Guidance

Resetting Windows laptops and tablets

Steps schools should follow before lending a Microsoft Windows laptop or tablet to a child, family or young person.

From:
Department for Education
Published
19 April 2020
Last updated
23 June 2022 鈥 See all updates

This guidance was withdrawn on

DfE no longer provides technical support with laptops and devices provided as part of the Get help with technology programme.

For help contact the equipment manufacturers or your own IT support team.

Applies to England

Step 1 - Before you start

Who needs to reset devices

If you received 鈥楧fE-restricted鈥 Windows devices in the 2019 to 20 or 2020 to 21 academic years, you鈥檒l need to reset them as soon as possible. You do not need to reset 鈥楽tandard鈥 Windows devices, Chromebooks or iPads.

Why DfE-restricted Windows devices need to be reset

鈥楻estricted鈥 Windows devices provided though the Get help with technology programme came with security software. It was due to expire on 30 September 2021, but to ensure devices remain safe for children and young people to use, we extended licences until 30 September 2022. You鈥檙e still required to reset devices and apply your own safeguarding settings as soon as possible.

When licences expire, users will be able to freely access any online content. Devices will not be maintained with future updates including virus scans and software upgrades. It鈥檚 your responsibility to safeguard the young people in your care.

What you need to do

You鈥檒l need to read all of this guide, through to 鈥楢pply your own settings鈥, to ensure that you complete the reset process.

鈥楻estricted鈥 Windows laptops and tablets need to be restored to factory settings. This removes existing device management and content filtering software so you can apply your own.

  • You should reset devices as soon as possible.
  • Back up anything you need from devices before resetting.
  • Each reset will take approximately 40 to 60 minutes.
  • You will need to do this for each device individually.
  • This process can be done at the same time on multiple devices.

Step 2 - Get local admin and BIOS passwords

Why do I need this information?

  • Local admin password 鈥 this allows you to sign into the admin user accounts for laptops and tablets where you can access options to reset the device. This cannot be done from the 鈥榣ocal user鈥 account on the device.
  • BIOS password 鈥 every laptop and tablet has a system that controls the device, called the BIOS. To protect devices, this system has been password protected. You need the BIOS password so you can complete the reset process.

You should only share your passwords with trusted users who are resetting laptops and tablets or applying device management and content filtering settings.

Get passwords

Passwords for DfE-restricted devices ordered by your organisation were emailed to everyone with a login for the DfE Get help with technology service at your organisation on 23 and 24 May 2022. Please refer back to this email for your passwords.

If you cannot find the email or need passwords for devices not included in the email, and no one else in your organisation has this information, email COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk with this information:

  • organisation name
  • organisation URN
  • serial numbers of devices you require passwords for

Step 3 - Reset the BIOS password

To reset devices, you need to access the device BIOS and reset the password.

When you鈥檝e completed this stage, remember to work through the rest of the guidance to the end.

How to access the BIOS for your device

If your specific device is not listed below, follow the instructions for other makes and models.

Acer (all models)

Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楽et Supervisor Password鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Press 鈥楨nter鈥 and when you see 鈥楥hanges have been saved鈥, select 鈥楥ontinue鈥.
  6. Press F10 to save and exit 鈥 confirm by selecting 鈥榊es鈥.

ASUS (all models)

Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Press F7 for Advanced Mode.
  3. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楽etup Administrator Password鈥.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Select the 鈥楽ave & Exit鈥 tab.
  6. Select 鈥楽ave Changes and Exit鈥, then confirm when prompted.

Dell (all models)

Access BIOS
  1. If the device is on, shut it down fully from the Windows Start menu.
  2. Press the power button and immediately press F2 key repeatedly (multiple presses, not holding the key down).
  3. Keep pressing the F2 key until you鈥檙e prompted for the 鈥楽upervisor Password鈥.
  4. If you鈥檙e not asked for this password, you may not have timed pressing F2 correctly 鈥 shut the device down fully and try again.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楢dministrator Password鈥.
  3. If asked, enter the current BIOS password.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Select the 鈥楨xit鈥 menu.
  6. Select 鈥楽ave Changes and Exit鈥, then confirm if prompted.

Dynabook (A30)

Access BIOS
  1. If the device is on, shut it down fully from the Windows Start menu.
  2. Press the power button and immediately press F2 key repeatedly (multiple presses, not holding the key down).
  3. Keep pressing the F2 key until you鈥檙e prompted for the 鈥楽upervisor Password鈥.
  4. If you鈥檙e not asked for this password, you may not have timed pressing F2 correctly 鈥 shut the device down fully and try again.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive) and press 鈥楨nter鈥.
  2. Choose the 鈥楽ecurity Menu鈥 and select 鈥楽upervisor - Registered鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank, then press 鈥楨nter鈥.
  5. Press F10 to save and exit 鈥 confirm by selecting 鈥榊es鈥.

Dynabook (R50)

A 鈥楤IOS Unlock鈥 app is required for Dynabook R50 laptops. To download this executable file email COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk with 鈥楧ynabook R50 BIOS鈥 as the subject line and we鈥檒l send the file to you.

Once the file has been downloaded, right-click it and select 鈥楻un as administrator鈥. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset the BIOS password.

Dynabook (other models)

Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楽etup Administrator Password鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank. If you leave this blank, press 鈥楨nter鈥 when asked 鈥楥lear Old Password. Continue?鈥.
  5. Press F10 to save and exit 鈥 confirm by selecting 鈥榊es鈥.

