Hard reset doesn't work. Hard reset did not work, what should I do? How to properly do a Hard Reset on Android OS - step-by-step instructions. When is it necessary to reset your device?

The need to reset settings on Android can arise in completely different situations: the device has started to freeze, or you simply cannot unlock it. And if no actions help solve the problem, Hard Reset is a real opportunity to restore the functionality of the device. From the article you will learn what to do.

(!) If you have forgotten your pattern, PIN or password, please read these instructions first: and .

Well, if after these manuals you still need help with unlocking or you have other problems with the device, read this article carefully. It is worth noting that after a Hard Reset, only data from the internal memory will be deleted from the phone or tablet. SD files, photos, music, videos, etc. will remain untouched.

Method 1. How to reset settings on Android via Recovery

The first method is relevant for those whose device does not turn on at all, is malfunctioning, or needs to regain access to the smartphone system:

1. Turn off the device.

2. Now you need to get into Recovery mode. To do this, you need to press and hold a certain key combination until the screen lights up. Depending on the device manufacturer, the combination may differ:

  • Volume down + power button
  • Volume up + power button
  • Volume up/down + power button + home button
  • Volume up + volume down + power button

How to enter Recovery Mode on phones of various brands is written in.

Using the volume up and down buttons you can move up and down respectively, and confirm your choice with the power/lock button. In newer devices, the Recovery menu may be touch-sensitive.

3. Select “wipe data/factory reset”.

This way you agree to clear the internal memory of your smartphone/tablet.

5. And at the end “reboot system now”.

The whole process will take no more than a minute. After all the Android actions, the phone or tablet will reboot and the factory settings will be restored. You will receive the device as it was when you first started it.

Meizu Recovery Mode

Meizu made their own recovery mode instead of the classic Recovery. To get into it, use the combination “ON” + Volume “UP”. Check only the “Clear data” item and click “Start”.

Executing Wipe from Recovery on Xiaomi

The Xiaomi engineering menu loads when you hold down the Power and Volume “+” keys. It is available in several languages ​​- to switch from Chinese to English, click:

1. Select "Recovery"

2. Click “OK” if you are going to enter Recovery mode.

3. Click "Wipe data". Here the sensor does not work, use the Power and Volume keys to select and move.

5. Confirm by clicking "Confirm".

6. The device will inform you that Wipe has been successfully completed. Open the main menu.

7. To reboot your smartphone, select “Reboot”.

8. Then “Reboot to System”.

Method 2. How to do a Hard Reset through settings

1. Go to Android settings.

2. Open the “Backup and Reset” item. Don't forget to complete.

3. Select Factory Reset.

4. Then click "Reset phone (tablet)".

5. If a pattern or password is installed, you need to enter it.

6. Finally, click “Erase everything”.

After this, all data from the internal memory of the device will be reset.

On Android 8.0 Oreo and higher

The Settings menu in Android 8.0 has undergone major changes. Now the “Reset to factory settings” function is located in the “System” → “Reset” section.

On Meizu

In Flyme OS, the path to the function is different from stock Android: go to “Settings” → “About phone” → “Storage” → “Reset settings”.

Check "Delete data" and click "Recover".

On Xiaomi

In MIUI, the developers hid the Factory Reset function in “Advanced Settings” - watch the video instructions:

On Xiaomi smartphones, the USB drive is also cleared, so take care of creating a backup in advance if you want to save photos, audio and other files.

Method 3: Factory reset on Android

This method is even simpler than the previous ones. In the dialer, dial one of the following. Perhaps none of them will work, it all depends on the manufacturer:

  • *2767*3855#
  • *#*#7780#*#*
  • *#*#7378423#*#*

Also try entering these codes into “Emergency Call”.

4. Perform Hard Reset from Fastboot mode

You can clear the internal memory of an Android device using the Fastboot utility for PC when the device is loaded in the mode of the same name (if the smartphone has one). Installation and launch of the program, as well as ADB and USB drivers, is described in. On devices such as Nexus, Pixel, Huawei, HTC, Sony, Motorola, the latest LG, you must first unlock the bootloader:

  • On Nexus - with fastboot oem unlock command
  • On Nexus 5X, 6P and Pixel – activate the “OEM unlock” option in the “Developer options” settings, use the fastboot flashing unlock command
  • For others, you additionally need to obtain an individual code on the manufacturer’s website

(!) Unlocking Bootloader is done via Fastboot and immediately makes Wipe. In the future, to reset the phone, just follow the steps in the instructions.

