Restore and reset your phone. Reset Android to factory settings

Every PC user has encountered a problem when the operating system starts to malfunction and reboots frequently. This happens due to the loss of system files, a large number of viruses or technical problems with the equipment.

It is especially unpleasant to find yourself in a situation where Windows stops loading. This may result in the loss of data: valuable documents, music and photos.

Basic system recovery methods

In most cases, you can reset your system to factory settings or restore Windows to work with working system files on your computer. To do this, it is not necessary to have special education or deep knowledge of software. Just use the tips below. The following methods are considered the most effective:

Loading the last known known configuration;
Built-in function " Windows System Restore»;
Using the system boot disk.

In different situations, one of the above methods will help to return to the previous state. Each user should be able to debug the system, so let’s look at the methods for restoring Windows in more detail.

Loading Last Known Good Configuration

This option is considered the simplest; it allows you to quickly return the system to working condition. First you need to go to Safe Mode. To do this, while Windows is loading, press the F8 key and select " Last Known Good Configuration" After which the system will restore the previous working settings and system files, then the download will begin again.

In different laptop models, entering safe mode to further reset or restore the system is done using system utilities. Below are the combinations to run some of them:

ASUS - F9;
Dell XPS-F8;
Lenovo ThinkPad - F11;
Lenovo IdeaPad - dedicated OneKey Rescue key;
Toshiba - F8 or 0;
Sony VAIO - F10 or ASSIST key;
HP Pavilion - F11;
LG-F11;
Rover - Alt (hold);
Samsung - F4.

On recent UEFI PCs, entering Safe Mode will require you to change the defaults when selecting your OS. More detailed information can be found in the technical documentation.

Using Last Known Good Configuration, you can roll back the latest versions of drivers that you may have installed incorrectly. Or return working system files that were affected by malicious software. This method of returning to the previous configuration will help with minor bugs and freezes that appeared with the latest changes to the system. In case of more serious damage, it may turn out to be useless and you will need to try other methods to get the files back.

Windows System Restore

It is usually used after a previous method that did not produce results. The operating system has the ability to make several restore points that record the state of all programs at a certain point. You can make such points yourself or configure the frequency of autosaves.

Before creating a restore point manually, it is better to close running programs. Let's go to " Control Panel" and select the item " System" Next, go to the menu “ System protection", in the window that opens, select " Creating a restore point" and indicate its name. After the procedure is completed, a system message will be displayed - “The recovery point was created successfully.”

To start the recovery procedure, go to the menu “ Start", click on " Control Panel", go to the item " Recovery- Starting system recovery." In the window that opens, you can select the last point or view all available ones. By clicking " Find affected programs", you will see the entire list of applications that will be changed. Usually it is enough to choose a point 3-4 days before the occurrence of malfunctions and failures. After selecting a restore point and confirming it, the computer will restart.

In the same menu, you can restore using an image made in advance. It is first saved to a DVD, flash drive or external hard drive. Today, parameters are most often restored from an image via a USB connection - it’s fast and convenient.

For inexperienced users, it is better to leave all the proposed settings by default; after several transitions, we confirm the reset process by clicking the Finish button. It is worth noting that if you created a backup with errors or the media with the image was damaged, then the system startup may be interrupted. In this case, it is better to install a new environment on the computer and first format the hard drive.

Using the system boot disk

If Windows is seriously malfunctioning or is heavily exposed to viruses, you may need a boot disk. With it, you can reset the system or roll it back to a working state and the desired settings. In safe mode, select " Troubleshooting your computer", then insert the disc into the DVD drive and in the window that opens, click on the "" button.

The program offers us a choice of several ways to set default parameters:

Startup repair - finding the main problems that prevent Windows from starting;
System Restore – search for a restore point with working settings to reset;
Restoring a system image - using a previously made backup;
Windows Memory Diagnostic – check system memory;
Command line – working with files via a text line.

The recovery process is the same as with the built-in application. But by working with the disk, you eliminate the possibility of viruses and other third-party software having a harmful effect on the operation.

