After the erasing process is finished, set up your device and restore your backed-up data. Starting with Android Marshmallow (version 6.x), your device backs up automatically to Google Drive. Once that’s done, follow these steps to restore your Android smartphone or tablet to factory settings.
Once the erasing process is finished, set up your device and restore your backed-up data.
To put the device into recovery mode, power it down, then hold a combination of buttons. The following list shows the button combinations for popular Android-based devices.
How to factory reset Android devices
Whatever the case may be, sometimes your best bet is to factory reset Android to get it back to how it was the first time you turned it on (at least software-wise). Manufacturers often change the UI and methods for performing specific tasks.
Setting layouts and button combinations might differ depending on which device you own and which version of Android it uses. Performing an Android factory reset will delete all your data and get the software back to its original state. The backup process isn’t simple, and re-downloading all your data can be time-consuming. If none of those solutions work, you can always try a restart or a soft reset (hold down the power button for 30 seconds), which won’t delete all your data.
If you’ve decided to factory reset Android, the most user-friendly way to do it is through the Settings app. A screen with the word “Start” pointing at the power button, text, and navigation instructions will appear. You can now use the Power button to make selections and the Volume keys to navigate.
Confirm by selecting Factory data reset and let the phone do its thing. Will factory resetting a phone clean malware, viruses, and other harmful software? Hackers can sometimes code malware into the system, and it can sometimes stick around after a full wipe.
Thankfully, we have plenty of backup tools you can use to make the process easier. Sometimes a factory reset will eliminate all information and allow thieves to use stolen or lost phones. That said, manufacturers like Samsung and LG are making it harder to access a phone even after a factory reset.
How to wipe your Android Phone completely before selling it
So a new Android phone or tablet has just caught your attention, and you are looking to upgrade to the latest one as quickly as possible. Leaving personal details on your old device may expose you to security and privacy risks. A lot of people perform a factory reset to wipe everything off their Android device, before disposing or reselling it.
According to a recent study by the University of Hertfordshire in conjunction with Comparitech, it was found that it’s still possible to recover photos, emails, text and other documents from a reset Android device. The operating system (Android, Windows, etc) uses a concept called indexing to keep track of where files are stored in a device. So if you are considering disposing of your old Android device, make sure you wipe your personal data the right way.
Ideally, if Backup to Google Drive is turned on, device settings, apps and app data, SMS, call history, and contacts are automatically backed up and synced with Google Drive. Mac users may need to install a small app called Android File Transfer to get this working.
What about all your text messages, call logs, system settings, calendar events, playlists, browser bookmarks, etc? This step is necessary to ensure that if by some miracle, a skilled hacker does manage to get hold of your erased data or some residue left behind after a total reset, they will not be able to make sense of it.
Anyone attempting to access the encrypted data will need a special key (PIN, password, or lock screen pattern) to decrypt it, which of course they don’t have. Most Android users rarely encrypt their phone data, probably due to either ignorance or fear of performance degradation.
For Android 4.4 KitKat or lower, navigate to Settings > Security > Screen Lock > Encrypt phone. Please note that you’ll be asked to plug in your phone to charge while the encryption process is going on, just to ensure that it doesn’t power off and cause errors. You’ll now be prompted to set a PIN, password or lock screen which is needed to access your encrypted files. This is like trying to over-egg the pudding, but it gives you the full assurance that your personal data is irrecoverable.
As part of the final preparatory process, you want to make sure you remove all your accounts configured on your device before doing a factory reset. Depending on the exact model of the Android phone or tablet, the steps to remove your Google account may differ slightly.
The next step is to remove your SIM and memory card, so that they don’t get erased or accidentally passed on to the next person. Google introduced FRP in Android 5.0 Lollipop as an extra layer of security to prevent anyone from being able to reset and sell your device if lost or stolen.
You can confirm that FRP is disabled by attempting to sign back into the device after factory reset.
The data on most Android phones is encrypted which means that it can’t be accessed following a factory reset. As such, you don’t need to worry about another person accessing this information if you sell your Android phone.
How to Factory-Reset Your Phone Before You Sell It
Your old phone is likely packed with precious memories, so make sure you back up or transfer everything (especially photos) before you follow this guide to reset it. There are various ways to trade in or sell your old iPhone or Android phone, but you must wipe it properly first. This isn’t just about late-night texts or embarrassing selfies falling into the wrong hands; failing to factory-reset it could land you in a world of pain.
If you don’t properly log out and remove accounts, you may end up missing new incoming messages, and factory-reset protection on Android phones can lock buyers out even after the device has been wiped.
It means that, even after you wipe an Android phone, you need the last Google account login to set it up again.
How to Factory Reset Your Android Tablet
It’s often required if the device encounters a system glitch, recent update malfunctions, or starts acting strange. Performing a ‘factory reset’ will erase the data from your device, so you’ll lose a lot of valuable information if you don’t back it up.
Later, when you perform a factory reset, you can log in to your account and retrieve the data to your phone again.
Also, a regular factory reset shouldn’t wipe the contents of an SD card, but to avoid any inconvenience, it would be best to remove it from the tablet before you proceed.
For example, instead of Personal section the factory reset can be listed in Privacy, and sometimes even in the Storage menu. The screen may freeze, the system won’t respond, or it may become too slow to open any app. To enter recovery mode, you’ll have to press and hold the designated hotkeys. Depending on your android tablet’s manufacturer, you’ll have to follow different steps to enter recovery mode. Google Nexus / Pixel, Sony Xperia, Asus Transformer: Hold Volume Down + Power button
If your phone is not on the list, you’ll probably easily find the necessary steps to access recovery mode.
Once the tablet goes into recovery mode it should display an image of an Android avatar lying on his back with a red alert triangle above. Use the Volume Up/Down keys to select Yes — delete all user data and press the Power button again.
On the other hand, if you bought your device recently and it still doesn’t work well after a factory reset, it may be a hardware issue. Also, if you think that recent app and system updates are slowing your device down, you shouldn’t download them all at once, as they will just cause the same issue.
Reset your Android device to factory settings
Important: A factory reset erases all your data from your phone. Know Google Account username & password To restore your data after you reset your phone, you must enter security info. If you don’t have the option to tap “Accounts,” get help from your device manufacturer. If you’ve set a screen lock, be sure that you know your phone’s PIN, pattern, or password. To be ready to restore your data, make sure that it’s in your Google Account. When the factory reset completes, you must be connected to sign in to your Google Account.
We recommend checking your manufacturer’s support site for device-specific instructions.
How to Factory Reset Your Android Phone or Tablet When It Won’t Boot
Safe mode can help you troubleshoot your Android, but sometimes you’ll need to wipe everything and restore your device to its factory state. But if you can’t perform a normal factory reset–say, if your phone won’t boot properly–you can do it through Android’s recovery environment. Press and hold the correct keys to boot the device into recovery mode. You’ll see an image of an Android lying on its back with its chest open and its internals revealed.
Select wipe data / factory reset with the volume keys and tap the Power button to activate it. Select Yes – erase all user data with the volume buttons and tap Power.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A (8.0) – Factory Data Reset (Powered Off)
$500 charge back if service cancelled w/in 12 mos or eligibility req’s are no longer met.
Perform a factory data reset on your Galaxy tablet
A Samsung representative at Best Buy can set up a personal demonstration for your next galaxy device.
Be First to Comment