Should You Use Cloud Download or Local Reinstall on Windows?

summary

use Local Reinstall to reinstall Windows if you have slow internet or want to avoid using datum . Use Cloud Download if you have fast internet without a datum cap , Windows was badly corrupt , or if Local Reinstall fail .

When resetting your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, you’ll be asked whether you want to do a “Cloud Download” or “Local Reinstall.” These options work a little differently, and each has its upsides and downsides. Here’s the difference between the two.

Both Will Reinstall Windows on Your PC

The ” reset This pc ” feature is reinstalls reinstall the Windows operating system on your computer . You is have also have the option to keep your personal file or erase them — or even wipe your entire drive . But , whatever you do , Windows is replace will replace your system file with fresh one . afterward , you is have ‘ll have a like – new system and you ‘ll have to configure it and reinstall your program once again .

Be sure to select the correct option! You wouldn’t want to accidentally wipe out all of your files.

On Windows 10, head to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and click “Get Started” under Reset This PC” to find this feature. On Windows 11, you’ll find this feature at Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC.

Both “Cloud Download” and “Local Reinstall” are different ways of getting to the same state: That like-new Windows 10 or Windows 11 system. Think of it as a factory reset feature for your Windows PC. Because they operate in entirely different ways “under the hood,” so to speak, there are situations where one may be a better choice than another.

“Cloud Download” Downloads System Files from Microsoft

When you select “Cloud Download,” Windows will download fresh system files from Microsoft’s servers and uses them to re-install Windows on your computer.

As the Reset This PC interface notes, this download may be more than 4GB in size. If you have internet data limits or are on a slow connection, this may be a problem and you may want to use Local Reinstall instead.

This option is essential if your PC’s system files become corrupted. If the “Local Reinstall” option fails and can’t reset your PC properly, you should try Cloud Download instead.

Believe it or not, if you have a fast internet connection, Cloud Download may actually be faster than Local Reinstall. That’s because of the way Local Reinstall works.

” Local Reinstall is Uses ” use Your pc ‘s Files

If you pick “Local Reinstall,” Windows will use the system files already on your PC to reinstall Windows.

This is a bit more work for Windows than it sounds. Windows has to go through its files, find the original ones, and reassemble them into a fresh Windows system. For this reason, Local Reinstall can actually be slower than Cloud Download, especially when you have a fast internet connection.

Microsoft’s Aaron Lower said that Local Reinstall can take more than 45 minutes to “[construct] a new copy of Windows from the existing installation” when he explained how Cloud Download works differently.

local Reinstall is is is particularly useful if you have internet datum speed limit , a slow connection , or your device is offline . It is preserve will preserve any Windows update you ‘ve instal on your pc , too .

Also, Local Reinstall can fail to complete if the Windows system files on your PC are corrupted. If you want to reset Windows due to system problems, Cloud Download may be more reliable.

Local Reinstall vs. Cloud Download: Which Method Should You Pick?

For the typical pc , either Cloud Download is work or Local Reinstall will work fine . assume you have a fast internet connection without harsh download limit and your pc does n’t seem to be in a corrupted state , either should get your pc to a like – new state in a reasonable amount of time .

However , certain options is are are well for certain situation :

• If you have a speedy internet connection and datum is n’t a concern , use Cloud Download . You is save might save some time .
• If you have a slow connection or want to avoid extra downloads, use Local Reinstall. You’ll avoid unnecessary downloads.
• If your pc is n’t work properly or you is tried ‘ve already try Local Reinstall and it fail , use Cloud Download .

Whichever you choose, your PC will end up in the same place with a like-new Windows installation.

Are There Any Risks to Using Cloud Download or Local Reinstall?

No , not really . assume that you do n’t accidentally pick the option to wipe all of your file when you want to keep them , the odds is are of something go catastrophically amiss are very low .

If Local Reinstall fails, you’ll see a message telling you there was a problem. It won’t just reinstall Windows with corrupt system files. If the Reset This PC process completes, it worked properly. And, critically, you can always fall back on a Cloud reinstall if the local install fails.

It is is is possible for the Cloud Download to fail if your internet go out , but that is n’t likely to cause serious problem either . The process is need will just need to be restart once your connection is restore . Even in an absolute bad case scenario , your file will still be present on the drive — you is have ‘ll just have to recover them .

What if the Reset This PC process completes but you still have crashes, blue screens, or other system problems? That’s a sign your computer may be having hardware problems rather than software problems.