Put the device into Fastboot mode. There are 2 ways:

First. Turn off your smartphone. Then press and hold the “ON” + volume down buttons until Fastboot mode appears. This keyboard shortcut may vary depending on the manufacturer.

Second. Carefully study how to work with ADB and Fastboot, the link to the article is above. Connect your phone to your computer by activating USB debugging (see). Then enter the ADB command via Command Prompt (or PowerShell on Windows 10) running as administrator and press Enter:

To have Windows PowerShell run this command, add the following at the beginning:

It will turn out like this:

The device is loaded in firmware mode. To erase data, just run one of the commands (don't forget to add .\ when using PowerShell):

To reboot the device use:

5. How to delete data from your phone using the Find Device service

Google has developed a special service "Find device", with which you can not only track your phone, but also reset its settings. To do this, the device must be connected to the Internet.

2. Google will find devices associated with this account. Click Erase Data.

4. Confirm your selection by clicking Clear.

As a result, the internal memory on the smartphone or tablet will be cleared.

6. If TWRP Recovery is installed

Unlike the standard recovery mode, custom recovery mode allows you to reset specific partitions, and not all settings at once.

To do this, open “Wipe” in the main menu.

If you just want to do a Factory Reset, drag the slider to the right.

If you want to format specific sections, select "Advanced Wipe".

Mark the sections that need to be cleaned and swipe to the right.

To reboot Android, click "Reboot system".

That's all. In fact, there shouldn’t be any difficulties with resetting settings on Android; the whole process will take no more than 5 minutes.

(4,80 out of 5, rated: 25 )

Resetting to factory settings is a solution to many problems related to the device. The process is not labor-intensive, and it won’t take much time. How to perform a hard reset on an Android phone and format it - read our article.

What is Hard Reset, what is it for?

Hard Reset is a hard reboot that returns factory settings and deletes all user data. All user-installed programs, media files, contacts, and correspondence histories are subject to deletion. In other words, the phone returns to the condition in which it was originally purchased.

A factory reset is needed if:

  1. you need to delete all user data, for example, before selling the device.
  2. you forgot your password.
  3. There was a failure in the system configuration and not a single attempt to resolve the error was successful.
  4. system performance needs to be improved.

How to do a Hard Reset and save data on an Android smartphone

Before performing a factory reset, take care of the safety of your data.

Backup

You can create a backup of files in the settings. Depending on the firmware, different options are provided.

For example, a backup option might look like this:

If you click on a copy, you can see a list that shows what exactly can be restored.

If your firmware doesn’t have this, or not all items needed for saving need to be copied, it doesn’t matter. Google Play has the Google Drive application for backing up Google entries, contacts, email and calendar, etc.

Memory card

All media files can be easily and conveniently transferred to a memory card. It is found in almost every smartphone or tablet. But even if you don’t have a flash card, use a USB cable to transfer files to your computer or laptop. The files will always be in your sight and recovery will be as easy as copying.

Cloud storage

It is convenient to save all photos in cloud storage, especially if they take up space. You can enable the auto-upload feature on Google Drive or other storage you use. Basically they all have this function.

Almost all Android device users have a Google account. Many of them use synchronization to make browsing easier on different devices. But this function can also be used for backup. Then you can restore the data if you log into your account.

To enable synchronization, you need to go to “Settings” - “Accounts and synchronization” and select “Add account”. Next, go to an existing one or create a new one. Select your Google account and enter your username and password.

After which synchronization will occur automatically.

How to do a full factory reset

Resetting to factory settings is carried out in different ways

Through device settings

This is the easiest way to reset settings. To perform a reset, go to “Settings”, in the “Personal data” section, click “Backup and reset”.

After which a window will appear containing a list of objects to be deleted. Confirm the deletion by clicking “Reset Tablet PC”.

Finally, click “Erase everything.” Hard Reset has been performed.

How to reset via Recovery Mode: key combination for different phone models

Recovery is a mode of Android OS in which it is reset to factory settings, flashing the device and it is possible to obtain superuser rights.

The mode is entered by pressing keys on a smartphone or tablet. Which keys are responsible for entering Recovery Mode is determined by the manufacturer. Therefore there are several ways. Before starting the procedure, remove the charge cable or USB from the phone. Don't forget to make sure your phone is charged. Some models block the ability to enter the mode if the battery charge is low.

