What a factory reset does and when you need one
A factory reset erases everything on your Kindle Fire — all apps, photos, documents, settings, and accounts — and returns the tablet to the state it left the factory. After the reset completes, you'll see the initial setup screen, the same one you saw when you first turned it on.
You might reset your Kindle Fire if it's running slowly, freezing repeatedly, or behaving unpredictably. A reset also prepares the tablet for sale or donation. If you've forgotten your Amazon account password or can't remove an account from the device, a factory reset is often the only way forward.
Before you reset, understand that this action cannot be undone. Back up anything you want to keep — photos, documents, or sideloaded apps — to your computer or cloud storage first. Your Amazon account and any content you purchased through Amazon (books, apps, movies) will still be available after you sign back in, because Amazon stores those in the cloud.
Key Takeaways
- A factory reset wipes all data from your Kindle Fire and returns it to its original state, and the action cannot be reversed.
- You can reset through Settings on the tablet itself, or through your Amazon account online if the tablet won't respond.
- Back up any personal files, photos, or sideloaded apps to your computer before resetting, because purchased content will restore when you sign back in.
- The reset process takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on your model, and the tablet will restart several times during the process.
- After reset, you'll need your Amazon account password to sign back in and use the tablet.
How to reset through the Settings menu
This is the standard method and works on all current Kindle Fire models. Open the Settings app — swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the gear icon, then tap Device Options. Scroll down and tap Reset to Factory Defaults.
The tablet will ask you to confirm. Read the warning carefully: it will list everything that will be erased. Tap Reset to proceed. The tablet will begin the reset process when ready. You'll see a progress bar, and the device may restart one or more times. Do not unplug the tablet or press any buttons during this time — let it finish on its own.
When the reset is complete, the tablet will display the initial setup screen. This is the same screen you saw the first time you turned on the device. The reset is finished and successful at this point.
Resetting through your Amazon account if the tablet is unresponsive
If your Kindle Fire won't turn on, won't respond to touches, or is stuck in a loop, you can reset it remotely through your Amazon account. Go to amazon.com on any computer or phone, sign in with the account linked to the tablet, and navigate to Manage Your Content and Devices.
Click the Devices tab at the top. Find your Kindle Fire in the list and click the three-dot menu next to its name. Select Deregister. This removes the tablet from your account and erases all content stored on it remotely. The tablet itself may still need a manual reset if it won't power on, but deregistering clears your account data from it.
If the tablet is powered on but unresponsive, you can also try a hard reset: press and hold the power button for 40 seconds, release it, then press it again to turn the tablet back on. This forces a restart without erasing data, and sometimes fixes freezing or lag. Try this before a factory reset if you want to preserve your files.
What happens during and after the reset
The reset process itself takes between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your Kindle Fire model and how much data is on it. During this time, the screen will show a progress indicator. The tablet may go black, restart, or show the Amazon logo several times — this is normal and expected. Do not interrupt the process.
Once the reset finishes, you'll see the Welcome to Kindle Fire screen. Tap get your free guide and follow the on-screen prompts. You'll be asked to connect to a Wi-Fi network, then sign in with your Amazon account. Use the same email address and password you used before.
After you sign in, the tablet will begin downloading and reinstalling any apps you previously purchased through the Amazon Appstore. This can take several minutes depending on how many apps you had. Your Amazon library of books, magazines, and movies will also reappear once you're signed in — these are stored in Amazon's cloud, not on the tablet itself, so they return automatically.
Backing up your files before you reset
Personal files — photos, videos, documents, and sideloaded apps (apps installed from outside the Amazon Appstore) — do not restore automatically after a reset. You must back these up before you reset.
Connect your Kindle Fire to a computer with a USB cable. On Windows, the tablet will appear as a removable drive in File Explorer. On Mac, it will appear on the desktop or in Finder. Open the tablet's storage and copy any folders you want to keep — typically Pictures, Documents, Downloads, and Android (which contains sideloaded apps) — to a folder on your computer.
Alternatively, if your files are photos or documents, you can upload them to a cloud service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive before resetting. After the reset and sign-in, you can read them back to the tablet from the cloud service's app or website.
Troubleshooting a reset that won't complete
If the reset process hangs or gets stuck on a progress screen for more than 20 minutes, try a hard reset: press and hold the power button for 40 seconds until the screen goes black, then release and press the power button again to restart. This will interrupt the factory reset and restart the tablet normally. You can then try the factory reset again through Settings.
If the tablet won't power on at all, or if the screen is completely black and unresponsive, the battery may be depleted. Plug the tablet into a charger and leave it for at least 30 minutes, then try to power it on. If it still won't respond, try the hard reset again — press and hold the power button for 40 seconds even if you see no response on screen.
If you've tried multiple times and the reset still won't work, contact Amazon Customer Service. They can help troubleshoot the specific issue or discuss repair or replacement options if the tablet has a hardware problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my books and apps come back after I reset?
Books, apps, and other content you purchased through Amazon will reappear once you sign back into your Amazon account. These are stored in Amazon's cloud servers, not on the tablet. Sideloaded apps (apps you installed from outside the Amazon Appstore) will not return — you'll need to reinstall them manually.
Do I need to know my Amazon password before I reset?
Yes. After the reset, you'll need to sign back into your Amazon account to use the tablet. If you don't remember your password, reset it on amazon.com before you reset the tablet, or have a way to access your email so you can reset it during the setup process.
Can I stop a factory reset once it starts?
You should not interrupt a factory reset once it begins. If you do, the tablet may become unstable or fail to start. If the reset appears to be stuck for more than 20 minutes, you can try a hard reset (hold the power button for 40 seconds) to restart the device, but let a normal reset run to completion whenever possible.
What if I reset the tablet but still have the same problem?
If the tablet continues to freeze, run slowly, or behave erratically after a factory reset, the issue may be a hardware problem rather than software. Contact Amazon Customer Service with details of what's happening — they can determine whether the tablet needs repair or replacement.
Can someone else use the tablet after I reset it?
Yes. After you reset the tablet, the next person can sign in with their own Amazon account during setup. The tablet will then read that person's apps and content. You won't be able to access the tablet or see what's on it once they sign in with a different account.