Full reset to factory settings

If the recovery methods described above do not produce results, you can try a full reset to factory settings. To do this, some laptop and PC models have a hidden system partition with a copy of Windows in its basic state.

Manufacturers offer users special utilities that will make the reset process simple and straightforward. The operating principle of such programs is similar and even inexperienced users can understand them. You can start the utility using a special key or through safe mode while the computer is booting. If such a utility is provided by the developer, its name will be displayed at the end of the list of recovery options.

In the window that opens, we need to select the first item – “ Restore to condition at time of purchase" After finishing the work, the computer will be rebooted and a rollback to factory settings will occur (you will need to select the default language again and create an account).

It is worth noting that all files that were previously on the hard drive will be deleted permanently. Therefore, we recommend saving everything you need on a flash drive or other storage device in advance.

Video on the topic

Like any other operating system, Android may not always work the way you want it to. For example, when launching the simplest application, the smartphone begins to slow down or freeze. Often something similar happens even with a regular incoming call. Many owners of smartphones and tablets based on Android OS are upset, and some even suggest purchasing a new device. Do not hurry! Most problems can be resolved with a factory reset. This function is present in this operating system.

In English, the function is called Hard Reset, which can be translated as “hard reboot”. In fact, the system is rebooted, which restores the initial factory settings. In addition, all information that was added by the user is deleted, including applications, SMS messages, contacts, video and audio clips, etc. Therefore, before performing a hard reboot, it is recommended to save the data that you will need later.

Information is deleted only from the phone's memory. Those files that are on the memory card, if present, will not be deleted. However, you can remove them yourself from the menu using a soft reset.

So, if you decided to do a Hard Reset and saved all the important data that you needed (for example, using backup), then we can begin the procedure itself.

Method one

I will show an example on "naked". If you are using a smartphone or tablet with add-ons, the menu may be slightly modified, although the procedure itself will not change. Go.

We look for the “Settings” application on the desktop. If it is missing, find it in the "Application List". I have “Settings” on the main screen.

The menu opened. Now you need to find the “Backup and Reset” section.

We go and select the section “Return to factory settings” - “Reset settings”. Here you can configure backup of your data.

You will see a kind of reminder that says that all data will be deleted from the internal memory of the device, including settings, applications and even the added Google account (the account itself, of course, will not be deleted, just next time you will have to re-enter your username and password for him). Click on the “Reset phone settings” button. If you also need to clear the memory card, check the box next to “Clear card memory”.

The system asks again whether to reset? When you're ready, click Erase Everything. The device will reboot. Most likely, the reboot will take a little longer than your gadget usually loads - this is quite normal, do not panic.

Method two

You can try using an even simpler method. All you need to do is dial *2767*3855# and send a call. Afterwards a Hard Reset will automatically occur.

However, I do not recommend using this method for the simple reason that, according to reviews, this set of numbers can perform different functions on different devices. So, on some devices it allegedly changes the IMEI. I find it difficult to say how true this is, and therefore I advise you to be as careful as possible.

Method three

This is the so-called hard reset. You should only use it if your device does not turn on. If it works, use the first method.

So, your device does not turn on, just in case, remove the memory card from it, if there is one. To enter the Android system recovery (the menu we have to work with), you need to press the buttons on the device’s body in a certain order. The problem is that the combination of buttons may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. I decided to show you an example on a device from Samsung, one of the leaders in the Russian mobile device market.

Since the device is already turned off and will not turn on, we immediately proceed to active actions.

Press and hold the Volume Up key, the Power button, and the Home button.

Keep them pressed until a green robot appears or the menu starts to load.

Using the volume keys, select wipe data/factory reset and confirm it with the device on/off button.

In the menu that opens, select Yes - delete all user data, after which settings and files will begin to be reset and deleted.

Then click select Reboot now and the device will reboot. You will receive a device with a completely clean operating system.

Regarding restoring settings

After the user makes a Hard Reset, he will probably want to use a backup to get back all his settings, files and applications. Is it worth doing? The question is controversial.