Manufacturer How to get into Recovery Mode
Samsung
  • Turn off and hold down the Center button + Volume Up button + On/Off button
  • Turn off Android and hold down the Center button and the On/Off button
  • Turn off Android and hold down the Volume Up button and the On/Off button
HTC Volume down + power
Nexus Turn off and hold Volume DOWN + ON/OFF
Lenovo
  • Turn off your smartphone.
  • Hold down the Power, Volume+ and Volume- buttons.
  • When the logo appears, release the Power key and continue to hold both Volume keys.
  • After the robot appears, release all keys and briefly press the Power button.
  • Sony Turn it off, on, and when the Sony logo appears on the screen or the indicator lights up, press:
    • Volume DOWN
    • Volume Up
    • Click on the logo
    • Or turn off Sony, hold down the “Power” button, wait for a couple of vibrations, release the power button and hold down the “Volume Up” button
    Fly
    • Hold Volume+ and Power .
    • When the Fly logo appears, release the Power button.
    • After the green robot appears, release the Volume + key.
    • Briefly press the Power button.

    Note! This mode may not be available on your phone.

    Control is carried out using the volume rocker. The selection is made by the “Power” button.

    When you enter this mode, select “wipe data/factory reset”.

    We confirm the deletion of data. And we wait for the process to complete.

    other methods

    The method is incredibly simple, but is not suitable for all models. In the dialing line, enter one of the service codes.

    • *2767*3855#
    • *#*#7780#*#*
    • *#*#7378423#*#*

    Video: 4 ways to factory reset Chinese phones and tablets on MTK

    Recovering unsaved data after a Hard Reset

    If it does happen that you saved your data, you can restore it. To do this, you will need the 7-Data Android Recovery program. Download and install the program on your PC.

    We connect the mobile device to the computer and enable USB debugging. In the program window, click “Next”.

    Once this process is complete, a folder tree appears.

    Select the files that need to be restored and click “Save”.

    Every problem has a solution, but it is better when no problems arise at all. Be careful when managing the device and do not be afraid to return it to its original state. This is recommended even to prevent stable operation of the system.

    If your Android device is not working correctly, and you are absolutely sure that there are no other ways to fix the problem, you can use the hard reset procedure at any time - a hard reboot of the system and returning the device to its factory state. Hard Reset can be done in several ways. From this article you will learn how to do a Hard reset on Android, three different ways. As an example, I used an HTC EVO 3D phone with the Android 4.0.3 operating system installed.
    In order to do a hard reset, you need:

    Hard reset. First way:

    1) Go to Menu - Settings - Memory;

    2) Select a sub-item Reset to factory settings, after which a dialog box will appear indicating exactly what data will be deleted as a result hard reset;

    3) If you are really sure that you need to do a hard reset, you should tap on the item Resetting your phone. Otherwise, press back;

    4) After the previous step is completed, the system will once again ask whether you really want to reset the settings and delete all personal information, as well as all downloaded applications without the possibility of recovery;

    5) If you confirm, the hard reboot procedure will begin.

    Hard reset. Second way

    We dial the code in the dialer *2767*3855# . Attention! After you have entered the code, the device will immediately reboot. Deletes all data in the built-in memory, the data on the memory card remains (but to be on the safe side, it is recommended to remove the memory card from the phone).

    Hard reset. Third method

    Enter mode. For example, in HTC it is done like this:
    1.First, you need to turn off your phone. If the device freezes and you can’t turn off the power using the standard button, then just remove/insert the battery. Wait until all function buttons go out.
    2.Next on the device you need to simultaneously hold down the following keys: power button ( Power) And decrease volume level (-).
    3.A menu will appear in front of you, in which you should select the item “ Factory reset(clear storage)". The cursor moves through the list using the volume control rocker, and the desired item is selected by pressing the power button ( Power).


    4.Next you need to reboot the system, that is, reboot the phone. To do this, select the appropriate item in the menu or hold down the power key ( Power).
    5.After the completed operations, the device will turn on with the data already cleared and with factory settings.

    It does not turn on or is very slow, since you can reset it to factory settings. You can find out how to do a hard reset below.

    Why do a hard reset?

    Hard reset is a special reboot during which all settings are reset to factory settings and absolutely all information (even personal information) is deleted. After it, the phone is crystal clear, just like right after purchase. This function is also called a hardware reset or a hard reset.

    It is worth noting that before you do a “hard reset” on Android, you need to create a backup copy of all data from the phone’s internal memory, because it will not be possible to restore them.

