Is there a way to make a clean slate windows 10 system without formatting and re-installing Windows?

[Battousai01]

Hi guys, is there a way to make Windows 10 system clean without formatting and re-installing Windows? Historically, every time I want a clean slate Windows system I format and re-install it then install all apps and copy back all the files I backed-up. But what if I want to have a similar state of cleanliness after re-installation without formatting and re-installing Windows?

My current Windows 10 system is more than a year old and there are around four users, we have installed and uninstalled so many of apps, tried several apps and basically used the system as a testing, workstation and gaming so I think the system has so may system files from all these apps. Is simply uninstalling apps that you do not need enough to make it "clean" and free from any unwanted or malicious apps? Or re-installing Windows is still the best way forward?

 

[balloonshark]

Windows 10 has a refresh, reset and and restore option in Settings. https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4090-refresh-windows-10-a.html

When I first install Windows, activate it and set it up the way I like I then make an clean image. This way I can restore the image if something happens or I happen to get malware. Many of us like macrium reflect's free version. https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree