Part of what makes Chromebooks so easy to recommend to friends and family without in-home tech support is that the differences between ChromeOS and MacOS or Windows make them nearly impossible to mess up. System files are sandboxed and secured beyond the user's reach -- so Grandpa can't delete the OS again. And if anything acts, looks or just feels wrong -- like a festering doubt about the safety of an extension you installed and uninstalled -- resetting your system takes only five clicks and your Google password.
ChromeOS calls factory resetting Powerwash as if you're blasting grime off a cobblestone street. With ChromeOS' cloud-centric file system and preference syncing, powerwashing a Chromebook and getting fully set up again has only one drawback: the number of websites you'll have to log back into. All your Chrome extensions, themes, system settings, PWAs and Android apps will be returned right where they were, with only your local app data and downloaded files lost into the digital ether.
So whether you're factory resetting your old model before logging into the latest and greatest Chromebooks, giving it to a family member, selling it, donating it or want to give an old, straining Chromebook a fresh start, there's not much to do. But let's get to it.
Back up your files
Chrome OS, by default, will backup and sync your ChromeOS system settings, Chrome browser extensions and themes, and which Android and PWA apps you have installed. However, there are two types of file data you'll need to back up yourself: local app data and locally downloaded files.
Want to double check your sync settings? Open the Settings app and select Sync and Google services in the Privacy and security section and then Manage what you sync.
App data can't always be backed up, but most apps and games have some form of cloud backup you'll have to ensure is activated and fully synced before proceeding. For instance, I lose my Stardew Valley game saves every time I swap Chromebooks; its game save system is somewhat broken after changes to Android storage permissions changes the last few years.
You'll have to go through your local files -- basically the Downloads folder -- and sort through ones that need backing up and old items that can be deleted. ChromeOS has options for syncing your files automatically, but if your used Google Drive storage is larger than your Chromebook's available storage, the setting simply doesn't function. (As a user of a 2TB Google Drive plan, this setting is forever beyond my reach, but I can at least still have certain Google Drive folders sync for offline availability.)
Once you've verified that your data is secured, it's time to grab the hose and powerwash your laptop.
How to factory reset a Chromebook
1. Open the Settings app on your Chromebook (the gear icon among your default pinned apps).
2. Select System preferences from the side menu. If you don't see the menu, click the three-line menu icon in the top left corner of the window. You can also simply search for Powerwash in the search bar at the top.
We begin our reset journey at the Setting app, and need to select System preferences from the bottom left corner of the screen.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Reset on the Powerwash line.
The factory reset option hides at the bottom of Chrome OS's system preference settings
4. Select Restart.
Chrome OS will verify twice that you want to reset your Chromebook before doing so. This is the first of those two prompts.
5. Once the laptop resets, select Reset. (You might need to enter your password first.)
Quick and easy, right? I once factory reset a Chromebook and finished setting it back up in the span of a TV commercial break, minus logging in to my myriad of daily websites.
Sign in and start working
Once the factory reset is complete -- usually 30-40 seconds -- the Chromebook will reboot to the initial setup window, at which point you can either log back into your Google account and r-sync your settings and apps or you can shut the laptop down and get it ready to gift to your child, friend or mother-in-law. (Before rehoming an old Chromebook, please check its expiration date.) Any synced settings will reapply, and apps will reinstall, and your Chromebook should run just like new.
Have issues to solve but don't want to set everything back up? Try a safety reset
For much of ChromeOS' history, the only way to nuke your settings back to default was to Poerwash a Chromebook and then purposely not resync your cloud-saved settings. Thankfully, Google has taken pity on us and added a mini safe mode that can be used to solve a variety of settings mishaps or oddities. Safety reset turns off your Chrome browser extensions -- which you can then turn on one at a time until you find the misbehaving one -- and resets various system settings to "safe defaults," most notably your network settings.
You shouldn't need this too often, but it's absolutely worth remembering, as it's a one-click kill switch for all your extensions without losing all your site log-ins, cookies or local files. As a warning, this will delete your saved networks and potentially your Bluetooth pairings, so you will have to log back into your Wi-Fi again.
For more, check out eight Chromebook features that'll help boost your productivity, all the differences between a Chromebook and a laptop and how to check your Chromebook's Auto Update Expiration date. Also, are Chromebooks still worth it? We weighed the pros and cons here.