How to Hard Reset Your Android Phone

Is your phone freezing, running slow, or having malware? You might need to hard reset it. 

Regardless of the brand and model – whether an older version or newer – hard resetting might be the only way to resolve the issues.

Maybe you have installed a recent update that’s causing the problems, or you have overloaded it with apps, and it’s running slow. 

Or perhaps you want to sell your phone or give it out. Hard resetting erases all the data on your phone. If you can access the phone’s settings, you can reset from there. If not, you’ll have to use the hardware keys method.

If you’re wondering how to reset an Android phone, read on.

How to Reset Your Android Phone

Using Factory Reset Settings

In this method, you use the Android settings on your phone to master reset Android back to the manufacturer’s settings.

Note: Android factory reset will delete all your files, photos, Google account details, and installed apps. The phone will go back to how it was when you first got it.

However, if you had just upgraded your Android version, you don’t have to worry about reverting to the old version as the system doesn’t store the old version and, therefore, can’t revert.

Android factory reset doesn’t delete anything on your SD card or SIM card. If you don’t want to lose files, back them up first before attempting to factory reset your phone, then follow these steps.

• Step 1: Go to Settings
• Step 2: Scroll down the menu to the bottom
• Step 3: Click on ‘System’
• Step 4: Tap ‘Reset Options’
• Step 5: Click on ‘Erase all data (factory reset)’
• Step 6: At the bottom of the page, click on ‘Reset Phone.’
• Step 7: Enter the device PIN and click Continue.
• Step 8: Tap on ‘Erase everything.’

All the data will be erased, and the phone will reboot. You can then do the initial setup just as if it was a new device.

Using the Recovery Mode

If you don’t have access to the settings, for instance, you forgot the password or PIN or the touch screen is not working, you’ll need to bypass the screen lock protection and format your phone through the hardware method.

This method involves pressing several key combinations to enter Recovery Mode and reset your Android phone.

It differs from phone to phone, depending on the manufacturer, but the concept is similar.

Method I

This is the most common method.

1. Power off the phone.
2. Hold down the Volume Up + Power Key simultaneously for several seconds.
3. Release the keys when you see the manufacturer’s logo.
4. You should see the Recovery Mode on the screen. Using the Volume buttons, navigate up and down, select ‘factory reset or wipe data.’
5. Use the Power key to confirm.
6. You will see another popup message asking you to confirm you want to wipe all data.
7. Scroll using the Volume keys to ‘Yes – erase all user data’ then press the Power button to confirm.
8. Wait for the device to erase custom settings and your data.
9. The Recovery Mode should pop up again. Move the highlight to the ‘reboot system now’ and press the Power button.

Method II

1. Power off the phone.
2. Press and hold Volume Up + Home + Power keys at the same time.
3. When the device vibrates and the manufacturer’s logo comes up, release the Power button but continue holding the Home + Volume Up keys.
4. Continue holding the keys until you see a pop up on the screen written ‘Android phone system recovery.’
5. Using the volume buttons, move the highlight to ‘wipe data/factory reset,’ press the Power key to select.

Once the factory reset is complete, navigate to the ‘Reboot system now’ using the Power button and Volume keys to select.

Method III

1. While the phone is powered off, press the Home key and hold it.
2. Press the Power key, then release it (continue holding the Home key).
3. On the Android recovery screen, press the Search key. 
4. Press the Volume keys to move the highlight to ‘wipe data/factory reset,’ then press the Camera key to select.
5. Select ‘Yes – delete all user data’ then ‘OK.’
6. Move the highlight to ‘reboot system now,’ then select ‘OK.’

Take-Home

If your phone is acting up, you can get it back on track by hard resetting it. Android master reset through your phone’s settings should work fine, but if not, the hardware keys way is also an option. The combination keys you use will depend on the phone’s manufacturer. Just make sure you have backed up your files to avoid losing them permanently.