How to reset Samsung to factory settings

What is a data reset and why is it needed?

Not only on Galaxy, but also on all Android smartphones, a full reset is provided. When this function is activated, the device is restored to factory settings. You receive the phone completely “clean”, just like out of the box.

Important! When this option is activated, all user data is deleted. These are applications, files, contacts, correspondence, system settings, additional components, etc.

Therefore, you first need:

Transfer all important files from your phone to a flash drive.
Make a backup. It will allow you to recover information and save the user a lot of time.
Go to settings and delete your Google account. Otherwise, the smartphone will ask you to log in to this account after turning it on.

Why might you need a full reset and return to factory settings? Here are the common reasons:

There are problems with the phone. If they cannot be resolved by standard means, then it is recommended to perform a full reset. Often, restoring the system to factory settings helps users.
You are going to sell an old device, or give it to someone. Naturally, it is better to erase a huge amount of personal information so that third parties do not gain access to it.
Before or after OS update. The developers recommend performing a “clean” installation so that errors from the old version of the operating system do not transfer to the new one.

How to reset settings on Samsung? Let's look at the main methods for rolling back the system on devices from a Korean manufacturer.

How to set up a Samsung screen - step-by-step instructions

What does this function do?

A hard reset is a process that erases all user data stored on a smartphone. In simple terms, after a reset the phone becomes “like new”. That is, when you restart, you need to register your account again. In addition, after a Hard Reset, all files are deleted, including photos and videos, not to mention passwords and other information.

It would seem that this procedure leads to serious consequences. Especially if the reset is done accidentally. However, the operation is widely used among users in the following scenarios:

attempt to fix a system failure;
restoring access if the password is forgotten;
transferring the device to another person or reselling the smartphone.

This relatively small list can be supplemented with a variety of scenarios, the choice of which directly depends on what goal the owner of the gadget is pursuing.

Reset via settings menu

The easiest method is through the device menu. To do this you will need:

Go to settings.
Select “General settings”.
Then "Reset".
Open the “Data reset” section.
Click on the "Reset" button.
The device will reboot and data and settings will be deleted.

Using a computer

You can use a PC to restore factory settings. To do this, after installing the program, right-click on “My Computer” and select “Properties”. Click on "Advanced system settings" and in the "Advanced" tab select "Environment Variables". Next, click on the “Path” option and select “edit”.

Scroll to the end of the window that opens and write down the path to the directory where you installed ADK. Click "OK" to save.

Press the “Windows + R” key combination on your keyboard and type “cmd” in the window that appears. A command prompt window will open. Turn on your smartphone and connect it to your computer via a USB cable. Write “adb shell” in the command line and press “Enter”. When ADK connects to your mobile device, write “wipe_data” and press “Enter”.

Your phone will reboot into recovery mode and automatically reset to factory settings.

Reset using buttons

Have you forgotten your unlock password, or your device simply won’t turn on? Then you can use another method - using the Recovery menu. Moving between items in it is carried out on the volume rocker, and selecting an option is on the power button.

Necessary:

When the device is turned off, you need to hold down the volume up, power and home buttons.
When the logo appears on the display, release the Power key.
Wait for the Recovery menu to load.
Select “Wipe data/factory reset”.
Then – “Yes”.
Select “Reboot system now”.
The device will reboot and the data will be erased.

Backup is required

After completing the Hard Reset on Samsung, user files, applications, and account information will be deleted. If you reset the settings through Recovery, you won’t be able to save anything; if you use the “Settings” tab, perform synchronization and backup before starting the procedure.

Important! On different versions of Android, the option may have different names. For example, “Synchronization and backup.”

Go to device options, then open the Cloud and Accounts tab.
Click on "Samsung Cloud". The cloud storage management menu will open. Here you can see the date and time of the last synchronization and the available volume in the cloud.
Tap "Backup Options".
If the switch next to “Automatic archiving” is activated, it means that your information is regularly uploaded to Samsung Cloud.
Click "Archive Now" if scheduled copying is disabled.
It usually takes a few minutes to boot to the virtual disk.
After resetting, open Cloud and Accounts again. Go to Samsung Cloud and tap “Restore”. After logging into your personal account, information, contacts and media files will be downloaded to your phone again.

Backup via Titanium Backup

Important! The method only works if you have ROOT rights.

The Titanium Backup app allows you to back up applications that cannot be uploaded to cloud storage.

After downloading the utility, give it write and read rights using Root rights. The procedure is performed on first startup.
Open the Batch Actions tab. Tap on the option “Copy all user software”. To the right of the option, the current number of installed games and programs is displayed.
Check the boxes only for the programs you want to keep. Please note that the backup file can take up a very large space - up to several GB.
Tap the green checkmark in the upper right corner of the screen to start. Backups will be ready within 10-15 minutes. The time may vary up or down, depending on the performance of the device and the number of applications.
All files with copies of programs are saved in the Titanium Backup folder on the memory card. Before performing a Hard Reset on Samsung, move the backup to a PC or removable memory card.

