Often, to solve software problems with the functioning of modern smartphones or tablets, you should perform a Hard Reset (hard reboot) or reset the android to the factory settings. In many cases, this helps to get rid of device freezes due to incorrect operation of some applications, "junk" system files, viruses, etc.
Is it possible to return the phone to factory settings
The ability to reset data is supported by any device on Andriod, so every owner of this system can do it. Before you return the factory settings to your android, you should understand that at the same time you will completely lose all data except for those that are written to the memory card. It will no longer be possible to restore their capabilities; rollback of such actions is impossible. If you decide to reset the device to the factory state, then you will lose:
- phone book entries;
- applications;
- photographs, music, books;
- saved logins and passwords to accounts.
How to reset settings on Android
Before carrying out this procedure, it is strongly recommended to copy important files, information (photos, videos, music) to a computer via a cable. It is better to make a full backup (copy) of the system, so that in case of unsuccessful resetting, you can restore the device to work. There are 3 main options for how to reset android to factory settings:
- through the phone menu;
- using a combination of buttons;
- service codes.
Reset in phone settings
The easiest way to reset android settings to factory settings is the gadget menu. For this, the device must work and be able to go to the main section of the system. For all smartphones with Android 4.0 or older, the procedure is as follows:
- Go to the main menu.
- Click on the "Settings" section.
- Find the "Recovery and reset" section.
- Scroll down the page and find the "Factory data reset" section.
- The system will inform you that the data will be deleted from the smartphone. Click on the line "Reset phone settings" and confirm the desire to "Erase everything". Items may differ slightly from phone to phone, but the names are always the same.
Using service combinations
This method also requires the device to turn on and be able to go to dialing. Each manufacturer programs their devices with special combinations that help to return to the factory state. This applies to both global brands (Samsung, HTC, Sony) and Chinese low-cost models. Codes can change over time, they need to be clarified on the manufacturer's website, sometimes they can be found in the manual for the smartphone. Below are examples of such combinations for your reference:
- *2767*3855#;
- *#*#7378423#*#*;
- *#*#7780#*#.
Key reset with Recovery
The most radical method on how to reset the settings on an android to the factory settings is the Recovery menu. This is the best way to return to the original state of the smartphone if it hangs on the screensaver with the company logo and does not turn on. Each device model has a standard button combination that switches it to the Recovery menu. Sometimes you have to use recovery if:
- the slowdowns in the phone have become too strong;
- the system prevents you from deleting, transferring or changing anything.
First, turn off your phone completely. Wait until the buttons go out, the screen. Next, you need to find a suitable combination for your model (the combination for HTC and Samsung will definitely be different). You can use one of the options:
- button "decrease the volume" + "turn on" or "Power" (the most common combination);
- on some LG phones, you need to press the above keys, wait for the logo, release the "power on" and then press it again;
- "Volume up" + "volume down" + "on"
- "Power" + "Home".
Hold one of the combinations until you are put into recovery mode to reset the device to the factory state. The menu is controlled by the buttons to increase and decrease the sound. If the Recovery version is touch-sensitive, then you can reboot in the standard way (by touching the screen). To confirm the selection, you need to press the "Power" or "Context Menu" button. Next, to reset your phone to its initial state, you need.
Every Android smartphone has a recovery mode that allows you to erase all data from the internal memory of the smartphone and restore the factory settings. However, this method is not always effective.
If you were unable to perform a hard reset (aka factory reset) through Recovery mode, Google has provided a special command line utility, Android Debug Bridge, for accessing a mobile device and executing certain commands through a computer. Thus, you can do a factory reset via your computer.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the ADB command for factory reset through a computer is intended for advanced users. But, if you read our instructions carefully, you shouldn't have any problems.
Instructions: How to reset the settings via a computer?
Step 1
Go to the Android Developers website and download the Android System Development Kit. Right click on the ZIP archive and select Extract All. Click the Browse button and select the C: \ Program Files directory.