Geobook (all models)

Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楽etup Administrator Password鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank. If you leave this blank, press 鈥楨nter鈥 when asked 鈥楥lear Old Password. Continue?鈥.
  5. Press F10 to save and exit 鈥 confirm by selecting 鈥榊es鈥.

HP (255)

Access BIOS

When the device is powered off, press the power button then repeatedly press F10, or:

  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 menu and 鈥楢dministrator Password鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Select the 鈥楨xit鈥 menu.
  6. Select 鈥楽ave Changes and Exit鈥, then confirm when prompted.

Lenovo (all models)

Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 tab and 鈥楽etup Administrator Password鈥.
  3. If asked, enter the current BIOS password.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Press 鈥楨nter鈥 when you see 鈥楥hanges have been saved鈥.
  6. Press F10 to save and exit 鈥 confirm by selecting 鈥榊es鈥.

Microsoft (Surface Go)

Access BIOS

When the device is powered off, hold down the volume up (+) button while pressing the power button, or:

  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. Select 鈥楿EFI鈥 then 鈥楩irmware Settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 menu and 鈥楿EFI Password鈥.
  3. Enter the current BIOS password when asked.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Select 鈥榊es鈥.
  6. Select 鈥極K鈥 when you see 鈥楥hanges have been saved鈥.
  7. Select the 鈥楨xit鈥 menu and choose 鈥楻estart Now鈥.
Other makes and models
Access BIOS
  1. From the Windows Start menu, select the power icon.
  2. Hold down 鈥楽hift鈥 and select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  3. When the 鈥楥hoose an option鈥 screen appears, select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥.
  4. On the 鈥楢dvanced Options鈥 screen, select 鈥楿EFI Firmware settings鈥.
  5. Select 鈥楻estart鈥.
  6. The device will boot into BIOS 鈥 you may be required to select 鈥楿nlock鈥.
Reset BIOS Password

Check if your organisation has security policies that you need to follow before resetting and storing your passwords.

  1. Enter the BIOS password (case sensitive).
  2. Select the 鈥楽ecurity鈥 menu and the option that resembles 鈥楢dministrator Password鈥.
  3. If asked, enter the current BIOS password.
  4. Enter and confirm your new password, or leave this blank.
  5. Select the 鈥楨xit鈥 menu.
  6. Select 鈥楽ave Changes and Exit鈥, then confirm if prompted.

Step 4 - Unlock recovery mode

To enable the recovery partition, log out as a local user and log in as the administrator.

Administrator login details

  • Username: .\localadmin
  • Password: The admin user password retrieved through

Once logged in as administrator, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Windows start menu and type 鈥榗md鈥 into the search box.
  2. Right-select on 鈥楥ommand prompt鈥 and click 鈥楻un as administrator鈥.
  3. If asked 鈥楧o you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?鈥, select 鈥榊es鈥.
  4. Within the command prompt window, type 鈥榬eagentc /enable鈥 and press 鈥楨nter鈥 鈥 after several seconds the output should say 鈥極peration Successful鈥.
  5. Type 鈥榬eagentc /boottore鈥 and press 鈥楨nter鈥 鈥 after several seconds the output should say 鈥極peration Successful鈥.
  6. To check the status of the recovery partition, type 鈥榬eagentc /info鈥 and press 鈥楨nter鈥 鈥 after several seconds the output should say 鈥楨nabled鈥.

Step 5 - Reset the device

Your device is now ready to be reset to factory settings. This will usually take between 40 and 60 minutes.

Enter recovery mode

Open the Windows Start menu and select the power button. While holding down 鈥楽hift鈥 select 鈥楻estart鈥.

The device should restart to a blue recovery mode screen.

If the above method is not successful, try pressing and holding the following keys while your device is booting:

  • Acer 鈥 F2.
  • ASUS 鈥 F9.
  • Dell 鈥 F8.
  • Dynabook 鈥 0 (zero).
  • HP 鈥 F11.
  • Lenovo 鈥 FN+F11 at the same time.

Consult the manufacturer鈥檚 guidance for specific instructions if the methods above do not work.

Perform a factory reset

From the recovery mode menu:

  1. Select 鈥楾roubleshoot鈥 and select 鈥楻eset this PC鈥 鈥 if you鈥檙e asked where to reinstall Windows, select 鈥楲ocal Reinstall鈥.
  2. Select 鈥楻emove everything鈥 鈥 your screen may go blank for a short period after this.
  3. When asked if you want to keep this PC set up for your workspace, select 鈥楴o鈥.
  4. Select 鈥楥lean the drive fully鈥 and select 鈥楻eset鈥 when prompted.

The device will now enter the reset process 鈥 this usually takes between 40 and 60 minutes.

If you cannot complete these steps, the BIOS password process may not have been completed correctly. Revisit , or email COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk if you require additional support.

The reset is complete when you see either the Windows setup screen or a black screen with white text asking if you wish to remove the TPM (Trusted Platform Module). This is up to your organisation鈥檚 preferences and not part of our reset guidance.

Step 6 - Apply your own settings

After resetting devices, you should apply your own security settings and set up content filtering to ensure they鈥檙e safe for users.

For more information on how to do this, read our guidance on preparing standard Microsoft Windows laptops and tablets.

Guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education provides online safety resources, including:

  • from saferinternet.org.uk
  • from nen.gov.uk.

Updates to this page

Published 19 April 2020
Last updated 23 June 2022 show all updates

  1. Updated content now that the DfE 'Get help with technology' service has closed.

  2. First published.

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