Quick answer: Before reinstalling Windows you need to back up: browser passwords, WiFi network keys, software license keys, email account credentials, FTP server passwords, and your files. This guide covers each category with exactly where it is stored and the fastest way to save it.
Complete Pre-Reinstall Checklist
1. Browser Passwords (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)
Saved browser passwords are the most commonly forgotten backup item. All major browsers encrypt stored logins using Windows DPAPI. After a reinstall, the old encryption keys are gone and the data becomes permanently inaccessible.
- Chrome:
%localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Login Data - Edge:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Login Data - Firefox:
%appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[profile]\logins.json
2. WiFi Network Passwords
All saved WiFi profiles are deleted during a clean install. This affects every network you have connected to. If the router sticker is gone or the network no longer exists nearby, you cannot reconnect without the password.
netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder=C:\WiFiBackup
This exports all profiles as XML files including the password. Alternatively, Advanced Password Recovery Suite lists all passwords in one table for easy export.
3. Software License Keys
Windows, Microsoft Office, Adobe (older perpetual licenses), games, and countless other programs store activation codes in the registry. A clean install wipes those registry entries. Without the key, you may need to repurchase software or go through vendor account recovery.
- Windows product key (or confirm you have a Digital License)
- Microsoft Office product key (for standalone/perpetual versions)
- Adobe license keys (for non-Creative Cloud products)
- Game serial numbers (Steam games are account-linked, but others are not)
- Any paid software installed outside of an app store
4. Email Account Passwords
Email clients like Outlook, Thunderbird, and Windows Mail store account passwords locally. After reinstalling, you will need to re-enter credentials for every configured account. If you have forgotten passwords for older accounts, recovery can be difficult.
5. FTP and Server Credentials
If you use FileZilla, WinSCP, or other FTP/SFTP clients, saved server passwords are stored locally. These are not recoverable from the hosting provider without a manual password reset on each server.
%appdata%\FileZilla\sitemanager.xml
Copy this file, or use Advanced Password Recovery Suite to extract and export all FTP credentials automatically.
6. Windows Credential Manager
Windows Credential Manager stores passwords for network shares, mapped drives, remote desktops, and some applications. These are often forgotten until they stop working after a reinstall.
7. Files, Documents and Photos
PC Trek tools handle credential backup. Your personal files need a separate solution before formatting:
- Copy Documents, Desktop, Downloads, and Pictures folders to an external drive
- Or use Windows Backup (Settings → System → Storage → Backup) to OneDrive
- Check the Desktop carefully for files you might overlook
- Export browser bookmarks as HTML files from each browser
Fastest Method: Back Up Everything At Once
Instead of running multiple tools and manual commands, Advanced Password Recovery Suite covers browser passwords, WiFi keys, software licenses, email credentials, FTP logins, and Windows Credential Manager entries in a single application.
Advanced Password Recovery Suite
Complete credential backup before reinstalling Windows. One scan, everything exported.
- ✓ Browser passwords (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, 70+ browsers)
- ✓ All saved WiFi network passwords
- ✓ Windows, Office, Adobe and 10,000+ software keys
- ✓ Outlook, Thunderbird and email client credentials
- ✓ FileZilla, WinSCP and FTP server passwords
- ✓ Windows Credential Manager entries
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Format: Quick Checklist
- ☐ Browser passwords exported (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)
- ☐ WiFi passwords saved
- ☐ Software license keys backed up
- ☐ Email credentials saved
- ☐ FTP credentials exported
- ☐ Windows Credential Manager entries saved
- ☐ Personal files backed up to external drive or cloud
- ☐ Browser bookmarks exported