How to reset all android phones

How to factory reset your Android phone

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Regardless of what phone you’re using — whether it’s one of the best Android phones you can buy today or an older phone — there are several reasons why you might need to factory reset your phone. Maybe your phone is overloaded with apps and running slow, you’ve downloaded a recent update and it’s causing problems, or you just want to reset your phone before selling it. Here’s how to reset your Android phone through the phone settings or via the recovery mode.

How to factory reset your phone from the settings menu

Before we get started, know that a factory reset will erase all the data on your phone. If you haven’t backed up your contacts, pictures, videos, documents, and anything else (preferably in the cloud), you should do so now. Not sure where to back up your data before a factory reset? Read our guide on how to do that first.

Given the variety of phones available on Android, I’ll be using the Pixel 4a and Samsung’s Galaxy A51 as the examples for this guide. The Pixel is a good baseline as the process is nearly identical on Android One devices from the likes of Nokia, Xiaomi, Motorola, and other companies like OnePlus that retain a «stock» user interface.

As for the Galaxy A51, the phone is running Samsung’s One UI, and with the company being the largest manufacturer in the world of Android by some considerable margin, it makes sense to see how things differ. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

The easiest way to factory reset your phone is through the settings menu. The location of the factory reset option might vary slightly based on the phone you’re using, but once you’ve found the Backup and reset menu, you should be in the clear.

How to factory reset most Android phones Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, Nokia, etc.

1. Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer.
2. Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the settings menu.

Tap System.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Select Erase everything.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Your device will reboot and you can go through the initial setup as if it were a new phone.

How to factory reset your Samsung phone

1. Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer.
2. Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Tap the General management tab.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Tap Delete all.

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

Your phone will reboot and you’ll have to go through the setup process again before you’re able to restore your data.

How to factory reset your phone via recovery mode

Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central

If your phone is running into issues with an update or if there’s a malfunction that’s preventing the device from booting up, you’ll be able to factory reset by heading into recovery mode. At a high level, you’ll be able to enter recovery mode by pressing down on the volume up and power buttons simultaneously.

The process varies slightly based on the device you’re using, as we’ll see later on. Before we proceed to reset via recovery, you’ll need to know about a security mode called Factory Reset Protection.

Google rolled out Factory Reset Protection (FRP) a few years ago, and the feature is now standard on all phones running Lollipop and above. Essentially, FRP ensures that someone can’t just factory reset your lost or stolen phone and set it up as new by booting into recovery mode. The mode requires you to sign into a Google account associated with the device after a factory reset. If you fail, you won’t be able to proceed with the setup.

Based on what I’ve encountered, FRP kicks in when you reset a device via the recovery mode and isn’t an issue when you’re resetting via the settings. If you’re interested in knowing more about the feature and how it works, you should take a look at this excellent article on the subject:

So if you’re looking to sell your device and are considering a factory reset, a better option would be to go through the aforementioned settings page. If you’re unable to boot into your device and need a way of resetting data, then you can turn to recovery mode. Now that you understand the risks, here’s how to reset your phone via recovery mode.

How to factory reset via recovery mode on a Pixel/Android One phone

1. If your phone is on, power it off.
2. Hold down the Power and Volume down buttons. Instead of booting up normally, you’ll see «Start» in an arrow pointed at the power button. Here you use the Volume buttons to scroll and the Power button to select an option.
3. Press the Volume down button until you’ve highlighted Recovery mode.
4. Press the Power Button to start recovery mode.
5. When your phone reloads, you should see a screen that says «No command» with an Android robot in distress. Press and hold the power and volume up buttons together to load the recovery mode.
6. Using the Volume buttons to scroll through the menu, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.
7. Press the Power button to select.
8. Highlight and select Yes to confirm the reset.
9. Once the reset is complete, you will be bounced back to the same recovery mode menu. Press the Power button to select Reboot system now.

Your phone will power on and be reset to its factory settings. Your phone will reboot and you’ll have to go through the setup process again before you’re able to restore your data.

How to factory reset via recovery mode on a Samsung phone

1. If your phone is on, power it off.
2. Hold down the Power and Volume up buttons simultaneously. You should see the Samsung logo followed by an «Installing system update» screen.
3. After a few seconds, you should see a «No command» message flashing on the screen. Wait 10 to 15 seconds at this screen and the device will enter recovery mode.
4. Use the Volume buttons to scroll through the menu and the power button to make a selection.
5. Highlight Wipe data/factory reset.
6. Press the Power button to select.
7. Highlight and select Yes to confirm the reset.
8. Once the reset is complete, you will be bounced back to the same recovery mode menu. Press the Power button to select Reboot system now.

