No dice! After spending so much time choosing a theme, a color scheme, new icons and a wallpaper for your PC, the result you got is not satisfying you one bit. Now everything looks very chaotic and you can’t even distinguish the files on your desktop properly. Therefore, you would like to know if there is an easy way to get everything back to the way it was before.
In short: you’re wondering how to restore the initial screen settings. What’s more, you’ve already lost your patience, since you’ve already tried to fix things yourself without getting any appreciable results, am I right? In that case, keep calm: I assure you that the situation is perfectly fixable. You just need to know your way around the customization menus on your computer. If you give me a few minutes of your time, I’ll help you do it.
Excuse me? Do you have this kind of problem on your mobile devices and not on your computer? No problem, I’ll talk to you in due time about how to restore the initial settings of Android smartphones and tablets, iPhone and iPad screen as well. If you agree, at this point I’d say not to linger any longer and take action. I wish you a good read and wish you the best of luck with everything!
How to restore initial screen settings on Windows
You should know that on the Windows 10 operating system there is no single option that allows you to undo all the changes and modifications made to the elements displayed on the screen: its resolution, text size, background and so on. Therefore, if your question is how to restore the initial screen settings on Windows 10, I have to tell you that you need to act on the individual displayed elements. I’ll explain how to do that in the next chapters.
How to restore default icons
To restore your PC’s screen to its initial state, you might consider changing the appearance of the icons, if this is different from the standard Windows one. To do so, right-click on a spot devoid of any elements on the desktop and, in the menu that opens, click on the Customize item. In the next window, click on the Themes item in the list on the left and then click on the Desktop Icons Settings item.
Now, click on each icon you see in the preview pane and click the Restore button and repeat this step for each item. Finally, click the Apply button and, from there, press the OK button to save the changes. A while back, I explained in detail how to edit your computer’s icons, if you want a more in-depth overview of the feature.
How to restore default theme
Restoring the default Windows theme is a very simple task. To get started, right-click on an icon-free spot on your desktop and, in the menu that opens, press the Customize item. Then select the Themes item in the menu on the left: what you see now, under the Change Theme item, is the list of themes installed on your PC.
The default Windows theme is the one called Windows. To apply it, just click on its preview. The changes will be saved automatically. Simple, isn’t it? If you want to know more about Windows themes, check out the guide where I have covered this topic in depth.
How to restore default wallpaper
Excuse me? Your problem is with the wallpaper you have set and you would like to know how to replace it with the classic Windows wallpaper? No problem, I’ll let you know right now. Right-click on an empty spot on your desktop and select Customize from the menu that pops up. In the next window, select the item Wallpaper from the list on the left, press the field below the item Wallpaper and, in the drop-down menu, click the item Image.
Then, in the previews you see below, click on the image with the classic Windows window on a blue background. That’s it! You have just reset the default Windows background.
If you can’t find the image in question, just press the Browse button (under the Choose your own image heading), then the This PC heading. From there, double-click on the Windows icon (C:), open the Windows folder and then the Web and Wallpapers folders. The image you are looking for can be found in the Windows folder. If you need more information on how to change wallpaper on Windows 10, read my tutorial on the subject.
How to restore default resolution
In order to restore the default screen resolution of your PC, you should first right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select Display Settings from the context menu. Then click on the field under Screen Resolution.
In the drop-down menu that you see, the default resolution is the one accompanied by the wording (recommended choice). Then click on the latter and, if you notice anything strange, click on the Restore button within 10 seconds of making the change.
Usually, the default resolution is the maximum resolution supported by the monitor you are using or the screen of your laptop anyway. More info here.
Other settings
In addition to what I’ve explained to you so far with the previous items, your PC’s screen may still look different from how you want it to (and how you remember it) because you may have changed some additional settings on it. First of all, make sure that night mode is not active. Night mode tends to turn the light from the screen yellow.
To check this setting, right-click on an empty place on your desktop and, in the context menu, click on the Screen Settings item. In the newly opened window, if the night mode should be active, press the Turn off now button under the Night light heading (top). Otherwise, do not change any settings. Do you notice any improvements now?
Excuse me? At the bottom near the Windows Start button you don’t see any fill-in-the-blank fields, only a magnifying glass icon, and your PC screen is filled with panes that look more like tablet apps than classic Windows icons? Don’t worry, Windows tablet mode has simply been activated, and I’ll explain how to fix it right away.
Click on the gear icon (the Settings item) at the bottom left above the Windows Start button, then click on the Tablet item in the list on the left. Then click on the Change additional tablet settings item and, if it is active, press the switch under the Tablet mode item to disable it. That’s it! Everything should now be back to normal.