The problem is this: if your device was not working properly, for example, freezing or lagging during operation, then it is quite possible that the cause was an application or certain settings. If you restore the backup, then there is a high probability that your device will work exactly the same as before the full reset. Therefore, it makes sense to restore a backup only if you are sure that the problem is definitely not in the previous settings or applications.

Contacts can be transferred manually, as well as the necessary documents, and applications can be downloaded from. In my opinion, this is the most optimal solution.

Custom firmware

As for custom firmware, they are restored in exactly the same way; there is no need to reinvent the wheel. The main thing is to remember that if you need to return the phone under warranty, you will first need to bring it to life if it does not turn on (use the third method), and then flash it to the factory firmware. And remove root rights if they were installed.

If you decide to reset your Android to factory settings, be sure to read our article. Using the example of different phone models, we will consider the algorithm of actions so that the phone then turns on and works correctly.

As with any system, a failure can occur in the Android OS, as a result of which some functions begin to work completely incorrectly or completely stop responding to the user’s tasks. In this case, the easiest way out of this situation is to reset the system to factory settings or, translated into English, Hard reset. When carrying out this operation, you should be aware that all personal data stored in the phone’s memory will be destroyed. Only the flash card will remain unaffected. Therefore, before performing such actions, you need to take care of the safety of important information and files.

Factory reset Samsung smartphones

The first step is to turn on the device. After this, press three buttons at the same time - increase volume, Home key and power button. Hold the keys for some time until the display turns on. When characteristic system inscriptions appear, click on the phrase wipe data. Then press the gadget’s power key. Again, several answer options will be offered on the screen, but we are only interested in Yes – delete. After that, press the power button again. The final step is to check the reboot system now box and turn on the smartphone.

There is an easier way, through a function built into the phone menu. Thanks to this method, you can achieve the desired result by pressing just one button.

To do this, open the gadget settings and find a section that may be called: “reset” or “backup and reset”;
Several options will appear on the screen, among which you need to click “Reset data”;
we confirm our actions;
the phone reboots, after which the procedure can be considered complete and you can enjoy the result achieved.

This method is the safest and most preferable. If it is possible to enter the menu and the phone responds to the user’s commands, then it is better to implement the plan through the standard menu.

For LG smartphones, resetting parameters is carried out slightly differently, but in general the algorithm of actions is similar to the previous instructions:

turn off the device;
hold down the volume rocker and the power key;
After the characteristic logo appears, release and press the volume keys and the power key again.
We answer Yes to all pop-up menu questions;
subsequently the phone will reboot and reset all data.

Resetting LG smartphones to factory settings through the menu is very easy to do. To do this, just do the following:

go to the regular menu;
go to the “basic” section;
then click on the “restore and reset” button;
After the reboot, the operation can be considered completed.

Factory reset Sony smartphones through the menu:

open the menu;
go to settings;
select the section called backup;
press the general reset button.

Factory reset Sony smartphones using a secret code:

go to dialing mode;
dial the following combination: *#*#7378423#*#*
press the call button;
in the menu that opens, select Customization Settings;
then select Reset customization;
The final step is to press the Reset customization button.

Photo: Reset Sony to factory settings

For HTC smartphones, data reset is carried out as follows:

go to the main menu “Settings”;
We find the sub-item “restore and reset”;
in the window that opens, click on the reset phone button;
We confirm the actions and wait for the reboot.

Photo: Reset HTC to factory settings

Resetting Lenovo smartphones to factory settings is carried out as follows:

turn off the device;
press and hold several buttons: volume up, down and traditionally the power key;
in the menu that appears, use the volume swing to mark wipe data;
Use the power button to confirm the selection;
Next, you need to click Yes - delete and thereby complete the procedure.

Photo: Reset Lenovo to factory settings

As you can see, everything is very simple and accessible. You can reset Android to factory settings in a matter of minutes, but you should use this function only if absolutely necessary. This action will inevitably lead to the loss of all personal information stored in the device.

Dear readers! If you have any questions or comments on the topic of the article, please leave them below.

You can reset Android settings to a pre-sale state through the gadget itself and through a PC. They are suitable for both beginners and advanced users. How to reset settings on Android to factory settings?

