Reset your phone to factory settings with Android buttons. How to do a hard reset on Android. What is it for

Resetting user settings to factory defaults will result in the loss of all your data that is saved on the device. In some cases, it is necessary to rollback the settings in Android in order for it to work normally again. Fortunately, there is nothing complicated about this.

Manufacturers of almost all Android devices provide a quick factory reset using a special Recovery menu and using the volume and power keys in certain sequences.

However, there are exceptions among them, where, due to the design of the case or the location of the keys, resetting the settings occurs in a completely different scenario. But these smartphones are a very big exception. If you have just such a device, then carefully read the documents attached to it and/or contact the support service provided by the manufacturer.

It is advisable to make a backup copy of all necessary information stored on your smartphone before starting work.

The instructions for conventional devices look something like this (there may be minor differences depending on the device model):

Method 2: Android Menu

You can use the instructions from this method only if the phone turns on normally and you have full access to it. However, in some phones and versions of the operating system, it is not possible to reset via standard settings. The instructions look like this:

As you can see, the instructions, which are relevant for most smartphones on the modern market, are not particularly complicated. If you decide to “reset” the settings of your device to factory settings, then carefully consider this decision, since it is very difficult to restore deleted data.

The Android operating system has a lot of features, many of which users are not even aware of. For example, with just a few taps on the screen of their device, the user can return the phone or tablet to its original form, that is, exactly the way it came from the factory or at the time of installing the firmware. This resets the system. It is necessary if, say, the device starts to slow down or simply glitch. Today we will show you what you need to do to restore factory settings (or reset, which is basically the same thing).

Via interface

This method is the simplest and most user-friendly. I would like to immediately note that this function is available on any Android-based device, but this item may be located in a different place in the menu. Don't worry, you won't get confused.

An example will be shown using pure Android.

Let's go to settings.

In our case, “Restore and reset” is a separate item. Click on it.

Here we see several additional subsections. We don't touch them. Now we are only interested in the “Reset settings” item, which we need to click on.

In front of you you will see the accounts added to the device (for example, this can additionally be a VKontakte account). At the bottom of the screen there is a "Reset Settings" button. Before clicking on it, you can check the box next to the item that will help clear the card memory, if any. Whether you need to check the box or not is up to you, but remember that then all data from the card will be deleted. Of course, data will also be deleted during a factory reset, so make a backup copy of the files you need.

Finally, confirm the reset.

Restoring factory settings in the second way

This method, in our opinion, is more relevant for advanced users, since the settings will be reset in an unusual way - through the Recovery menu.

To enter the recovery menu, you need to do the following:

Turn off your gadget.

Hold down the volume up or down button (depending on your device), and then press the power button.

As soon as the device turns on, remove your finger from the power button while continuing to hold the volume key.

Wait for the recovery menu to load.

Control in the recovery menu is carried out using buttons, and not by pressing the screen.

Find the Wipe & Reset section (or something like that - the designation may be different in the menu), then find Wipe All Data, select and wait for the cleaning to occur. Then you reboot your device and, voila, all settings are reset.

There are situations when rolling back the device to factory settings is the best solution to the problem that has arisen. You can perform a reset in several ways: through the resettable device itself or using a computer. .

Why reset?

Hard Reset - rolls back the operating system to default values. When you perform a reset, all files and third-party applications are deleted from the device's memory, and all settings return to factory settings. By resetting the system, you will receive a clean device, that is, it will be in the same form as it was in the store.

A reset may be useful in the following situations:

the device began to freeze due to a large number of installed programs;
the system began to freeze due to overloaded memory;
there are a lot of files left in the file system from deleted applications that take up free space;
the device is for sale, so you need to remove all personal information from it;
I need to reset my password because it was forgotten.

As a result, it turns out that the reset must be performed when it is necessary to format the device.

How to save data

Since a system reset erases all data (videos, photos, music, pictures, books and other items) from the device, it is strongly recommended that you think about how to save all important information in advance. The easiest way is to transfer all important files to a memory card or computer. When resetting, items stored on the SD card, even if it is inserted into the device, are not deleted, but just in case, it is better to remove the memory card during the operation.

Another way is to create a backup copy in which all files will be stored. After performing the reset, you can restore your system from a previously created backup, and all items and applications will be returned. The positive side of this method is that you will not lose not only files, but also applications. The negative side is that if the reset is carried out in order to clear the device of unused files, then when restoring from a backup, the files that you wanted to get rid of will also be restored.

Copying is carried out using the Google service and only via Wi-Fi, since the amount of information is too large to download via the mobile Internet. Go to your device settings, open the Backup & Reset tab and make sure that the automatic backup feature is enabled. The copy will be linked to your Google account, and you can recover from it after you perform the reset. The device itself will prompt you to use the found copy.

Activating file backup

Reset the device

There are several ways to reset your device. The easiest one is through the system settings.

Through settings

This option can be used if you have access to the system. If you have forgotten your password, or the device freezes at the boot stage, preventing you from logging in, then use the method described below.

Video: how to reset Android

Through the recovery menu

If you have a turned off device, but there is no way to turn it on, then this method will suit you:

Via computer

This method will help you enter the recovery menu if the previous method failed for some reason. Connect the device to the computer using a USB adapter and select “Charge only” in the connection type. Download the archive with the ADB program and unpack it into any folder, the path to which does not contain Russian letters. In the resulting folder, create a file called devices.cmd, where cmd is its extension, and write three commands into it:

echo off
adb devices
pause

Run the created file, a command line will open on the screen with the following commands already written:

D:\adb>devices.cmd
adb devices
List of devices attached
HT16GV402012 device
D:\adb>pause
To continue, press any key...

