How to Create a Refresh Windows Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1
InformationIf you're having problems with your PC, you can try to refresh it. Refreshing your PC reinstalls Windows and keeps your personal files and settings. It also keeps the apps that came with your PC and the apps you installed from the Windows Store.
This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Refresh Windows shortcut in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to refresh Windows with this shortcut.
This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Refresh Windows shortcut in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to refresh Windows with this shortcut.
EXAMPLE: Refresh Windows
OPTION ONE
To Download a Refresh Windows Shortcut
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ZIP file below.
Refresh_Windows_Shortcut.zip
2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.
3. Open the .zip file and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to your desktop.
4. Unblock the extracted shortcut.
5. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
6. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.
OPTION TWO
To Manually Create a Refresh Windows Shortcut
1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area of your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.
2. Copy and paste the command below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\systemreset.exe
3. Type Refresh Windows for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this shortcut anything you would like though.
4. Right click or press and hold on the new Refresh Windows shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.
5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)
6. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
7. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\system32\bootux.dll
8. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.
9. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)
10. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn
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