How To Reset Your Android Phone: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

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• Cell Phones
• Cell Phone Maintenance

3 Easy Ways to Reset an Android Phone to Factory Settings Download Article An in-depth guide to performing a factory reset on Android smartphones Co-authored by Aydin Yildiz and Rain Kengly

Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Factory Resetting Android 5.0 and Newer
|
• Factory Resetting Older Androids
|
• Using Recovery Mode
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Aydin Yildiz and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Aydin Yildiz is an Electronics Repair Specialist based in San Diego, California. He is the founder of Fix4Less, a professional cellphone repair business that has been in business since 2014. Aydin has over a decade of experience in the electronics repair business, and he works with phone, tablet, and computer repairs. Fix4Less serves individuals, corporate customers, and wholesale buyers in both repairing and recycling Apple products. Aydin holds an MBA from Southern States University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,877,055 times.

Factory resetting an Android phone will delete all your data, including your contacts, photos, apps, and more. If you don't want to delete everything, you must back up your device before proceeding. A hard reset can be helpful if you're giving the phone away or if you want to start with a clean device. This wikiHow will show you how to reset your Android device to its default settings using factory reset and recovery mode.

Things You Should Know

• On newer devices, go to "Settings" → "Backup and reset" → "Erase all data (factory reset)" → "Erase data" → "Erase data".
• On older devices, go to "Settings" → "Backup & reset" → "Factory data reset" → "Reset Phone". Enter your passcode and tap "Erase everything".
• Always backup your device before factory resetting. All data will be permanently erased.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Factory Resetting Android 5.0 and Newer

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1. 1 Open the Settings app . This is the gear icon.
   • A factory reset will erase all your data from your phone. It's recommended to back up your device before proceeding.[1]
2. 2 Tap Backup and reset. On newer versions of Android, you may need to tap Additional settings first.
   • On Samsung Galaxy devices, tap General Management, and then Reset.[2]
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3. 3 Tap Erase all data (factory reset). A pop-up menu will open.
4. 4 Tap Erase data. Again, this will reset all your data on your device. This includes apps, photos, contacts, and SD card files.
5. 5 Tap Erase data again. This will confirm your decision.
   • Your phone will begin to reset. This process can take up to 10 minutes, depending on the amount of data in your device.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Factory Resetting Older Androids

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1. 1 Open the Settings app . This is the gear icon.
   • Use this method if you have an Android older than version 5.0. If needed, you can check your Android version.
2. 2 Scroll down and tap Backup & reset. It's in either the Personal or Privacy section of the menu, depending on device and Android version.
   • If you are on a Samsung Galaxy device, instead tap General Management and then tap Reset.[3]
3. 3 Tap Factory data reset. It's at the bottom of the menu.[4]
4. 4 Tap Reset Phone. Once the reset process is complete, your phone will be formatted as it was when it left the factory.
   • If you are on a Samsung Galaxy device, instead tap Reset.
5. 5 Enter your screen lock passcode. If your phone has a screen lock enabled, you will be asked to enter your phone's pattern, PIN, or passcode.
6. 6 Tap Erase everything to confirm. This will immediately erase all of the phone's data and reboots to the factory default settings and configuration. The process can take several minutes.
   • If you are on a Samsung Galaxy device, instead tap Delete All.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Using Recovery Mode

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1. 1 Power off your device. Use the power button or Accessibility menu to turn off your device.
   • A factory reset will erase all your data from your phone. To reset without losing data, make sure to back up your device.
2. 2 Boot your phone in Recovery Mode. With your device powered off, press and hold the device-specific button combination. The buttons will vary from device to device.[5]
   • Most devices use Volume Up and Power. Some devices with physical user interfaces may use the Power and Home buttons.
   • Samsung devices: Hold Volume Up, Home, and Power at the same time.[6]
   • Google Pixel: Hold Volume Down and Power at the same time. When you see the Android logo, press and hold the Power key, and then press the Volume Up key once.
3. 3 Select a language. Use the Volume buttons to scroll up and down, and use the Power button to confirm.
4. 4 Select Wipe data. Use the Volume buttons to scroll up and down, and use the Power button to confirm.[7]
   • On some devices, this will look like Wipe data/factory reset. If you see this, select it. Then, select Yes to confirm your selection.
5. 5 Select Format data. This is the factory reset option.
6. 6 Enter the verification code. Use the keypad to enter the code on the screen.
7. 7 Tap Format. You'll see a confirmation prompt.
   • The device will begin erasing the data.
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Community Q&A

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• Question What can I do if my phone will not turn on? Community Answer If it's stuck on the logo screen, then it could be that your phone is soft-bricked. To restore your phone, search for your model online, then flash stock firmware. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 23 Helpful 72
• Question I only want to save my photos. How can I save them and do a factory reset? Community Answer If your phone has an SD card slot, you can copy your photos to an SD card. Data on an SD card is not touched during a factory reset. If you can't use an SD card, you can always plug your phone into your computer and transfer your photos to it over USB. Finally, there's cloud storage. If you upload all your photos to Google Photos, Facebook, or Dropbox before doing a factory reset, they will be safely stored online for later download. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 39
• Question How can I use the software of my Android phone if it is corrupted? Community Answer You can't, you can't use corrupted software. Re-download the software or find alternatives. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 51

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Warnings

• Backup your data before resetting the device. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 2
• Different Android OS-based devices have slight user interface design differences. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 3

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References

1. ↑ https://support.google.com/android/answer/6088915?hl=en
2. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10002030/
3. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10002030/
4. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10002030/
5. ↑ https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-use-android-recovery-mode/
6. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/za/support/mobile-devices/how-to-perform-factory-reset-on-android-smartphone/
7. ↑ https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-use-android-recovery-mode/

About This Article

Co-authored by: Aydin Yildiz Electronics Repair Specialist This article was co-authored by Aydin Yildiz and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Aydin Yildiz is an Electronics Repair Specialist based in San Diego, California. He is the founder of Fix4Less, a professional cellphone repair business that has been in business since 2014. Aydin has over a decade of experience in the electronics repair business, and he works with phone, tablet, and computer repairs. Fix4Less serves individuals, corporate customers, and wholesale buyers in both repairing and recycling Apple products. Aydin holds an MBA from Southern States University. This article has been viewed 2,877,055 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 47 Updated: March 4, 2026 Views: 2,877,055 Categories: Android | Cell Phone Maintenance Article SummaryX

1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Backup & reset. 3. Tap Factory data reset. 4. Tap Reset. 5. Tap ERASE EVERYTHING or DELETE ALL. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

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  Mar 21, 2016

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Aydin Yildiz Electronics Repair Specialist Click a star to vote Co-authors: 47 Updated: March 4, 2026 Views: 2,877,055

Amir N.S.

Mar 21, 2016

"This article was a wonderful tool. Been trying so many other options mentioned on the net, but yours were a life..." more

Anonymous

Nov 16, 2016

"I wanted to reset my phone and this helped me do it easily, even though this isn't my model phone and it..." more

J. N.

Dec 14, 2017

"This is awesome, I'm no longer having problems with a hard reset of my phone. I used all information I found..." more

Samantha Smith

Mar 20, 2017

"I locked myself out of my phone and want to get back in, so I reset my phone and it will not let me in."

Linda Mayr

Sep 16, 2016

"Many thanks. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to reset it by myself. Thanks to you, it was easy!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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