If you feel that the size of the icons, text and other elements displayed on the screen are too small or too large, you can restore them to their initial state with a simple operation. Click on the Windows Start button, then on the gear icon on the left (the Settings item) and, in the window that opens, select the System and Display items.
If you feel that the size of the icons, text and other elements displayed on the screen are too small or too large, you can restore them to their initial state with a simple operation. Click on the Windows Start button, then on the gear icon on the left (the Settings item) and, in the window that opens, select the System and Display items.
Finally, if you notice any problems with this as well, make sure you have fixed the screen brightness.
How to completely restore Windows 10 without deleting data
If the solutions I’ve provided in the previous chapters didn’t have the desired effect, don’t despair: there is a way that will undoubtedly solve your problem, which is to restore Windows OS to its initial state. If you’re worried about your files, I guarantee that it’s possible to keep them intact. I cannot tell you the same, however, about the applications installed on your PC: they will be removed, so think twice before making this choice.
To start the process, press the Windows Start button (the one with the flag) in the lower left corner of the screen, then click on the gear icon located on the left (the Settings item) and, in the window that opens, click on the Update and Security item.
Then click on the Restore item in the left-hand side list and press the Start button under the Reset PC heading. In the window that opens, click on the Keep my files item and then click on the Restore button. The PC will then be restarted and you will need to perform the initial Windows configuration. For more details on this, feel free to check out my tutorial on how to restore Windows 10.
How to restore initial screen settings on Mac
Similarly to what we’ve just seen for Windows, there’s no single option on macOS either to restore the initial screen settings; there are also no default icons on the desktop. This means that you’ll have to fix the various elements individually. Let’s see together how to do that.
Changing the screen resolution on macOS is a breeze. Just click on the gear icon on the Dock (the System Preferences one) and select the Monitor item in the window that opens. At this point, tick the Default for monitor item by clicking on the box next to it.
In this way, the system will automatically return to the default resolution. Simple enough, isn’t it? In this menu you can also reset the brightness of the screen to its initial state by moving the cursor over the bar you see next to Brightness.
To change the size of the fonts or icons shown on the desktop, instead, right-click on an icon-free spot on the desktop, and, in the context menu, select the Show View Options item. In the window that opens, click on the field next to Text Size and, finally, click on the format you prefer to adjust the text size. To adjust the size of the icons, use the adjustment bars instead.
If you want more details about these procedures, you can safely read the appropriate chapter in this tutorial where I have covered the topic properly.
Are the application windows and various system menus of your Mac dark and would you like to make them clear again? No problem, I’ll help you do that. Simply turn off the dark mode of the interface.
First, click on the gear icon on the Dock (the one for System Preferences) and then select the General item from the window that opens. Finally, click on the preview with the Clear item. So, everything is back to the way it was before, right?
To restore the initial colors of the buttons and other window elements on your Mac, simply go back to the General menu and click on the rainbow-colored circle next to Detail Color.
To change the wallpaper of your Apple-branded computer, right-click in an empty spot on the desktop and select Edit Desktop Wallpaper from the menu that pops up.
In the new window that appears, in the list on the left with the various folders, select the one called Desktop Images (under Apple). Then scroll through the list of preview images and select the default macOS image, clicking on it, to apply it as wallpaper.
How to restore the initial screen settings on Android
I’ll explain in the following chapters how to return the screen of your Android device to its initial state. As you’ll see shortly, it only takes a few very simple steps to make your smartphone or tablet look like it just came out of the factory.
Before we go any further, however, please note that the instructions I’m going to provide you with are based on using a Xiaomi smartphone with Android and EMUI updated to version 10 and 12.0.5, respectively. On your device, should it be different, the names of the menus might vary slightly, but rest assured that you’ll be perfectly capable of understanding and repeating the various steps.
How to restore the system launcher
The first step to restore the general appearance of your device to its initial state is to remove any installed launchers (these are applications that replace the system menu screens) and return to the standard Android one. To do this, go to the Settings menu (the gear icon located on the Home screen or in the drawer) and go to Apps.
Then tap on Manage apps and in the upper search bar, type launcher. Then tap on the name of the launcher you want to remove from your device and tap on Uninstall. Simple, isn’t it? Repeat the step for all other launchers you see.
To restore the only launcher you can’t uninstall, the default launcher, tap on its name and from there tap on the Storage item and finally tap on the Delete Data item. If your system is set up differently, make sure you delete both user data and cache.
If you want to restore just the icons, go to the settings of the launcher you use and select, from there, the default icon set of the operating system. More info here.