Your phone will power on and be reset to its factory settings. The next time you turn the phone on, you will go through the initial setup process as if it were a brand new phone. Once set up, you can go about restoring your data from wherever you had it backed up.

As mentioned earlier, if you’re resetting your phone via recovery mode, Factory Reset Protection kicks in if you haven’t already removed your Google accounts from the device. So if you’re selling your device, make sure you remove your Google accounts and lock screen security before you do a hard reset through the recovery mode.

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Harish Jonnalagadda

Harish Jonnalagadda is the Asia Editor at Android Central. A reformed hardware modder, he now spends his time writing about India’s technology revolution. Previously, he used to ponder the meaning of life at IBM. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

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XDA Basics: How to Factory Reset your Android phone

There are a number of reasons why you would want to factory reset your Android phone. Maybe you’re planning to sell it or maybe you just want a fresh start. A factory reset can delete everything and make your phone like a new device, at least on the software front. A factory reset or a clear wipe is fairly straightforward and in this guide, we’ll explain how to do it.

Before we get to erasing your Android phone, you should make sure you’ve backed up everything you need. We have a great guide on how to back up an Android phone to help with this.

Now that you have everything important backed up, we can get into the wiping of your phone. There are three methods to factory resetting a phone. Let’s start with the one you’ll most likely be using.

How to Factory Reset a phone from Device Settings

Every Android phone comes with a way to wipe the slate clean. The option is normally present in the Settings app; however, depending on the device manufacturer, the location of the factory reset option may differ.

• Open the Settings app on your phone and navigate to System.
• Under System, you’ll find the Reset Options in Advanced. Samsung phones have the Back up and reset options in the main settings.
• Once you’ve located Reset Options, tap on it.
• Now you’ll see an Erase all data (factory reset) option. After you tap on it, your phone will ask for a confirmation and let you know that everything on your phone’s internal storage will be deleted, including Google accounts, downloaded apps, settings, music, photos, and other user data.
• Tap on Erase all data to continue.
• The factory reset process can take some time, depending on the amount of data on your phone.

How to Factory Reset a phone using Recovery mode

If for some reason you’re not able to get into your phone’s settings, and you need an alternative method to factory reset, you can do it using the recovery mode. Whether you have the stock recovery or a custom recovery, both have factory reset options.

To get into recovery mode, you’ll need a button combination, and we have a detailed guide listing the combinations for all major smartphone makers. The guide also talks about the other ways to get into the recovery mode, including using ADB.

Before we proceed with the steps for wiping the phone, you need to know about Factory Reset Protection (FRP). It’s basically a security feature that’s meant to stop others from using your phone without your permission. With FRP, a thief can’t just wipe your phone and start using it. If FRP is working, the phone will ask for the same Google account details that were signed into the phone before the wipe.

So if you don’t want FRP to create issues after factory reset, make sure you remove the Google account from your phone before using the recovery mode to wipe it.

• Once you’re in recovery mode, you’ll see a wipe data/ factory reset option.
• Navigate to it using the volume keys and use the power button to select it. If the phone asks for a confirmation, select yes.
• After the factory reset is completed, you will be sent back to recovery mode.
• Select the Reboot System Now option, and your phone will boot normally.

You should attempt to set up your phone with dummy settings, just to check that FRP is no longer active on your phone. If FRP is active, you will be asked to enter your previously entered Google account details again. So do check before you give your phone to somewhere else!

How to Factory reset using Find My Device

If you have lost your Android phone or it’s been stolen, there is still a way to wipe its data. You can use Google’s Find My Device feature to erase it. Erasing a device from Find My Device will only work if your phone satisfies the following conditions:

• It’s turned on.
• It’s signed into a Google account.
• It’s connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi.
• It’s visible on Google Play.
• It has ‘Location’ turned on.
• It has ‘Find My Device’ turned on.

Also, if you’re using your phone with two-factor authentication, you must also have a backup phone or backup code, in case you’re asked to sign in before the factory reset process.

• To erase your phone using Find My Device, go to android.com/find.
• Google will try to locate your phone, and you’ll see an option below to Erase Device.
• Click on it to start the Factory Reset process. If Google is unable to locate the phone, it will complete the wiping process once it has located it.

These are the methods that you can use to factory reset your Android phone. If you’re looking to factory reset an iPhone, we have a guide on that as well. Also, don’t forget to check our updated guide on the best cheap Android phones.

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