Backup with EaseUS

Important! To use the application you will need a computer with Internet access.

The popular backup app works with the latest version of Android 8.0 Oreo and allows you to save backups to your computer or external memory card.

Download the utility from the official website and install it on your PC, as well as on the phone itself.
Connect the gadget to your computer using a USB cable. Open the program and click “Device Fast Scan (USB Hub)”.
Once the device is detected by the system, a list of programs and files will open. Check the boxes next to the information that you want to save after the Hard Reset.
Click “Backup start” and select the destination folder. It is advisable to first save everything to your computer, since sometimes the utility incorrectly copies application data to the SD card.
The process usually takes no more than 10-15 minutes. The copying time depends on the number and volume of your programs and games.
After returning to factory settings, load the backup back to the device by clicking on the “BackUp Load to Device” button.

Possible problems

Have you used Hard Reset to get rid of problems with your device? If rolling back the settings did not help resolve the problem, you can try flashing the firmware. Additionally, you need to seek help from specialists at an authorized service center.

After resetting, does the device freeze and slow down? You must also contact the service center. It may be necessary to update the OS so that the owner can continue to use the device.

If the device asks for a password for your Google account, you need to enter it. Forgot your credentials? Then they need to be restored through the official website - https://accounts.google.com/signin/v2/recoveryidentifiersource=esir&flowName=GlifWebSignIn&flowEntry=ServiceLogin. If you do not remember your login and password, you need to contact an authorized service center, providing documents confirming the purchase of the device.

What is it for

Resetting your phone to factory settings is necessary in the following cases:

Solving problems related to the operation of the device. With prolonged use, the system becomes clogged with unnecessary files, and the smartphone begins to slow down. Resetting settings is one of the simplest and most effective ways to resolve their situation;
To delete all your data when reselling a smartphone on the secondary market;
If you forgot your unlock code or pattern. However, in this case, a factory reset should be used with caution, since starting with Android version 5.1, after restoring, you will need to enter the Google account that was used on this device.

Author: Elena
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How to delete everything from an Android phone

Phones running Android can store personal information in three ways - on a microSD card, in internal memory, or in a linked account. Usually owners remember only the first option, leaving the rest without much attention.

Before selling, they usually limit themselves to a rollback to factory settings, but experts know very well that this will not yield anything. A few simple manipulations - and all confidential data will become available to the new owner.

Deleting all user data

Below are instructions for properly preparing your phone for further sale.

Removing the memory card and SIM card.
Copying all stored data to any other media.
Exit all Internet services, accounts in applications that previously worked on the smartphone.
Delete SMS, contacts, web browser history, mail.
Unlinking all accounts linked to the smartphone. Many are limited to only the main Google account, but this is clearly not enough.
Removing root rights, if previously obtained.
Cleaning memory using special applications.
Uninstalling a program to clear data.
Restoring factory settings.

Now let's try to dig deeper.

As a rule, owners do not have difficulties with the first and second points, so it is more logical to start with actions No. 3 and No. 4.

Yes, this may take some time, but do not be lazy to launch each program and website in turn where automatic login is available. We need to get out of here. This is especially true for applications that will remain even after a complete rollback - you should not rely on the integrity of the new owner, because everyone wants to know how the seller lived and where he was.

Logging out of accounts in various programs

At the next stage, we need to launch the Contacts program , and then mark everything that is stored in it. Once the SIM card is removed, only the data stored in its internal memory will remain on the phone. Select the "Trash" .

Clearing contacts

We do the same with web browser history and SMS messages. Why? It's simple - even after a complete rollback of the phone, this data will still remain.

Important! After a rollback, the history of visiting Internet pages and SMS notifications received on the device still remain. Therefore, you will have to remove them manually in advance.

Deleting website browsing history

The next step is to delete accounts linked to mail. Go to the Gmail , go to your account, and then select “ Manage accounts ” .

Location of the Account Management section

We need to touch the first line of the account, and then go to the menu hidden by 3 dots to select the “ Delete ” item. We perform actions in a similar sequence with all remaining accounts linked to the phone.

Important! Don’t rush to delete your Google Play account – it will come in handy later.

Deleting an account

The convenience of deleting an account via Google mail is that it works on any Android smartphone, regardless of the software version and its modification.

In 95% of cases, smartphones initially do not have root rights, unless we are talking about clearly Chinese gadgets. If present, the user must remove them. To do this, use the program with which these rights were previously obtained.