Content:

1) Reset Android settings using service codes

Open the “Phone” utility (also works on tablet PCs). Using the keyboard, enter one of the following combinations: *#*#7378423#*#*, *2767*3855#, *#*#7780#*#* (without commas). If necessary, press the call button. The Android device will restart and initialize the system reset to the manufacturer's settings.

This method works if moving through menu items is still possible. Go to settings and click “Backup and reset”. The list of items that appears needs to be scrolled to the very end. At the very bottom you will find the “Reset settings” item (different gadgets may have the name “Master reset”, “Delete all data”, “Reset smartphone settings”, etc.). The system can offer 2 options for rolling back the device to its original state: with and without erasing the internal memory. Advice: it is better to choose the first option, but before that you need to save all the data. Next, click on “Delete all”.

3) Restore Android to factory settings in the Recovery engineering menu

How to return factory settings to Android if navigating through system items is impossible? One option is to reset the device parameters through the Recovery menu (engineering menu). This advanced method is suitable for experienced users. You need to hold down the gadget's power button until it turns off. If it does not work, you need to remove the battery from the device and insert it back when the smartphone/tablet turns off. Then you need to hold down two (sometimes three) specific buttons (the process is described in the paragraph “How to reset settings on Samsung/Sony/htc/xiaomi”).

Advice: after the engineering menu appears, you may find that the display does not respond to touches. This is normal: in most cases, regulation of all processes in Recovery-mode is carried out using the volume rocker (up/down transition) and the power key (Enter button). To reset the parameters to the pre-sale state, select Wipe data / factory reset.

Advice: in modified firmware, for example MIUI, at this point there are three options for erasing files: Advanced Wipe, Format Data and Factory Reset. We need the third option. After activating it, a console window will open, which will display the progress of resetting the parameters.

4) Reset Android settings using third-party applications

How to reset settings on Android to factory settings using third-party utilities? The most advanced option is to return the device to its pre-sale state via a Windows desktop using the Android Debug Bridge. This program is indispensable if resetting parameters is impossible even through the engineering menu. Android Debug Bridge (ADB) was introduced by Google for the Windows platform and requires intervention in system variables and the command line. To install ADB, you should download the Android System Development Kit. This is an archive whose contents should be extracted to the path C:\Program Files. Browse to the folder where the extracted files are located and rename it by pressing F2. The new name is AndroidADT. Then left-click on the “Start” icon, point to “Computer”, right-click and select “Properties”. Once in the “System” menu, go from there to “Advanced system settings”. In the list of “System variables”, look for the Path item and double-click on it with the left key of the manipulator. In the “Variable value” item, delete the existing path and replace it with a new one; C:\Program Files\AndroidADT\sdk\platform-tools\. Save the changes by clicking the OK button.

Then press the Win+R button combination, write cmd.exe and click Enter. Turn on the Android device and connect it to the desktop. In the command line, write adb shell and press Enter. When ADB recognizes the mobile device, enter -wipe_data and click Enter.

How to save data when resetting settings in Android

As for photo, video and audio content, it is better to copy it to Flash storage/cloud. Data from games, utilities, contacts and Google accounts must be duplicated on the account for backup. To create it, go to the settings, from there go to the “Backup and reset” item. Click on “Backup account”, then “Add account”. The system will prompt you to set a password for the new account. We save a backup account. We exit the created account and go into the one that needs to be saved before resetting the settings. Then select “Back up your data” and enable the “Back up your data” option.

Use the engineering menu. First, turn off the gadget, then for Samsung we hold down the volume down rocker + power key, Sony and HTC – volume up rocker + power button, Xiaomi – hold down the volume up and power buttons until the logo appears, then release the power button while holding the volume up rocker.

Resetting Google account settings on Android

Go to settings, and from there go to “Backup and reset”. Scroll to the very bottom and click on “Reset settings”. Turn off the “Clear internal memory” option. Then click “Reset device settings”.

