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Chromebooks are simple, easy-to-use, and efficient computers that can fulfill many people's requirements. A rising number of Chromebooks can compete with Windows computers. The prior owner's data may still be on your device if you have bought a new-to-you Chromebook, and you can easily factory reset your Chromebook.
Another reason for a factory reset of ChromeOS (aka Powerwash) is that it can speed up your Chromebook. If someone has created a user account on your device without permission, you can do a Chromebook reset to erase it. This post will show some possible methods for resetting Chromebooks in 2022. Unlike a Windows computer, a Chrome OS laptop does not store data in a substantial way. So a hard restart of a Chromebook isn't a huge deal.
Before you powerwash / reset your Chromebook, we suggest you review the following changes that are going to occur:
- All local files will be deleted once you reset your Chromebook. Ensure the files you need are backed up to Google Drive before restarting your Chromebook to avoid losing them. After the reset, you can't retrieve the data, so ensure you have everything you need.
- When you reset your Chromebook, all of your accounts will be deleted. Ensure that those accounts' files are backed up and that the login information for those accounts is preserved in a password manager or somewhere else.
- Most Chromebook data is automatically synced to the connected Google account's Google Drive. On the other hand, Android and Linux app data are not stored. Before you begin the reset procedure, you might want to manually back up your Linux programs and Android app data.
On that topic, let's uncover the best technique to restore Chromebook to factory default settings.
How to factory reset a Chromebook / ChromeOS when logged in
Sometimes, you are logged into your Chromebooks and decide it's time to reset ChromeOS. Here's what you need to do.
- Click on the circle at the bottom left corner and select “Settings”
- Select “Advanced” from the left sidebar, and click on “Reset,” as shown in the picture
- On the popup message, click “Reset” to confirm
How to factory reset a Chromebook / ChromeOS from the login screen
If the previous owner did not delete their data from the Chromebook, you might not be able to log in and reset it using the settings. Instead, reset the device from the login screen.
- Open the laptop and go to the login screen of your Chromebook
- Simultaneously press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + R
- On the dialog box at the bottom right corner, click on “Powerwash”
- On the popup message, click on “Continue” to confirm Powerwash
- When you are done with the procedure, your Chromebook / ChromeOS will be reset, and you will be requested to sign in using a Google account.
Extra: How to Copy and Paste on a Chromebook / on ChromeOS
Similar to right-clicking, also Copy and Paste on a Chromebook works a bit differently as you might expect. Read our other tutorial to find out all the ways how to copy and paste on ChromeOS.
Extra: How to Take a Screenshot on Chromebooks / ChromeOS / CloudReady
The screenshot function of Chromebooks used to be limited and only accessible using a weird keyboard shortcut. That changed a year ago when Google released a dedicated tool to capture screenshots and videos of what is visible on your Chromebook.
Our tutorial shows you two methods for starting the screen capture tool on ChromeOS, how to utilize it, and where to find your captured images and videos on your device.
