Factory Reset Android in Different Methods (Guide 2024)

April 17, 2024 By Nancy William No Comments 6 minutes

to toWhat is a factory reset? Why do you need to factory reset Android smartphones? How many ways can you reset your phone’s factory settings? Is it safe to do? This guide will show the easiest and most straightforward way to revert your Android phone’s settings to the original form.

How to Factory Reset Android

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Keep This in Mind Before Doing a Factory Reset on Android

For whatever reason, you would need to run a factory reset on your Android device, be it Samsung Galaxy, Redmi, or other models, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Once you run a factory reset, this means you will lose every bit of important data on your phone. This includes all of your contacts that were saved on your device instead of your drive, your text messages, pictures, videos, app login credentials, notes, music, and settings.

It’s like getting a new phone, and it will take you quite a bit to get all your old settings and apps back. With that said, always make sure you back up your data and save login information to your Google account before running a factory reset.

To put it into a check list, here are things to do before a factory reset:

Back up your data to your Google account.
Alternatively, try noting down all your passwords and other information on a piece of paper that only you have access to.
Make sure your phone is charged. A factory reset takes some time to be successful.

Note – If you’re trying to reset to factory settings to sell your device, make sure you disable or deactivate the FRP (Factory Reset Protection) option. This is to prevent others from using your Google account to sign in.

How To Do a Factory Reset on Android Smartphone

There are a couple of ways to do a factory reset since not all methods work for everyone. Some require a reset without a password, while others require a recovery mode. Either way, we will go through all the steps one by one, starting with:

Factory Reset Android via Settings

This method is straightforward and will hardly take a few minutes. Here is how to get started:

On your Android smartphone, go to “Settings.”

Click on Android Settings for factory reset

Now, in the search bar, type “reset.”
You will see some options. Click on “Factory reset.”

Type reset and click on Factory reset

Tap on “Reset device.”
Now, enter your password if you’re prompted to do so.
Click on “Reset all.”

Do a Factory Reset on Android via Recovery Mode

Now, if you’re not able to perform a factory reset using the settings, you can do it using the recovery mode. Keep in mind that the recovery mode buttons are different on most Android mobile models. Here is how to get started:

Power off your device unless it powers off on its own.
Now, press down on the buttons to launch the recovery mode.
You can press the volume buttons to navigate. Select “Factory Reset.”
Click the power button to confirm.
Tap on “Confirm” again.
The device will now reset.
Lastly, tap on “Reboot System Now” once the reset is completed.
Factory Reset Your Android Without a Password

Now, this step for running a factory reset on your Android device is for those who’ve forgotten their password or PIN code. Here is how to get started:

Using your Google account credentials is another option if you’re trying to unlock your phone and get many wrong attempts.
To unlock your device, enter your Google account information, like your email and password.
Go to the device “Settings” > ”System” > “Reset” or “Backup & Reset.”
Lastly, click on “Factory Data Reset.”

How to Perform an Android Factory Reset When it’s Locked

If you’re locked out of your phone, you can still perform an Android factory reset. Here is how:

Hold down the power button to shut your device.
Long-Press on the appropriate buttons to get the recovery mode. For most devices, it’s usually the power button and volume up or down button.
Select “Factory Reset” or “Wipe Data/Factory Reset” using the volume buttons to navigate.
Click on the confirmation button.
Tap on “Reboot System Now” when the reset is done.

Factory Resetting Android with Physical Buttons

If you’d like to manually factory reset your device using the phone’s physical buttons, here is how you can do it:

Power off your device.
Hold down the power and volume buttons down or up simultaneously. This depends on your Android device.
Once your phone restarts and you can see the device logo, release the buttons.
This will take you to the recovery mode.
Select either “Factory Reset” or “Wipe Data/Factory Reset” using the volume buttons as navigators.
Press the power button to confirm.
Confirm again.
Let your device reset.
Once completed, click on “Reboot System Now.”

FAQs

Do you lose old data with a factory reset?

Yes, running a factory reset wipes out all data or files on your device. This data includes photos, music, videos, account login information, and other kinds of files.

How do you factory reset an Android old phone?

The simplest way to run a factory reset on old Android phones (version 5.0 or below) is to go to your Android phone “Settings” > “General & Backup” > “Reset” > “Factory Data Reset” > “Reset Device” > “Delete All.”

What do you do before a factory reset?

Before you restore to factory settings, keep in mind you can lose all data. Here is what to do before that:

Make backups of all your data.
Take note of all login information.
Sign out of apps and accounts.
Charge your phone because a reset takes time.
Disconnect your Android from other Bluetooth devices.

Why do you perform a factory reset on Android?

If you’ve used your smartphone for a long while, certain issues crop up, like lagging or frequent shutting down. There are many generic issues on smartphones that reduce the quality of their performance. This is why a factory reset is required, but it does wipe data. Plus, people who want to sell off their phones usually do a factory reset.

How do you unlock Android phone password without factory reset?

To unlock Android phone password without doing a factory reset, you can do it via Find My Device. However, this works for Android 7.1.1 or lower. Go to “Google Find My Device” on another device > log into your Google account. Now, select the Android device from the list that you want to unlock. There will be three options (Ring / Lock / Erase.) Click on “Lock.” You will see another pop-up; set a new password there and click “Lock” again. Now, on the locked Android phone, enter the new password you just created to unlock it.

Does a factory reset delete everything on Android?

Yes, it is usually recommended to save your data on your Google account and then do a factory reset before you sell your phone. This is to make sure that no personal data or files are saved on your device before selling it to the next person.

Is it safe to factory reset Android smartphone?

Even though doing an Android phone factory reset comes in handy when the phone freezes or is lagging, doing it too often can damage the guarantee of the device. It’s recommended to do a reset on your phone only if extremely necessary.

How do you factory reset Android phone when locked?

You can do it via recovery mode. Here is how:

First, power off your phone.
Hold down the power and volume up buttons simultaneously.
Wait till you see the recovery mode.
Navigate with the volume up and down buttons.
Select “Factory reset.” You can alternatively choose “Wire data/factory reset,” depending on what you want.
Click on “Confirm” to proceed and complete.

How do you factory reset Android without password?

You can reset to factory settings on Android without your password using the recovery mode, remote, or your Google account.

To Conclude

There are many reasons to factory reset Android, but there are a few key points to keep in mind before running it.

This is because once you reset it to the old settings, you lose all account data and other valuable information.

It includes passwords, emails, messages, videos, photos, and more. Once you get this out of the way, you can use any one of our methods to run a proper factory reset on your Android smartphone.