How to reset your Android phone to factory settings

⚡️Fast fix

• Back up your phone before the reset to protect your data.
• In the Settings menu, choose Factory data reset.
• Alternatively, turn off your phone and use the buttons to enter recovery mode.

When you’re selling or recycling your phone, or trying to troubleshoot a very persistent issue, you need to be able to wipe everything off the device. A factory reset brings your phone back to its original factory settings.

All of your data, photos, apps, and settings will be gone. So before completing a reset to factory settings, make sure you back up your phone to the cloud or another device. Then you’re ready to go.

At Asurion, our tech experts are here to help you make the most of your devices, from setup to resets. Follow our guide on how to reset your Android® or iPhone® phone to factory settings.

What to do before you reset to factory settings

Before you head into Settings or try any other reset methods, there are a few things you need to do to make sure the process goes smoothly:

• Back up your data: Either back up your phone data in Settings by going to Google > All services > Backup (Android) or iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now (iPhone), or plug your phone into another device to create a backup. The backup is a copy of your phone’s data, images, and apps, so you can easily get your phone back to normal after the reset.
• Charge the battery: Make sure your phone has plenty of battery so it doesn’t die during the reset process.
• Remove accounts: If you’re resetting your phone to sell or give it away, remove your Google® Account or iCloud® account before the reset in the Settings app. You may need to enter your PIN or password if Factory Reset Protection is enabled on your Android phone.

If you complete these steps first, you can factory-reset without worrying about losing everything. It only takes a few steps to restore your phone from a backup after the reset.

How to reset your device through the settings menu

The easiest way to factory-reset a phone is to use the Settings menu.

On a Samsung® phone, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General management > Reset.
3. Choose Factory data reset and select Reset again to confirm.

On a Pixel® phone, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
3. Choose Erase all data.
4. You may need to enter your PIN before tapping Erase all data.

On an iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Enter your password if prompted and choose Continue to confirm the reset. 

The phone should restart when the reset process is done. You’ll know it worked because you won’t see your personalized lock screen. Instead, you should see the same generic setup screen as when you first took the phone out of the box.

Perform a reset if your screen is frozen or unresponsive

If your screen is frozen or unresponsive, you can’t navigate through the Settings menu to reset your phone that way. Luckily, using the Settings app isn’t the only way to perform a factory reset. 

On an iPhone, reset using Finder® or iTunes®:

1. Use a USB cable to plug your phone into your computer. 
2. Select your phone in Finder (on a Mac®) or iTunes (on a PC).
3. Click Restore iPhone. 

On an Android phone, you can use the phone's buttons instead. Follow this process for a Samsung phone:

1. Turn off your phone. You may need to enter your PIN or password if your phone is currently locked.
2. Use a USB cable to plug your phone into a computer.
3. Use your phone’s buttons to enter recovery mode:
   1. If your phone has a Home button, hold down the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons until your phone vibrates, then release the Power button. Hold the other buttons until you see the recovery mode menu.
   2. If your phone doesn’t have a Home button, hold down the Volume up and Side buttons at the same time until you see the recovery mode screen.
4. Select Delete all user data or Wipe data/factory reset using the Volume up and Volume Down buttons. Press the Power button to confirm your selection.
5. Choose Yes – delete all user data or Factory data reset.

On a Pixel phone, follow these steps:

1. Enter Fastboot mode by holding the Volume down and Power buttons for at least 30 seconds.
2. Find Recovery Mode with the Volume up and Volume down buttons. Press Power to select.
3. Under Android Recovery, choose Wipe data/factory reset > Factory data reset.

You should see a screen that says “Data wipe complete” once the reset is done. From there, you can set your phone back up again with the backup you made or get rid of it safely.