How to adjust screen brightness
Adjusting the brightness of the screen can also help you get it back to how it was before. To do so, go to Settings and tap on Display, then tap on Brightness Level.
Now move the bar indicator to the right or left or press the switch next to Auto Brightness to have the device automatically change the brightness according to the ambient light conditions.
How to disable Night Mode
If you notice that the light emitted from the display tends to be slightly yellow, it means that Night Mode is enabled, which protects your eyes from blue light. To turn it off, swipe down from the top of the screen, repeat this gesture once more to extend the drop-down menu, and then press the Reading icon (it may also be called Night Mode). Swipe right to check the other pages of the menu if you do not see the icon.
Alternatively, if you still can’t find the icon in question, repeat the steps I listed in the previous chapter. Once you open the Display item from the Settings menu, tap on the item Reading Mode and, from there, tap on the switch next to the item Reading Mode (if it’s active). In the display menu you will also find the setting for the dark mode of Android (the one that makes all menus gray or black).
To turn it off, press on the Light Mode preview, or alternatively, swipe down from the top edge of the display and press on the Dark Mode icon (if active). If you cannot find the icon, scroll to the right through the drop-down menu.
How to adjust text size
To adjust the size of the text, if you notice that the text is excessively large or excessively small, just go to Android Settings.
From here, tap on the Display and Text Size tabs and set the Text Size to the size you want by tapping on the dots in the bar (the default should be S). To finish and save the changes, come back.
How to set wallpaper
Do you want to reset the original wallpaper of your device? No problem, I’ll explain how to do it right now. Go to the Settings > Wallpaper menu of Android, click on the Preinstalled folder or the Recently Used folder. In each one you should find and immediately recognize the default wallpaper of your device.
Once you’ve found it, press on its preview to open it, after which tap on the Apply button. Lastly, if you don’t find the image you’re looking for, try resetting the default Android theme. To do that, go back to the System Settings menu and tap on the Themes item.
Then, tap on the My Themes item, then open the default one by clicking on its preview (it should be called Classic) and press the Apply button. See how easy it is? If you want to learn more about setting a wallpaper on Android, read my tutorial on the subject.
How to restore initial screen settings on iPhone and iPad
I will now proceed to explain how to restore the screen of your iPhone or iPad to its initial state. Similarly to Android, the settings of the individual elements displayed on the screen must be reviewed. I assure you, however, that there is nothing complex to do, just follow the instructions that I will provide. Are you ready? Are you? Great, here are all the details.
How to restore Home layout
Has the home screen of your device become a chaos of icons where everything seems to be arranged at random and you want to know how to arrange them exactly as they were when you first turned it on? Nothing could be simpler: I’ll make it easy for you.
Tap on the Settings menu icon (the one with the gear), then go to General and tap on Reset. Choose Restore Home Layout and then tap on Restore Home Screen to confirm your choice. See how easy it is? Give it a try now! Here you can find more information on how to customize the Home screen of your device.
To adjust the brightness of your iPhone or iPad, tap on the Settings icon (the one with the gears on the Home screen), then, press on the Screen and Brightness item, then move the slider under the Brightness item to the left or right to change the settings. You can also press on the switch next to the Automatic item if you want the device to adjust the brightness to the ambient light conditions automatically.
Alternatively, you can adjust the brightness by opening the Control Center by swiping from the top-right corner of the display (if you have a device with Face ID) or from the bottom of the screen, in the middle, to the top (if you have a device with a Home button) and moving the slider on the bar with the sun symbol.
How to turn off Dark Mode
If you notice that the display light on your “applephone” is slightly yellow, try turning off Night shift, the feature that protects your eyes during the night hours. To do so, just slide your finger starting from the top right corner of the screen and press the brightness control icon, then tap on the moon and sun icon (if the mode is active).
In case the menus and system interface appear dark, turn off the dark mode as well. To do so, tap on the Settings icon on the Home screen, then tap on the Screen and Brightness item and tap on the preview screen at the top, the one marked with the Light item.
To change the wallpaper of your iPhone or iPad, tap on the Settings icon (the one with the gear on the Home screen), then tap on the Wallpaper item and, subsequently, tap on the Choose a new wallpaper item. From here, go to the Static item and choose the default image of your device by tapping on its preview.
At this point, press the Set button and choose whether to apply the wallpaper only to the Home Screen or also to the Lock Screen. You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?
To adjust the size of the text displayed on the screen of your device, tap on the Settings icon (the one with the gear on the main screen), then tap on the Screen and Brightness item and press, from there, on the Text Size item. Finally, move the slider on the bar to adjust the font size as you wish.