How to Powerwash Chromebook (Reset Chromebook)

This article was created to assist users How to Powerwash their Chromebook. These Chromebook Powerwash instructions work with devices from all manufacturers.

Just as it is with most digital devices that we use nowadays, Chromebook computers may too require a factory reset once in a while and that is why we want to teach you How to Powerwash Chromebook devices.. To be exact, the term used to describe a factory reset when it comes to chromebook computers is Powerwash. Powerwash-ing your laptop is similar to resetting your android device to its factory state or re-installing your Windows OS. Now, you might be wondering why you would want to factory rest your chromebook laptop. Well, a powerwash is usually recommended when there’s some problem with your laptop’s behaviour – slow-down of its productivity, instability etc. These are often caused by poor programmed software that you download from the internet. If your computer gets filled with programs that require big amounts of system resources your laptop may become slower and unstable. Think of powerwash as a rejuvenation for your chromebook. It will delete all changes that you’ve made to your laptop. Applications, browser extensions, plug ins etc. will all get uninstalled and deleted. Since the latter are the most common causes of malfunction among chromebooks, a powerwash will likely fix any issues that you may have with your laptop. Besides, a powerwash tends to speed-up your machine since it gets rid of everything that may have been needlessly slowing it down.

How to Powerwash Chromebook

1. Locate an options menu at the lower right corner of your laptop and click on it. From that menu select Settings.
2. Now scroll down until you reach Show advanced settings – click on that.
3. Yet again, scroll down and look for a section labeled Powerwash. In that section locate the button named Powerwash and click on it.
4. A message will pop-up telling you that you first need to restart your laptop so as to proceed forward. Click on Restart.
5. After your chromebook re-boots a warning will be displayed to you, telling you that any data stored locally on your laptop will be deleted. Note: Here, we advise you reconsider whether you have anything valuable stored on your chromebook and if you do, make a back-up of it so you won’t lose those files. After you’ve made sure everything is secured, and no important data will be lost, you can proceed with the process by clicking on Reset. All you need to do now is wait. The process will surely take some time so be patient – do not shut-down your computer during the powerwash because this can heavily damage your system.

Once it’s all over, you can customize your Chrome OS settings and begin using your refreshed laptop. Keep in mind that it might be a good idea to powerwash your chromebook once in a while to keep it running to its full potential. Just always make sure that your important files have been stored somewhere where they won’t be affected by the factory reset. Most users use their cloud for that purpose, but if you want to reassure yourself that everything has been safely backed-up, you may also use a portable hard-drive or a flash memory as a back-up storage place.