If your Android phone is acting up and you can't figure out why, you may need to factory reset it. There are also many other reasons you may need to factory reset your phone, like when you want to sell it or trade it in for an upgrade.
Resetting a phone returns it to its original state and removes all user data, such as images, videos, call logs, and browser cache data.
You'll be happy to know that a factory reset doesn't damage your phone. The magic happens when you tap reset or tap erase. If your device was too slow or kept freezing, a factory reset could resolve the problem. Also, you wouldn't want to sell or give the phone to anyone without removing personal information.
This article talks about various types of factory reset methods and the steps to do it. You'll also learn about Phonecheck's advanced data erasure software.
Before you decide to factory reset your Android phone, you should think about backing up your personal information. This eliminates the need to worry about losing important information like contacts, photos, app purchases, and calendar data. If you reset the device as a troubleshooting measure to find and fix a malfunction, you can just restore the information once the reset process is complete.
On the other hand, there are various methods to fix a malfunctioning phone. You should explore these options before performing a factory data reset.
Here's what to try before resetting:
You can reset your Android phone quickly and easily using the Android settings app. You need to follow a few basic steps. It's important to charge your phone's battery and plug it in before starting the reset.
Here's how to perform a factory data reset on an Android device:
The exact steps may vary depending on which Android version and device you have.
Another good way to reset an Android is through recovery mode. Turn the phone off before resetting it.
Follow these steps to reset the phone using Android recovery mode:
It's possible to reset an Android smartphone without the device's unlock pattern, passcode, or PIN. However, the process involves a few additional steps. The best part is that you can also factory reset a lost or stolen device remotely via Google's Find My Device website.
Follow these steps:
Remember that this reset option only works if the device has an internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) that is switched on.
Now, let's turn our attention to resetting via Android recovery mode.
This method works differently on Samsung, Google, HTC, Sony, Motorola, and other devices. If you're on a Google Android phone, you can follow these steps:
Here's what you need to do if you've got a SamsungAndroid phone:
There's no doubt that factory reset options can be lifesavers when faced with specific situations. In some cases, you may need to reset your phone because you want to resell or give the device to someone else.
Although the reset process is usually straightforward and risk-free, you must familiarize yourself with the different methods available to you. By doing that, it becomes easier to make the right decision for your situation. If your smartphone is malfunctioning, you may need to look at alternative solutions before resorting to a factory or hard reset.
In the next section, we answer some frequently asked questions (FAQ) to help you make the right decision.
Although the factory resets can help you solve phone malfunctioning issues and malware or virus infections, they don't completely erase everything from your device. That's why you need advanced data wipe software like Phonecheck.
A factory reset doesn't remove file addresses or indexes that help the phone system access your data. So, anyone with data recovery software could easily get hold of your sensitive information from any device you use, such as Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and iPhone. By overwriting information several times, data erasure software does the job right. That way, no one can get a hold of your data.
With a factory reset, the data is available but unreachable by the phone system. If you want to sell or give the device to someone, it becomes necessary to remove your personal information permanently. If you plan to fix a malfunctioning device, you'll find the factory reset useful. You can backup your data before the reset and restore it once the process is complete.
Malware and viruses cause unwanted problems, and you need to get rid of them. Thankfully, the factory reset method can help remove harmful software from your device. This approach lets you restore the factory settings, removing user data and installed apps.
If your device has infected downloads, spyware, and other malicious programs, you can rest easy knowing your phone will be clean. Just back up your data first.
Once you've reset your device, you need to re-download your installed apps. It's also important to restore your backed-up data, such as contacts, videos, calendar data, text messages, and photos. The good thing is that any personal data stored in a Google account is easier to restore thanks to cloud storage.
A soft reset allows you to fix minor device problems quickly and easily. Whether your device keeps freezing or responds slowly to commands, a soft reset might resolve your issues.
Let's take a look at how to soft reset an Android phone:
Alternatively, you can remove the battery and wait for 10 seconds before putting it back and turning on your device.
Wiping data from securely and efficiently just got easier with Phonecheck's ADISA-certified data erasure. Not only does it do its job quickly, but it does so with accuracy that is OEM-secure exceeding the most rigorous standards. Leaving no traces of previous personal information. That way, you can sell smartphones at scale, knowing that all confidential data is removed. It clears the information from the phone’s memory, SD card, memory card, and SIM card.
As the most advanced processing solution for resellers of used devices, the Phonecheck Certification suite is an all-in-one integrated solution to certify lock, carrier and financial checks, 20+ diagnostic checks within seconds, along with fast and sure erasure and an automated 80-pt check for up to 10 devices simultaneously. If you're looking for a sure-fire data wipe, check out Phonecheck today. For consumers looking to buy used devices, Phonecheck Certified History Reports are a must. Look for the Phonecheck Certified logo in marketplaces or access a report on Phonecheck.com for about the cost of a cup of coffee.