The quickest way to restart your Fire tablet
A restart clears temporary files and stops frozen apps without erasing anything on your device. Press and hold the power button on the right edge of your tablet for about 10 seconds until you see "Power off" appear on the screen. Release the button, then tap "Power off" when it shows. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.
This soft restart works for most problems — apps that won't respond, the screen that won't rotate, or sluggish performance. Your apps, books, photos, and settings stay exactly where they were.
Key Takeaways
- A soft restart (power off and back on) fixes most problems and takes less than a minute.
- If your tablet is completely frozen and won't respond to the power button, hold it down for 40 seconds to force a shutdown.
- A factory reset erases everything on your tablet and should only be used as a last resort when the device won't start or respond at all.
- Your Fire tablet automatically backs up your Amazon account, books, and app data to the cloud, so a factory reset does not permanently lose your content.
When to use a force restart instead
If your tablet is completely frozen and tapping the screen does nothing, a force restart may be necessary. Press and hold the power button for 40 seconds without releasing, even if nothing appears on screen. The tablet will shut down and restart on its own.
A force restart is harder on the device than a normal restart, so use it only when the tablet will not respond to a regular power-off command. After the restart, your tablet should work normally again.
How to factory reset your Fire tablet
A factory reset erases all apps, photos, documents, and settings you added after you first set up the tablet. Use this only if your tablet won't start, won't connect to the internet, or has a serious problem that a restart did not fix.
To factory reset, go to Settings (the gear icon), then Device Options, then Reset to Factory Defaults. Tap "Reset" when prompted. The tablet will erase itself and restart, which takes 5 to 10 minutes. When it finishes, you will see the setup screen you saw the first time you turned it on.
After the reset, sign in with your Amazon account. Your books, apps, and cloud photos will read back to the tablet automatically because Amazon stores them on its servers, not just on your device.
What to do before a factory reset
If you have documents, photos, or files stored only on your tablet (not in Amazon Photos or another cloud service), connect your tablet to a computer with a USB cable and copy them to your computer first. Once you factory reset, those files are gone.
Write down your Amazon password before you reset, in case you forget it. You will need it to sign back in after the reset is complete.
Restarting a Fire tablet that won't turn on
If your tablet won't respond to the power button at all, plug it into a charger and leave it plugged in for at least 15 minutes. A completely drained battery can make the tablet appear dead even though it is just powered off.
After 15 minutes of charging, press the power button and hold it for 10 seconds. If nothing happens, hold it for 40 seconds instead. If the tablet still does not respond after 30 minutes of charging, the battery or power circuit may be damaged and the tablet may need service.
Restarting without losing your place in an app or book
When you restart your Fire tablet, most apps and books remember exactly where you were. Amazon's Kindle app, for example, syncs your reading position to your Amazon account, so when you open a book after a restart, it opens to the last page you read.
Apps from the Amazon Appstore also usually save your progress, but apps from other sources may not. If you are in the middle of something important in an app and worried about losing your place, take a screenshot or write down where you were before you restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a restart delete my books and apps?
No. A restart only turns the device off and back on. All your apps, books, photos, and settings remain on the tablet. Only a factory reset erases content, and even then, your Amazon books and apps will read again when you sign back in.
How often should I restart my Fire tablet?
Restart only when you notice a problem — an app that won't open, the screen that freezes, or performance that slows down. You do not need to restart on a schedule. Most tablets run fine for weeks without a restart.
What is the difference between a soft restart and a force restart?
A soft restart uses the power button normally and lets the tablet shut down cleanly. A force restart holds the power button much longer and forces the tablet to shut down when ready, even if it is frozen. Use a soft restart first; use a force restart only if the soft restart does not work.
Can I restart my Fire tablet while it is charging?
Yes. Restarting while plugged in is safe and does not damage the battery. In fact, if your tablet is running slowly or acting strange, restarting while it charges can help it cool down at the same time.
What should I do if my tablet keeps freezing even after a restart?
Try restarting again, then check that you have the latest software update by going to Settings, then Device Options, then System Update. If freezing continues, uninstall any apps you added recently, as a new app sometimes causes problems. If the tablet still freezes, a factory reset may be necessary.