Removing root rights through the Kingo Root program

If the selected application does not have the "Unroot" , the "Universal Unroot" program . This is a universal software product that works on almost any version of smartphone or tablet software. To check for root rights, use the “Root Checker” application.

Important! Both the first and second programs do not guarantee 100% success on any device. Usually we are talking about popular gadgets.

As soon as the software removes root rights, you need to restart the smartphone.

Before you begin restoring factory settings, you need to perform one final step - clear the internal memory of the device. It is strongly recommended that you delete all personal data from the internal storage, doing this in such a way that the new owner will not be able to restore anything.

To solve this problem, any of the following software products will be suitable:

FShred;
Andro Shredder;
Remo File Eraser;
Secure Delete.

Now all that remains is to restore the smartphone software to its factory state. In the settings, look for the “Backup and reset” option, after clicking on it, select the “Reset settings” item.

Go to the “Reset settings” section

Take the time to double-check that all accounts are displayed in the new window. If this is indeed the case, select the “Reset phone settings” option.

Confirm the action

Sometimes it happens that this reset option is not suitable. There is an alternative - a hidden system menu “Recovery” . To open it, you must first turn off the smartphone, then simultaneously hold down the power key and the lower volume rocker.

Once you do this, you will see the “wipe data/factory reset” . Click on it, wait for the operation to complete and turn the smartphone back on.

Hidden system menu interface

Important! The combination of buttons to enter the system menu may vary. To do everything for sure, it will not be superfluous to read the instructions for the device in advance.

The first way to reset a20 / a30 / a40 to factory settings

The first method will work for those who have access, the phone is in their hands, it is not locked and you can go to settings.

To do this, to avoid unnecessary fuss, just write the word “Reset” in the settings. Then select "Reset data" (picture above).

There will be several options, choose the best one for yourself, and confirm your intentions.

There, a “Wizard” will guide you through the process. This is such a classic trick, but there is a tougher one.

How to delete everything from a Windows Phone?

Although the Windows Phone operating system is not particularly popular among domestic consumers, it still has its own target audience. Therefore, it would be stupid not to consider this OS.

Instructions for deleting user information are given below.

1. Open the settings in any convenient way.

Go to the settings section through the top notification shade

2. Find the “Device Information” section.

"Device Information" section

3. In the new section, select the option “Reset settings” . Be sure to confirm the actions being performed.

Resetting the settings

In the tenth generation the principle is slightly different.

Open the “Settings” section in any way.

"All settings" section in the top notification shade

We enter the “System” section , and then click on the “About the system” option.

Go to the “About the system” section

At the very bottom of the new window you will see a “Reset settings” button.

Resetting the settings

The phone will warn you that all stored data, including user data, will be permanently deleted. We confirm the operation.

Confirm the action

The duration of the procedure varies, depending on the degree to which the internal memory is filled with information. While the phone is restoring the OS to its factory state, the user is unable to make calls and perform other typical operations.

How to delete everything from an iOS phone?

Owners of devices running iOS are freed from the need to perform a large number of operations to free user data. Here the procedure is performed many times faster.

Naturally, owners should also remember the need to remove the SIM card in advance and transfer valuable data to another drive. But generally speaking, all remaining operations are performed in a few touches.

Now let's move on to resetting the iPhone or iPad. Below we will look at the sequence of actions for owners of smartphones with 11th or 12th generation software installed. If the OS is older, then you will not notice much difference in the actions performed.

1. Open the settings item and select the “Basic” .

2. Touch the “Reset” at the bottom of the screen. If your smartphone asks you to enter the password for your linked Apple ID account, enter it in the appropriate field.

"Reset" section

3. Select the option “Erase content and settings” . If necessary, you can update your backup files via iCloud storage.

Erase settings and stored data

4. If you can do without a copy, just click “Erase” and wait until the operation is completed.

As you can see, in the case of iPhone and iPad everything is much simpler. Having completed these tasks, you end up with a smartphone that is completely devoid of previously stored files, autofill forms, accounts, and so on.

How to recover deleted data from phone

Files on your phone are either in its internal memory or on an external card. You can restore deleted data in both places, but this will require the use of different programs.

SD cards are recovered through programs on the computer. For example, DiskDigger for PC. Such applications are free and allow you to recover a large percentage of lost data.

What do you prefer: live communication or your favorite messenger?

To recover data from internal memory, you will need to install the application on your smartphone. For example, DiskDigger for Android or Undeleter. But for them to work, you need to get root access for your phone.

Author, specialist in the field of IT and new technologies.

Received higher education in fundamental computer science and information technology at Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. After that, he became an expert in a well-known online publication. After a while, I decided to try writing articles on my own. He runs a popular blog on YouTube and shares interesting information from the world of technology.