When experiencing technical difficulties, you may be only a factory set away from seeing improvements. For example, with my LG G3, I was having issues with audio levels during phone calls and a factory reset fixed it right up.
Doing a factory reset doesn’t always provide a fix; however, it’s usually the first thing customer support will tell you to do in trying to get your device in working order. That said, it’s the best course of action before taking any other steps. And we’re going to show you a couple of the best processes to employ a factory reset on your device.
Before you start
The best thing to do before you start is to backup all the data on your smartphone or tablet. We put together a handy guide, taking you step-by-step on securing all of your data on external hardware or in the cloud.
I would highly recommend following those instructions before proceeding because you will lose all of your data after this process is completed.
Of course, if you just want to save a few photos and documents, you can download Google Photos and upload all your pictures to the cloud. For documents, uploading them to Google Drive will do the trick.
Now, let’s get started!
Factory reset through software
The most common way to do a factory reset is through the software. In most cases, you can can do this by opening your app tray, tapping Settings > Backup and Reset > Factory Data Reset. This is the process for the Moto X (2013) and should be similar with most devices. The Factory Data Reset feature might be within the device’s Security settings.
After selecting Factory Data Reset, you will be asked a series of questions in addition to requesting your device’s password or unlock pattern.
Your device should now be in the process of resetting itself now. If whatever issue you are experiencing disables your ability to use the software, there are some other processes to achieve a factory data reset!
Factory data reset through hardware
Doing a factory data reset through your device’s physical buttons is called a “hard reset.” It’s the most effective way to reset your device if you’re experiencing issues with software.
Most devices use the following to start the processes: hold the volume down and power key for 2-3 seconds (while powered off) until the device’s boot options appear.
Now, use the volume down key to highlight Recovery and the volume up key to select it. The phone should now show the manufacturer’s logo followed by the Android recovery screen. Press and hold the volume up key for 10 seconds, and then quickly press and release the power key.
You should now see the Android recovery screen. Again, you can scroll down with the volume down key. Highlight the Wipe data/factory reset function. Press the power key.
Your device should now begin wiping all data on your smartphone, giving you a clean slate. The process works similar with most devices. However, in some cases, such as the Galaxy S6, you may need to power off the device, and hold the power, volume up, and home screen key all at the same time to begin booting into Recovery. For the most part, it’s a similar process, even with tablets.
Wrap Up
Those are a few simple steps you can take to resetting your Android device. The only difference you might find between devices is that the “Factory Data Reset” is under Security, and not Backup and Restore.
Additionally, if factory resetting your device doesn’t fix the bugs or errors you’re experiencing, it’s best to report it to the manufacturer and see if it’s not too late to get your device swapped out with one that works properly.
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