    Anyone who thinks that this function is useless and even harmful is very much mistaken. A hard reset is used only if the phone cannot be restored with regular applications and cleaning. It should be done if:

    • The phone took a very long time to think and load due to the large load on the RAM.
    • Due to repeated installation and reinstallation of different applications, as a result of which a huge amount of unnecessary information has accumulated.
    • After obtaining root rights, an important component of the operating system was removed, which is why the smartphone began to work incorrectly.
    • Due to some problem, the phone began to work incorrectly (constantly rebooting, turning off on its own, or not turning on at all).

    Of course, after the “hard reset” is done, you need to configure everything, download, upload and install again. But, in turn, the phone will work as it should and will not slow down (at least until a lot of different things are loaded into it again).

    How to do a "hard reset"?

    There are several ways to reset your phone to factory settings:

    • through settings (soft reset);
    • using Android system recovery (also called the engineering menu);
    • through a special service utility from the official developer (in the case when the phone does not turn on and Android system recovery is not enabled or not provided at all).

    Now let's look at how to do a hard reset using each of these methods.

    Soft reset

    First of all, you need to save all the data from your phone. You can do this in different ways: create a backup copy and save it on a flash drive, connect to a PC and reset the data using special utilities, synchronize with your Google account, and so on. It is also advisable to reset all information from the flash drive and format it. This must be done because resetting the data removes the key to decrypting the data. If, after doing a “hard reset” on Android, you insert a memory card, the phone will simply create a new file system on it, ignoring the old file tree. Physically, the data will remain there, but there will no longer be access to it.

    Now we do the following: go to the “Settings” of the phone, then to the “Personal data” item (depending on the firmware version, this item may be called “Accounts” or “Restore and reset”). Click on “Factory data reset”.

    Then - “Reset devices” and “Delete everything”. Ready.

    Reset via Android system recovery

    This method is used if the phone does not turn on or constantly reboots. Turn off the phone. Recovery mode is activated by holding down the power button, volume and menu buttons. How to do a “hard reset” using a combination of buttons? It all depends on the manufacturer:

    • Sony - charge the phone to the maximum (the light is green), disconnect it from charging and press the button in the small hole with a paper clip. After the screen goes dark, you need to hold down the power button for a few seconds and press volume up several times.

    • Samsung - press power, volume up and menu at the same time. Using the volume buttons, move to “wipe data/factory reset”, then “Yes - delete all data” and “Reboot now”.

    • Nokia - press power, volume down and camera.
    • HTC - hold down both volumes, press power briefly. When a “Warning” appears, press the volume up.
    • ASUS - press the volume down and for three seconds - power, hold the volume. Select “Enter recovery mode” from the menu. Next, the algorithm is the same as doing a “hard reset” on Samsung.
    • Alcatel - press volume up and power. Further - as in Samsung.
    • Acer - press volume up and power. Further - as in ASUS.

    Resetting the Sony device

    Sony Xperia devices have one problem: due to some glitch or error in the system, when turning on Bluetooth, the phone starts to reboot without interruption. However, you can turn it off only by disconnecting the battery. And, since for some reason it was not possible to make a “hard reset” on Sony via Recovery mode, you can use the special PC Companion service utility from the manufacturer. It must be on the computer if the phone has been connected to the PC at least once.

    We proceed as follows. Launch PC Companion. Click “Start” in the Support Zone section. In the “Phone software update” column, also click on “Start”. In the window that appears, you need to click on the highlighted “phone recovery”. Select your model from the list and then follow the simple instructions.

    But there is one caveat: the smartphone must be in the database of this program with the downloaded drivers, otherwise, before doing a “hard reset”, the program will ask you to perform several actions on the device for identification (lower and raise the curtain, etc.). Of course, this cannot be done if it is turned off.

    Hard reset is an extremely responsible procedure, so it’s worth taking note of a couple of tips:

    1. Before you do a “hard reset” on your tablet or phone, you need to create a backup copy of all data (contacts, SMS, accounts, Wi-Fi passwords, etc.). There are plenty of ways and tools for this (if the device turns on at all).
    2. It would be a good idea to make a backup copy of the files from the flash drive. If only because in the settings the button for clearing the memory card is located under the shutdown button. And if you accidentally mix it up, you can lose important data.
    3. You should not install applications from unsafe sources on your smartphone to avoid system problems.
    4. You should be more careful in using root rights if you have them. You should not delete something that you are not completely sure about and allow different applications to use these rights.
    5. If suddenly for some reason it was not possible to reset to factory settings, you can fix the phone by flashing Android. Contrary to popular belief, this is quite easy to do. All you need is clear instructions, hands and a bright mind.