It’s important to do a factory reset before selling your device or gifting it to someone else. You don’t want any of your data to fall into the wrong hands. Factory resets are also a common solution to recurring problems. Sometimes you just can’t find what’s causing issues, so taking the device back to square one will usually clear things up.

Things to Try Before Resetting Your Phone

Factory resetting your Android device is the nuclear option for any problems you might be having. Before you jump to that, there are a few things to try first.

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Then select “Restart” from the menu.

Your device will power off and turn back on. This super simple trick will often solve small problems.

How to Factory Reset Android

As mentioned above, factory resetting your phone will take it back to the way it was from the factory. All of your photos, files, apps, and personal information will be wiped. You will need to go through the initial Android setup process again.

First, swipe down twice from the top of the screen to reveal the full Quick Settings. Tap the gear icon.

Scroll all the way down to “System.”

Select “Reset Options.”

We want “Erase All Data (Factory Reset).”

The next screen will tell you everything that will be erased and show all of the accounts you’re currently signed into. Tap “Erase All Data” to continue.

You’ll be asked to enter your lock screen PIN or password, then tap “Erase All Data” once more to confirm.

The device will go through the process of wiping all data and restart.

How to Factory Reset Android If It Won’t Boot

The above method is easy, but what if you can’t actually use your phone? A factory reset can often solve major problems too, like if your Android phone is refusing to boot up.

The first thing we need to do is boot into “Recovery Mode.” This is a special interface you can use to troubleshoot issues. Make sure the device is charged if you have trouble doing this.

Warning: If you factory reset an Android device through Recovery Mode, you will need to sign in with the same Google account after the reset process. This is to prevent people from stealing phones and resetting them without needing a password.

We’ll need to use a button combination to enter Recovery Mode. Here are the buttons for some Android devices you might have:

• Samsung Galaxy: Power + Volume Up
• Google Pixel: Power + Volume Down
• OnePlus: Power + Volume Down
• Motorola: Power + Volume Down

Now that you know the buttons, let’s use them. With the device powered off, press and hold the buttons until you see the screen light up.

We’re now in Recovery Mode. Use the volume buttons to highlight “Wipe Data/Factory Reset” and press the Power button to select it.

Use the volume buttons again to highlight “Factory Data Reset” and press the Power button to confirm.

The device will go through the factory reset process and restart back into the initial setup screens.

What if your Android device can boot up, but you can’t remember your password? Factory resetting an Android device you’re locked out of is the same as a device that won’t boot up. You’ll need to use the Recovery Mode method outlined above.

Warning: Keep in mind that you will need to sign in with the same Google account after resetting the device. This is to prevent people from stealing phones and resetting them through Recovery Mode to use themselves.

The feature is simply called “Find My Device.” If your Android device has the Google Play Store, “Find My Device” has already been pre-installed. You signed into it when you first entered your Google account details during the initial phone setup process.