Step 2
Go to the folder where you extracted the files and press "F2" to rename it. Give the folder a simple name such as "AndroidADT".
Step 3
Right click on "My Computer" and select "Properties". Click on the "Advanced System Settings" option and in the "Advanced" window click on the "Environment Variables" button.
Step 4
In the "System Variables" window, select the "Path" option and click the "Modify" button. When the window for editing system variables opens, scroll to the very end and write the path to the archive that you unpacked earlier ("; C: \ Program Files \ AndroidADT \ sdk \ platform-tools \") (without quotes). Make sure you add a semicolon at the beginning of the path. Click "OK" to save your changes.
Step 5
Hover your cursor over the top-right corner of the screen and click the Search button. Write "cmd" in the search field and click on the program icon in the search results to launch a command prompt window.
Step 6 
Turn on your smartphone and connect it to your computer's USB port. Write "adb shell" and press "Enter". When ADB connects to the mobile device, write “—wipe_data” and press “Enter”. Your phone will reboot into recovery mode and reset to factory settings automatically.
Now you know how to do a factory reset through a computer.
Hard Reset (hard reset, hard reboot) - Reboot the device, which restores the factory settings of the system and removes all user information, including installed programs, contacts and SMS. Deleted information cannot be recovered after this procedure, therefore it is recommended to save all important data before resetting.
Important! Data from memory cards, SIM cards, internal phone memory is not deleted (data from the internal memory and memory card can be deleted during a soft reset by selecting the appropriate menu item).
Why do you need a Hard Reset?
Hard Reset is used as a last resort when errors and malfunctions of the device occur, when it is impossible to eliminate the failure by other methods. The fact is that the more complex the device, the more likely it is to have various malfunctions during operation: repeated installation and reinstallation of programs, cluttering up the device's memory with various files, etc. and it is usually impossible to establish the exact cause of the malfunction. The device may become unstable, slow down, or even not turn on at all. Hard Reset will return the device to its original state, canceling any actions with it.
Soft reset
If the smartphone / tablet is booting, then a factory reset can be done through the device menu. For this:
We go to the application menu ...
…Settings…
... the tab "Accounts" (or the item "Personal data") and select "Backup and reset" (or "Restore and reset") ...
… Resetting data (Factory data reset)…
... Resetting the device ...
... Erase / Delete All
Everything. We are waiting for the device to reboot.
Hard reset
If the device does not turn on, then you can try to reanimate it by means of a hard reset. The procedure is generally standard. On the body of the device there are mechanical buttons that are pressed in a certain combination, which allows you to enter the menu Android system recovery and reset the settings.
Typical menu view Android system recovery:
Combination of buttons for devices from different manufacturers:
Smartphones:
1.
Turn off the device. Then hold down and hold the button inclusions and the key increase the volume
2.
After the menu appears, pressing the key increase the volume select item Recovery Mode and press the key decrease volume
3.
After the Android image with a red triangle appears, press the button inclusions
4.
After that, use the key decrease volume select item Wipe data / factory reset and press the volume up key. Select Yes
Tablets:
1.
Turn off the device. Lever arm lock screen move to the left position
2.
Hold down the key increase the volume and the button inclusions simultaneously
3.
After the device vibrates, move the lever blocking right and left until we see 2 lines on the display [i] Erasing Userdata and Erasing Cache(In this case, you must continue to hold the button loudness)
4.
In the upper left corner, the lines for the beginning of formatting will appear.
Smartphones:
1.
Turn off the device. Hold down the keys at the same time increase the volume and the button inclusions until the corresponding display appears on the screen
2.
With the keys loudness select item Wipe data / factory reset and press the button nutrition
3.
Scrolling with the keys loudness to point YES and confirm the selection with the button nutrition
All devices:
1.
Turn off the device. Then hold down and hold the key decrease volume while pressing the button inclusions on 3 sec
2.
Release the button inclusions and hold down the key decrease volume until the menu appears
3.
Buttons loudness select Enter recovery mode
4.
