The quickest way to restart your Fire tablet

A soft reboot—restarting the tablet without erasing anything—fixes most problems: frozen screens, apps that won't close, sluggish performance, or connection issues. Press and hold the power button on the right edge of your tablet for about 10 seconds until you see "Power off" appear on screen, then tap it. The tablet will shut down completely, then turn itself back on. This takes about 30 seconds total and solves the problem in most cases.

If the screen is completely frozen and won't respond to the power button, press and hold the power button for 40 seconds instead. The tablet will force-shut down, even if it looks stuck. Then press the power button once to turn it back on normally.

Key Takeaways

  • A soft reboot (normal restart) fixes frozen screens and slow performance and keeps all your content and settings intact.
  • Press and hold the power button on the right edge for 10 seconds, then tap "Power off" when it appears.
  • If the screen won't respond, hold the power button for 40 seconds to force a shutdown, then press it once to restart.
  • A factory reset erases everything on the tablet and should only be used when the tablet won't start or respond at all.

When to do a soft reboot instead of a factory reset

Most tablet problems—an app crashing repeatedly, the screen freezing mid-use, Wi-Fi dropping, or the device running slowly—are solved by restarting. A soft reboot takes less than a minute and leaves all your books, apps, photos, and settings exactly as they were. You do not lose anything.

Only do a factory reset if the tablet won't turn on, won't respond to any button presses, or is so corrupted that it cannot start its normal operating system. A factory reset erases everything on the device, so it is the last step, not the first.

How to do a factory reset if the tablet won't start

If your Fire tablet will not turn on or respond to the power button at all, a factory reset may be necessary. First, plug the tablet into power using its USB cable and let it charge for at least 30 minutes—sometimes a completely dead battery prevents the tablet from responding. Then try the power button again.

If it still will not respond, press and hold the power button and the volume down button together for 10 seconds. Release both buttons. The tablet should vibrate and show the Amazon logo, then boot into recovery mode. Use the volume buttons to navigate to "Wipe Data/Factory Reset" and press the power button to select it. The tablet will erase all content and reset to factory settings, then restart. This process takes 5 to 10 minutes.

After the factory reset completes, the tablet will ask you to sign in with your Amazon account. Once you do, your books, apps, and cloud-backed photos will read automatically—but any files stored only on the device itself will be gone.

Charging and power issues that look like they need a reboot

Before you restart, check whether the tablet is actually powered on. A completely dead battery can make the screen look frozen or unresponsive. Plug the tablet into power using the original USB cable and wait 10 minutes. You may see a charging icon appear on a black screen. Let it charge for at least 30 minutes before trying to turn it on.

If the tablet still will not respond after charging, then try the 40-second force shutdown described above. A drained battery is the most common reason a tablet appears broken when it is actually just powered down.

What to do if the reboot doesn't fix the problem

If your tablet still freezes, crashes, or runs slowly after a soft reboot, try restarting again—sometimes a single restart is not enough. If the problem persists after two restarts, check whether you have very little storage space left. Go to Settings, then Device Options, then Storage to see how much space is free. If you have less than 1 GB free, delete old books, photos, or apps you no longer use, then restart again.

If the tablet still has problems, the next step is a factory reset. This erases everything, so back up any important files to your Amazon account or a computer first. After the reset, sign back in and see whether the problem returns. If it does, the tablet may have a hardware fault and will need service or replacement through Amazon.

How to restart without losing your place in an app or book

When you restart a Fire tablet, most apps and books remember where you were. Amazon's Kindle app, for example, automatically opens to the last page you read. However, some apps may close completely and need to be reopened. If you are in the middle of something important, take a screenshot or note the page number before you restart, just in case.

After the restart completes, open the app or book again. It should return to the same place. If an app has lost your progress, it may not have been designed to save that information, or the app itself may need an update. Check the Amazon Appstore to see whether an update is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will restarting my Fire tablet erase my books and apps?

No. A soft reboot (normal restart) keeps everything on your tablet exactly as it was. Only a factory reset erases content, and that should only be done as a last resort when the tablet will not start or respond.

How long does a reboot take?

A soft reboot takes about 30 seconds from the moment you press the power button until the tablet is fully restarted and ready to use. A factory reset takes 5 to 10 minutes and erases all content.

What if my tablet is stuck on the Amazon logo screen?

Hold the power button for 40 seconds to force a shutdown, then press it once to restart normally. If it gets stuck on the logo again, try charging the tablet for 30 minutes, then force-shutdown and restart. If the problem repeats, a factory reset may be needed.

Can I restart my Fire tablet while it's charging?

Yes. Restarting while plugged in is actually a good idea if the battery is low. The tablet will restart normally and continue charging while it boots back up.

Do I need to sign in again after restarting?

No. A soft reboot does not require you to sign in again. Only a factory reset will ask for your Amazon account information when the tablet restarts.