC - Installation Without Losing Your Data

If your computer is running poorly and you can't fix it, Windows 8 or 8.1 gives you the option to refresh the operating system without losing your personal files. In certain scenarios this is the best cure and the fastest way to make the computer run smoothly again. Let's see how the Refresh feature in Windows 8 works and why it is useful.
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What Happens When You Refresh A Windows 8.1 PC?

Before you move forward with this mildly drastic approach to repairing system issues, you should make sure to understand what you'll be doing. While your personal files will remain intact through this procedure, you'll be altering your system quite a bit.

Things that stay the same:

Your personal files will not be deleted. You'll find them right where you left them. However, they need to be placed in the following user folders: Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos. The user files that you store in other locations of the system drive won't be kept.
Your account settings will be kept the way you have them set.
Your Windows Store apps will remain installed.
Things that change:

Your system settings will be restored to factory default settings.
Your desktop applications and drivers will be uninstalled, but a list of them will be saved to your desktop to aid in their re-installation.
Seeing as how you'll have to reinstall every desktop app you've ever installed on your computer, you'll want to be sure this is the right move for you. However, if you've tried everything and you still aren't getting anywhere, refreshing your Windows 8.1 computer can help a lot.