In the menu that appears, select Wipe data / Factory reset and confirm your choice Yes - delete all data
5.
After reset Reboot now
Smartphones:
1.
Turn off the device
2.
Remove the battery
3.
Connect the device to the charger ( to the charger from the mains, not to the PC)
4.
Insert battery
5.
Press and hold the buttons nutrition and the key increase the volume until the dim Android logo appears (10-15 seconds)
6.
Press the button 1 time nutrition
7.
In the menu that appears, select the item " wipe data"(menu navigation - volume keys, selection - button nutrition), in the next menu select the item " Yes - delete all user data"
Smartphones:
1.
Turn off device
2.
Press and hold the keys increase the volume and decrease volume, then briefly press the button nutrition
3.
Keep holding keys increase the volume and decrease volume until the screen displays A warning
4.
Press the key increase the volume to execute hard reset
Smartphones:
1.
Turn off device
2.
Press the key at the same time decrease volume, button nutrition and cameras
Tablets:
1.
The tablet must be turned off
2.
Press buttons " Home" and " Vol-"and only then the button nutrition
3.
Keep them pressed until appears Oysters logo, release the button nutrition... When a picture appears with a lying robot and an exclamation mark, release the rest
4.
Press the button nutrition and, without releasing it, press and release " Vol +"
5.
In the menu select " wipe data / factory reset", then " reboot"and done
Alternative option:
1.
Press and hold the key decrease volume sound
2.
Press and hold the " on off»;
3.
Hold this combination of buttons until the message “ upgrade, please wait ……»
4.
Select from the list wipedata / factoryreset(switching between lines - key decrease sound, selection - key increase sound);
5.
In the drop-down list, select " Yes - delete all user data».
"Android" is a great operating system with many functions and capabilities, which is designed for mobile devices. A clear interface, openness of the program code and democracy - these are the main advantages of this shell, on which the developers of the Google company are tirelessly working. Users have extensive opportunities for modifying the platform, downloading new applications, installing launchers, and more. And if you also get root-rights (extended administrator rights), you can completely change the system to an unrecognizable form. If you wish, you can always do a factory reset (Hard Reset), and the gadget will be as good as new. In this publication, we will talk about on Android and why, in principle, you may need it.
Why Hard Reset?
Before moving on to such a procedure, I would like to say a few words about what it includes, what it is fraught with and why it can be useful to the user. Hard Reset is a complete reset of the settings, that is, you return the state of the system to its original form. As a rule, this is how you buy a new device. First of all, Hard Reset will be needed by the owner of the device when selling it. This method is much easier than looking for all user data and deleting it yourself, besides, resetting the settings guarantees a complete cleaning of the cache and other digital garbage. Hard Reset is used as a panacea for various malfunctions. For example, a smartphone can freeze, slow down, display various errors. In this case, you can "cheer up" the system by dumping. And finally, Hard Reset is a way out if you forgot your graphic or numeric password. So how to make a Hard Reset on Android?
Personal data when reset
A significant drawback of this procedure is that when resetting to factory settings, all user settings, applications, personal data, saved accounts, logins, passwords and all information contained in the phone's memory are deleted. Only the data that is stored on the memory card will remain, it, as they say, lives its own life, and the only way to make adjustments to its contents is to format or purposefully edit the information that it includes. Sometimes you have to reset the settings in an unpredictable situation (as in the case of a breakdown or a forgotten password), and in order not to lose important information, make a backup copy of it. An excellent way to preserve personal information for all Android users is the Google cloud and similar resources, but you should take care of this in advance, because after a Hard Reset the information can no longer be restored.
How to Hard Reset on Android?
There are several ways to carry out this procedure. We will tell you a little about each of them.
If you need a factory reset, for example, when you have a problem or forgot your password, the next method is for you. It is the most difficult, because it requires the user to visit the Recovery mode (a small console for loading the operating system and resetting the settings). The way to access this console is different for each device model. First you need to turn off the device. Then press a certain combination of buttons. For example, if you do not know how to Hard Reset Samsung, a combination of the power keys (which is also the lock button) and the volume down keys will do. This is the most common combination and is suitable for most modern smartphones. The next most popular combination is power + volume up or the same combination with the "home" button (the central button under the display).
