A hard reset wipes your Fire tablet completely and returns it to factory settings

A hard reset (also called a factory reset) erases everything on your Fire tablet—all apps, photos, documents, and settings—and restores it to the state it was in when it left the factory. This is different from a regular restart, which just turns the device off and back on. You would do a hard reset if your tablet is frozen, running very slowly, has a virus or malware, or if you're selling or giving it away and want to remove your personal data.

The process takes about 10 to 15 minutes and requires you to navigate to the Settings menu. Once you start the reset, you cannot stop it partway through. After it finishes, you'll need to sign back in with your Amazon account to use the tablet again.

Key Takeaways

  • A hard reset erases all data on your Fire tablet and returns it to factory settings, which is permanent and cannot be undone.
  • You can perform a hard reset through the Settings menu under Device Options, or by holding the power button and volume down button together if the tablet won't respond.
  • Back up any photos, documents, or files you want to keep before starting a hard reset, because they will be deleted.
  • After the reset completes, you will need to sign in with your Amazon account and reconnect to Wi-Fi to use the tablet again.
  • If your tablet is completely unresponsive and won't turn on, you may need to contact Amazon support rather than attempting a reset yourself.

How to hard reset through the Settings menu

This is the standard method and works on all Fire tablet models. First, make sure your tablet is powered on and has at least 20 percent battery remaining. Plug it in if the battery is low, because the reset can take 10 to 15 minutes and you don't want it to shut down partway through.

Open the Settings app by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the gear icon, or by going to the home screen and selecting Settings. Scroll down and tap Device Options. Look for a button labeled Reset to Factory Defaults or Erase All Data (the exact wording varies by tablet model and Fire OS version). Tap it. The tablet will ask you to confirm—read the warning carefully, because this action cannot be undone. Tap the confirmation button. The tablet will restart and begin the reset process. You will see a progress bar. Do not unplug the tablet or press any buttons while it is resetting.

When the reset is complete, the tablet will restart and show the initial setup screen, just as if it were brand new. You can then sign in with your Amazon account.

Force reset if your tablet is frozen or unresponsive

If your Fire tablet is frozen, won't respond to touches, or won't turn on normally, you can force a reset using the hardware buttons. This works even if the screen is black or stuck on one image.

Locate the power button and volume down button on the side or top of your tablet (the exact location depends on your model). Press and hold both buttons at the same time for about 10 to 20 seconds. You may see the Amazon logo or a boot menu appear. Keep holding until the screen goes black or you see a recovery menu. If a menu appears with options like "Wipe Data" or "Factory Reset," use the volume buttons to highlight that option and press the power button to select it. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm.

If nothing happens after 20 seconds, release the buttons, wait 30 seconds, and try again. Some models require you to hold the buttons longer. If the tablet still does not respond after several attempts, the hardware may be damaged and you should contact Amazon support.

Back up your data before resetting

Once you start a hard reset, all data on the tablet is permanently deleted. There is no way to recover it afterward. Before you reset, move any files you want to keep to a safe location.

Photos and documents stored in your Amazon cloud account (Amazon Photos, Amazon Drive, or Kindle) are already backed up and will not be deleted by a factory reset. When you sign back in after the reset, these files will reappear on your tablet. However, any files stored only on the tablet's local storage will be lost.

To save local files, connect your tablet to a computer using a USB cable and copy the files to your computer's hard drive. You can also email files to yourself or upload them to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox before you reset. Take a few minutes to do this—it only takes one reset to lose photos or documents you meant to keep.

What happens after the reset is complete

When your Fire tablet finishes resetting, it will show the welcome screen and ask you to select a language and connect to Wi-Fi. You will then be asked to sign in with your Amazon account. Use the same email address and password you used before. If you don't remember your password, you can reset it on Amazon's website before you start the tablet setup.

After you sign in, the tablet will read and reinstall your apps from the Amazon Appstore. This can take 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many apps you had and how fast your Wi-Fi is. Your Kindle books, music, and other Amazon content will also reappear. Any apps you sideloaded (installed from outside the Amazon Appstore) will not return and will need to be reinstalled manually if you have the files.

Your tablet will run much faster after a factory reset because it no longer has old files, cached data, or problematic apps slowing it down. If you were resetting because the tablet was frozen or slow, you should notice an when ready improvement.

When to hard reset versus when to contact Amazon

A hard reset solves most problems caused by software—frozen screens, apps that crash, slow performance, or malware. It is also the right choice if you are selling or giving away your tablet and want to erase your personal data completely.

Do not attempt a hard reset if your tablet won't turn on at all, won't charge, has physical damage, or shows error messages during the reset process. These are signs of a hardware problem that Amazon support needs to handle. Contact Amazon's customer service through your account on Amazon.com or call the number on the back of your tablet. They can troubleshoot the issue or arrange a replacement if the tablet is still under warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a hard reset remove my Amazon account from the tablet?

Yes. After the reset, the tablet will not be signed in to any account. You will need to sign back in with your Amazon account credentials when you set up the tablet again. If you are giving the tablet to someone else, do not sign in—let them set it up with their own account instead.

Can I stop a hard reset once it has started?

No. Once you confirm the reset in Settings, the process cannot be stopped or reversed. This is why it is important to back up any data you want to keep before you start. Do not unplug the tablet or press buttons while it is resetting.

How long does a hard reset take?

The reset itself usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. After that, the tablet will read and reinstall your apps, which can take another 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many apps you had and your Wi-Fi speed. Plan for at least an hour total from start to finish.

Will my apps come back after I sign in again?

Apps you downloaded from the Amazon Appstore will reappear automatically once you sign in. The tablet will read and reinstall them in the background. Apps you sideloaded from other sources will not return and must be reinstalled manually if you have the installation files.

What if my tablet is stuck on the boot screen after a reset?

If the tablet is stuck on the Amazon logo or boot screen for more than 30 minutes, unplug it and wait 5 minutes, then plug it back in and try to turn it on again. If it remains stuck, contact Amazon support. This may indicate a hardware issue that requires professional help.