Done, the program is installed. Now open a command prompt as an administrator and use the adb reboot recovery command in it. Your Android device will automatically be transferred to the recovery menu, and the further steps you need to perform to reset are described above in the “Through the recovery menu” subsection.

Enter Recovery Mode via computer

What to do if the password is not reset

If you reset your device in order to remove a password from it that you forgot, and after finishing the procedure the system still asks you to enter it, then there are two ways out of this situation. The first is to enter the wrong password five times, a message will appear on the screen stating that the device is locked for 30 seconds, as well as a “Forgot your password?” button. Click on the button that appears, you will be asked to log in to your Google account, which was previously linked to this phone or tablet. If you log into the correct account, you will have the opportunity to reset your existing password.

Recovering the device password via Google account

Reset password via ADB

The second option is to reset your password using ADB. How to install this program is described above in the “Via a computer” subsection. When you are done with the installation, launch a Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following options:

adb shell
cd /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases
sqlite3 settings.db
update system set value=0 where name=’lock_pattern_autolock’;
update system set value=0 where name=’lockscreen.lockedoutpermanently’;
.quit

If these commands do not help, then use the command adb shellrm /data/system/gesture.key or adb shell
rm /data/system/gesture.key.

How to recover data after a reset

It was previously described that in order to save data, you need to create a backup copy of your files in advance or transfer all important elements to another medium. If you did not do this, but at the same time reset the device, then it will most likely not be possible to restore the lost information. But it’s worth a try: get root rights on the device, and download to your computer some program designed to recover deleted files on Android. For example, you can use EASEUS Mobisaver for Android Free.

Recovering deleted files using EASEUS Mobisaver for Android Free

There are two ways to restore your device to factory settings: through the device settings or the recovery menu. You can enter Recovery Mode both from the device itself and using a computer. Before resetting the system, be sure to transfer all important information to a reliable third-party storage device. .

Very often, an Android device becomes clogged with unnecessary files, starts to slow down, or even stops responding to commands. In this case, a full system reset to factory settings may help. In addition, “hard reset” will help if you have forgotten the password for the gadget and cannot turn it on.

After the so-called “reboot”, you will lose all the data that you stored in the smartphone’s memory: phone numbers, applications, SMS messages, account data and calendar entries. In short, the phone will be as good as new. To avoid losing the necessary information, create a backup copy of your data. Transfer them to an SD card, save them in the cloud, or download them to your computer.

If you can turn on your gadget, it is easier to reset the settings through the device menu or using special codes provided by manufacturers. If your smartphone freezes or does not turn on at all, you will have to use the Recovery menu or find a button to reset the settings.

Resetting settings through the gadget menu

Find the "Settings" section.

In Settings, select Backup & Reset or Backup & Reset. The name of the desired item may sound different (depending on the brand or model of the device).

To return the device to factory settings, you will need the “Reset” section, the “Reset settings” item.

Android will warn you that after a reset, the phone will return to factory settings and default settings, and all user personal data will be deleted.

If you have backed up the necessary data and are ready to reboot Android, click on “Reset settings”. Depending on the device model, the desired button may also have the words “Erase everything” or “Reset phone settings.”

The data deletion process will begin, and after that the device will reboot. Resetting settings using service codes Perhaps this is the fastest way to reset settings to factory settings. For this purpose, Android provides special service combinations - codes that must be entered in the Phone application in dialing mode.

Each manufacturing company flashes its gadgets differently, so before using reset codes, you should find the right combination for your model. Since the Android version is updated all the time, the service codes may change. It is best to check with the manufacturer of your device.

Example of codes that are suitable for resetting Samsung gadgets: *#*#7780#*#

*#*#7378423#*#* After entering the code, all user information will be deleted from the device and it will return to factory settings.

Resetting settings in the Recovery menu

If your Android gadget does not turn on or is stuck on the system boot screen, you can return it to factory settings using the Recovery menu. It is called by pressing a special key combination.

These may have different key combinations for different device models. The most common of them: the “volume down” plus “turn on” button. The combination can also be “turn on” + “home” + “volume up” or “volume up” + “home”. To enter the Recovery menu, press the keys simultaneously and hold them for about 5 seconds. Moving between menu items is done using the volume up/down buttons.” To confirm the choice, use the “turn on” or “home” button. However, sometimes the sensor works in Recovery: then everything happens as in the regular smartphone menu.

To reset settings to factory defaults: Select “Clear eMMC”. It may also be called "wipe data/factory reset" or "Clear Flash".

To reset the settings, click “yes - delete all user data”.

To finish, select “Reboot System”. You can use this method not only when you have problems turning on your smartphone. If you want to use it for a working device, first turn it off, and when all the buttons and the screen go out, use the combination necessary for your gadget.

Reset settings with a separate button

Some manufacturers equip their devices with a special reset button: it is very small and often the user is not aware of its existence. If your gadget has a small connector with a pin diameter, most likely the same button is hidden in it. To delete all information from the phone and return it to its original form, you need to press this button with a thin object.

Why do you need a data reset?

Resetting device data (factory reset, hard reset, factory reset) is deleting all data from a smartphone or tablet: contacts, messages, downloaded applications, photos, music, mail settings, alarm clocks. After the reset, the smartphone or tablet returns to its factory state.

Typically, data reset is done in the following cases:

Before selling or transferring the device to another person;
If some problem occurs on the device that cannot be fixed by other means;
After updating the device software (firmware).

What to do before resetting your data

1. Copy important information from your device.

During the reset, the device memory will be cleared and all data will be deleted. If there is any important data, make a copy of it.

2. Remove your Google account from your device.

If you do not do this, then when you turn on the device after a reset, you will be asked for the account that was on the device before the reset. Without entering this account, you will not be able to turn on the device.