How to reset settings on Samsung/Sony/htc/xiaomi (Android phone)

The universal way is through the engineering menu. For Samsung: volume down rocker + power button; for Sony and HTC: volume rocker + power key; for Xiaomi: volume up rocker + power key, after the logo pops up, release the power button while holding the volume up button.

Android soft reset apps

HDD Low Level Format Tool is an alternative to Android Debug Bridge. This utility also returns the mobile gadget to its pre-sale state. Its advantage is that it is more convenient than ADB. First you need to install HDD LLFT, turn on the application and connect the turned on smartphone. Select your device from the list of displayed media and click “Continue”. After a few minutes, the gadget's settings will be reset.

You can use the CWM Recovery or TWRP Recovery utilities. They are installed on the Android gadget itself if it has ROOT. To use them you need to download the Rashr program via Google Play. Once you open Rashr, you will see “CWM Recovery” and “TWRP Recovery” options. These are two programs that provide access to the engineering menu in a convenient graphical form. I recommend choosing the first one, as it has a version (CWM Touch 6.0.4.7) that supports tapping on the screen rather than the traditional volume rocker control. To download, tap on CWM Recovery/TWPR Recovery. A list of available versions will appear, select the latest one. When you see the download request, click Yes. At the end, the utility will offer to boot into the engineering menu, agree by clicking Yes.

Resetting the Android operating system to factory settings allows you to restore the normal operation of the device in case of frequent freezes, slowdowns, automatic shutdowns, reboots and other software failures. If you decide to perform this procedure, you need to know that it will delete the following information:

all programs installed on the device;
saved text and multimedia messages (SMS and MMS);
notes in a notebook;
data from the phone book;
saved passwords from existing accounts (for example, GMail, Skype, etc.).

In this case, the information located on the flash drive will not be affected. Therefore, before completely resetting the Android system, you should save your personal information in a safe place by copying it to a memory card or PC.

Methods to reset Android to factory settings

In the Android OS, resetting a phone or tablet to factory settings is provided by the developers, so no additional programs or devices are required to perform the reset.

There are three methods to restore default settings on Android:

through the standard gadget menu - recommended for use in cases where the device can be turned on and entered into its main menu;
using service combinations – used when, after turning on the phone, you only have access to the dialer (for example, you forgot your password to log into the system);
using the Recovery environment is the only option to return Android to factory settings when the device does not turn on or freezes at the company’s welcome logo.

Restoring initial settings through the gadget menu

If your phone or tablet starts to slow down or freeze periodically after turning it on, consider yourself very lucky, since you will have time to save all your personal data in a safe place (for example, on a flash drive or computer hard drive). To do this, before resetting, it is recommended to use the function of synchronizing your phone (tablet) with a PC.

Synchronization is a procedure that allows you to eliminate the difference between two operating systems (Windows and Android) and copy all important information from your device to your computer. Many programs have been developed to perform synchronization, among which MyPhoneExplorer is considered the most effective.

To copy important data (phone book, messages, notes, etc.) from your phone to your PC, you must:

After saving the information, you can safely reset the device to factory settings. To do this you need:

Some models of gadgets require the user to have root rights to change system data, including to start resetting. This allows you to protect the OS from accidental deletion of system files.

Using service combinations

Any operating system for mobile devices (Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, etc.) has special digital-symbol combinations that can be used to return the device to factory settings.

To do this you need:

Enter dialing mode.
Enter one of the following combinations: *#*#7780#*#, *2767*3855# or *#*#7378423#*#*.

After this, the factory reset will automatically start.

Launching the Recovery procedure

If you cannot turn on the phone and, accordingly, use one of the above recovery methods, the built-in Recovery utility comes to the rescue. To run it you need:

Turn off the problematic gadget completely, that is, wait until all the keys and the screen go out.
Press and hold a certain key combination for several seconds. Different device manufacturers have different combinations:

For LG phones – volume down button + power key. When the welcome logo appears, you must release and press Power again;
For Samsung – return to main menu key + power + volume up button;
For Lenovo - power button + volume in the middle.

If you cannot restore Android after performing the above steps, you need to do the following.