Recovery mode
If you see the Android logo on the screen, and then a black screen with a list of actions, then you are in the console. Now you need to select the wipe data parameter / There are not many items in total, so it will not be difficult. Navigate through the list using the buttons that adjust the sound volume. By long pressing the lock button you confirm the selection. The factory settings are reset and you are returned to the original menu. Now you only need to return to normal mode with a reboot. To do this, select the Reboot System item. How to Hard Reset HTC and other models? Yes, exactly the same if the device is running the Android OS.
Reset using "Settings"
If nothing terrible happened to your system and you can easily get to then this method is for you. On the latest versions, there is a "Restore and Reset" item. Now click on "Factory data reset". You will have the opportunity to read another message that the data will be deleted and think carefully if you need it. If everything suits you, we once again confirm the action, and everything is ready. If you are wondering how to make a Hard Reset on an Android tablet, then this method should also suit you. As a last resort, use the previous option, but getting into the "recovery" mode on tablets can be quite difficult.
Factory reset by code
Few Android users know that many important operations can be performed using a series of digital codes that are dialed on the dialer (a panel for entering a phone number). That is, you simply dial a certain code as if you were dialing a regular number, and the system responds to it accordingly. Type in the code * 2767 * 3855 # , * # * # 7378423 # * # * or * # * # 7780 # * # * depending on the gadget model, and your settings will be immediately reset without any additional confirmation. Therefore, think carefully before dialing one of the codes. This method is good for its speed and the fact that it is suitable even for Chinese Androids. If you don't know how to Hard Reset Prestigio is a great option. Such codes exist for other functions and were developed for testing devices.
That's all. Now you know how to Hard Reset on Android. The main thing is to do it wisely, slowly and having foreseen all the consequences.
Resetting your phone to the factory state can come in handy not only when. Returning to the original settings will also be useful in case of general braking of the smartphone, complete transformation of the handset into a “brick”, “loss” of the unlock password or collision with unstable work due to various reasons. No matter how unpleasant the situations may be, it is useful to know how to perform a hard reset specifically on your smartphone.
In this article, you will learn about the consequences of a hard reset of your phone, as well as how to accomplish it using the tips from the excellent Hard Reset online guide.
What it is
Hard Reset - hard reset of the phone, in which the system rolls back to the factory settings and a complete system cleaning is performed. The "knife" includes lists of contacts, history of SMS-correspondence, search queries, installed applications, files downloaded to the internal memory of the phone, as well as all passwords and appearances. In this case, the information is deleted irrevocably. Therefore, do not forget to make a backup copy of important data and transfer photos and videos to the memory card - resetting it will not affect the information from the operator's SIM card.
How to make
The easiest way to do a hard reboot is to find the corresponding option in your phone's settings. A couple of taps, entering the security code - the process is running.
There is also an alternative option: to reset by pressing a key combination. Which ones? Individually for each smartphone manufacturer. What to do? Stomp towards hardreset.info. The web service contains instructions for activating a hard reset for a huge number of handsets from unimaginable manufacturers. Seriously, it's worth checking out hardreset.info just for fun.
Can you boast that you were holding a pipe from one of these manufacturers? In addition, hardreset.info gives instructions for ordinary phones, such ancient ones, with buttons.
Did you know that resetting can be done not only on smartphones? The reset procedure itself requires a minimum of effort from the user. It is enough to follow the guide's recommendations. Some phones have multiple hard reset instructions, including a video.
Conclusion
If you still cannot find your phone model, refer to the instructions of the same manufacturer or the same line of handsets, most likely it will work. Although this is unlikely to happen - there are over a thousand Samsung phones alone. Oh yes, iPhones of all ages are present.
Have you ever performed a Hard Reset? Didn't your hands shake?
