What wiping your Samsung tablet means and when to do it
Wiping a Samsung tablet means erasing all the data on it — your apps, photos, messages, passwords, and settings — and returning it to the state it was in when it left the factory. This is called a factory reset or hard reset. After a wipe, the tablet will ask you to set it up again from scratch, just like the first time you turned it on.
You should wipe your tablet if you are selling it, giving it away, or handing it to someone else. You should also wipe it if the tablet is running slowly, freezing often, or behaving strangely in ways that restarting and clearing the cache have not fixed. A wipe is also the right move if you forgot your PIN or pattern lock and cannot get back in.
A wipe is permanent. Once you start the process, you cannot stop it or undo it. Before you wipe, back up anything you want to keep — photos, documents, contacts, or app data. Samsung tablets can back up to your Samsung account or to Google Drive.
Key Takeaways
- A factory reset erases everything on your tablet and returns it to its original state, and the process cannot be undone.
- You can wipe your tablet through Settings by going to General Management, then Reset, then Factory Data Reset.
- If you are locked out of your tablet, you can wipe it using Samsung Find Mobile, which works if you set up a Samsung account before you got locked out.
- Back up your photos, documents, and contacts to Google Drive or your Samsung account before you wipe, because everything will be deleted.
- After the wipe is complete, your tablet will restart and ask you to sign in with a Google account or Samsung account to set it up again.
How to wipe your tablet when you can still unlock it
If you can unlock your tablet and get to the home screen, the simplest way to wipe it is through the Settings app. Open Settings, then scroll down and tap General Management. Tap Reset, then tap Factory Data Reset. The tablet will show you a summary of what will be deleted and ask you to confirm.
Read the warning carefully. It will tell you that all data will be erased and that you cannot undo this action. If you are sure you want to proceed, tap Reset or Delete All (the exact wording depends on your tablet model and Android version). The tablet will restart and begin the wipe. This usually takes a few minutes. Do not turn off the tablet or unplug it during this time.
When the wipe is finished, your tablet will restart and show you the setup screen. You will be asked to sign in with a Google account or a Samsung account. If you do not have either, you can create one during setup, or skip this step and set up the tablet without an account (though this limits some features). After setup is complete, your tablet is ready to use.
How to wipe your tablet if you are locked out
If you forgot your PIN, pattern, or password and cannot unlock your tablet, you have two main options: use Samsung Find Mobile, or perform a hard reset using hardware buttons.
Using Samsung Find Mobile is the easier route if you set up a Samsung account on your tablet before you got locked out. Go to findmobile.samsung.com on a computer or another device, sign in with the same Samsung account you used on your tablet, and select your tablet from the list of devices. Click Unlock or Erase Data. If you choose Erase Data, the tablet will wipe itself and restart. You will then be able to set it up again with a new PIN or password.
If you did not set up a Samsung account, or if Samsung Find Mobile does not work, you can perform a hard reset using the tablet's physical buttons. The exact button combination depends on your model. For most Samsung tablets, hold down the Power button and Volume Up button at the same time until the Samsung logo appears, then release. This takes you to the recovery menu. Use the Volume buttons to navigate to Wipe data / factory reset and press the Power button to select it. Confirm the wipe, and the tablet will erase itself and restart.
Backing up your data before you wipe
Before you wipe your tablet, move anything you want to keep to the cloud or to another device. Photos and videos can be backed up to Google Photos, Google Drive, or Samsung Cloud. Documents can go to Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. Contacts are usually backed up automatically if you are signed in to a Google account, but you can also export them manually.
To back up to Google Drive, open the Settings app, scroll down to Accounts and backup, tap Backup and restore, then tap Back up to Google Drive. Choose which data you want to back up — apps, settings, messages, and more — and tap Back up now. The backup will run in the background and may take several minutes depending on how much data you have.
If you use Samsung Cloud, open Settings, go to Accounts and backup, tap Samsung Cloud, and tap Back up. You will need to be signed in to your Samsung account. After the wipe, when you set up your tablet again and sign in to the same account, you can restore this data.
What happens after the wipe is complete
Once the wipe finishes and your tablet restarts, it will show the initial setup screen, just as if it were brand new. You will be asked to choose a language, connect to Wi-Fi, and sign in to a Google account or Samsung account. If you backed up your data, signing in to the same account will give you the option to restore your apps, contacts, and settings.
If you are giving the tablet to someone else, you can stop at the setup screen and hand it to them. They will complete the setup with their own account. If you are keeping the tablet, finish the setup with your own account and restore your backed-up data. Your apps will read automatically, and your photos and documents will reappear in their original locations.
If you do not want to restore anything and prefer to start completely fresh, you can skip the restore step and set up the tablet as a new device. This is useful if you are selling the tablet or if you want to remove old data and start with a clean slate.
Troubleshooting a wipe that is not working
If your tablet is stuck on the setup screen after a wipe, or if it will not turn on, try holding the Power button for 10 to 15 seconds to force it to shut down. Then turn it back on. If it still does not respond, plug it into a charger for at least 30 minutes — sometimes a low battery prevents the tablet from completing startup.
If the wipe started but never finished, or if your tablet is frozen during the process, do not unplug it or remove the battery. Let it sit for at least an hour. If it is still frozen after that, try the hard reset using the Power and Volume Up buttons again. This will interrupt the incomplete wipe and start a fresh one.
If you cannot access Samsung Find Mobile because you do not remember your Samsung account password, go to account.samsung.com on a computer and click Forgot password. You will be asked to verify your identity using your email address or phone number. Once you reset your password, you can sign back into Samsung Find Mobile and wipe your tablet remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wipe my tablet without losing my photos?
A factory reset deletes everything on the tablet, including photos. Before you wipe, move your photos to Google Photos, Google Drive, or Samsung Cloud. After the wipe and setup, sign in to the same account and your photos will be there. You can also connect your tablet to a computer and copy photos to it before wiping.
Will wiping my tablet remove the operating system?
No. A factory reset removes your personal data and apps, but it leaves the Android operating system and Samsung's built-in apps in place. Your tablet will still run the same version of Android it had before the wipe.
How long does a factory reset take?
Most factory resets take between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on how much data is on your tablet and how old it is. Older tablets or tablets with a lot of data may take longer. Do not turn off the tablet or unplug it while the wipe is in progress.
What if I wipe my tablet by mistake?
A factory reset cannot be undone. However, if you backed up your data to Google Drive or Samsung Cloud before the wipe, you can restore it after you set up the tablet again and sign in to the same account. If you did not back up, the data is gone.
Do I need a password to wipe my tablet?
If you can unlock your tablet, you do not need a password to wipe it — you just go to Settings and start the reset. If you are locked out, you will need either your Samsung account password (to use Samsung Find Mobile) or access to the hardware buttons to perform a hard reset.