The Three Ways to Restart a Samsung Phone
A reboot clears your phone's temporary memory and stops all running apps, which fixes most freezing, lag, and app crashes. You have three options: a soft reboot (the safest, everyday choice), a forced restart (when your phone is frozen), and a factory reset (which erases everything and should only happen if nothing else works).
Most of the time, you want a soft reboot. It takes 30 seconds and solves the problem in about 80 percent of cases. A forced restart is for when your screen is locked up or your phone won't respond to touches. A factory reset is a last resort—use it only after trying the other two and only if you have backed up your photos, contacts, and files first.
Key Takeaways
- A soft reboot (power off and back on) fixes most Samsung phone problems and takes less than a minute with no data loss.
- A forced restart works when your phone is frozen or unresponsive by holding the power and volume down buttons together for 10 seconds.
- A factory reset erases all your data and should only be done after backing up your files and trying the other two methods first.
- After any reboot, wait 30 to 60 seconds before opening apps so your phone has time to finish loading.
Soft Reboot: The Everyday Restart
A soft reboot is a normal shutdown and power-on. This is what you should do first when your phone is slow, an app keeps crashing, or your battery is draining fast. Your data stays on the phone—nothing is erased.
Step 1: Press and hold the power button (usually on the right side of the phone) until a menu appears on your screen. This takes about 2 to 3 seconds.
Step 2: Tap Power off or Restart. If you see a Restart button, tap it and skip to step 4. If you only see Power off, tap it.
Step 3: Wait 10 seconds after the screen goes black. This gives your phone time to shut down completely.
Step 4: Press the power button again to turn the phone back on. Wait 30 to 60 seconds while it loads—do not tap the screen or open apps yet.
Common mistake: Holding the power button too long (more than 10 seconds) will trigger a forced restart instead. If that happens, just let it finish—no harm done.
Forced Restart: When Your Phone Is Frozen
A forced restart is a hard reboot. Use this when your phone screen is frozen, won't respond to touches, or is stuck on a loading screen. Like a soft reboot, it does not erase your data. The steps differ slightly depending on which Samsung model you have.
For Samsung Galaxy S10 and newer (including S20, S21, S22, S23, S24):
- Press and quickly release the Volume up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume down button.
- Press and hold the Power button (on the right side) for 10 seconds. Do not let go.
- Keep holding until the Samsung logo appears on the screen (usually around 7 to 10 seconds). The phone will vibrate once or twice.
- Release the power button and wait 30 seconds for the phone to finish restarting.
For Samsung Galaxy S9 and older models:
- Press and hold both the Power button and Volume down button at the same time for 10 seconds.
- Keep holding until you see the Samsung logo or feel the phone vibrate.
- Release both buttons and wait 30 seconds.
What you will see: The screen will go black, then the Samsung logo will flash. This is normal. Do not interrupt it. Your phone will restart on its own.
Common mistake: Letting go too early. If the logo does not appear, try again and hold for the full 10 seconds. If your phone still does not restart, plug it into a charger for 15 minutes—a completely dead battery can prevent a forced restart.
Factory Reset: The Last Resort
A factory reset erases everything on your phone: photos, messages, apps, contacts, and settings. Use this only if your phone is so slow or buggy that a soft reboot and forced restart did not fix it, and only after you have backed up your important files. A factory reset returns your phone to the state it was in when it left the factory.
Before you start: Back up your photos, contacts, and documents. You can use Samsung Cloud, Google Drive, or a computer. Once you start a factory reset, you cannot undo it.
Step 1: Open Settings (the gear icon).
Step 2: Scroll down and tap General management (or System on some models).
Step 3: Tap Reset or Reset options.
Step 4: Tap Erase all data (Factory reset) or Reset to factory settings.
Step 5: Read the warning message. Tap Reset or Delete all to confirm. You may be asked to enter your PIN or password.
Step 6: Wait 5 to 10 minutes while your phone erases and restarts. Do not turn off the phone or remove the battery during this time.
Step 7: When the phone restarts, you will see a setup screen. Follow the on-screen steps to sign in with your Samsung or Google account and restore your backed-up data.
Common mistake: Not backing up first. If you skip the backup step and then factory reset, your photos and messages are gone for good. Spend 10 minutes backing up before you start.
What to Do After a Reboot
After any reboot, your phone needs time to finish loading. Wait at least 30 to 60 seconds before opening apps or making calls. During this time, your phone is rebuilding its cache (temporary memory) and checking for updates.
If you rebooted because an app was crashing, do not open that app right away. Wait 2 to 3 minutes, then open it. If it crashes again, uninstall it and read a fresh copy from the Google Play Store.
If your phone is still slow or freezing after a soft reboot and a forced restart, try clearing your app cache before doing a factory reset. Go to Settings > Apps, tap each app that is misbehaving, and tap Storage > Clear cache. This frees up space without erasing your data.
When to Reboot vs. When to Get Help
A reboot fixes most problems, but not all. If your phone keeps freezing even after a soft reboot and forced restart, the problem may be a hardware issue (a broken screen sensor, a failing battery, or water damage) rather than a software issue.
If you see a cracked screen, your phone gets very hot even when you are not using it, the battery drains in an hour, or water got inside the phone, do not factory reset—take it to a Samsung service center or a phone repair shop instead. A factory reset will not fix hardware problems and may make them worse.
If you have an older Samsung phone (more than 5 years old) and it is still slow after rebooting, it may straightforward be running out of storage space. Go to Settings > Storage and delete old photos, videos, and apps you no longer use. Free up at least 2 to 3 gigabytes of space, then reboot again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a reboot delete my photos or messages?
A soft reboot and forced restart will not delete anything. A factory reset will erase everything, which is why you must back up first. If you only want to restart your phone, use a soft reboot or forced restart—never a factory reset unless you are sure you want to erase all your data.
How long does a reboot take?
A soft reboot takes about 1 to 2 minutes from start to finish. A forced restart takes about 2 to 3 minutes. A factory reset takes 5 to 10 minutes and then another 5 to 10 minutes to set up your phone again after it restarts. Do not interrupt any of these processes.
My phone is stuck on the Samsung logo screen. What do I do?
This usually means a forced restart is in progress. Wait 5 minutes without touching the phone. If the logo is still there after 5 minutes, plug the phone into a charger and wait another 10 minutes. If it is still stuck, try a forced restart again, holding the buttons for the full 10 seconds.
Can I reboot my phone while it is charging?
Yes, you can soft reboot or forced restart while your phone is plugged in. In fact, if your battery is very low, charging first is a good idea. A factory reset should be done with at least 50 percent battery or while plugged in, because if the battery dies during a factory reset, your phone may not restart properly.
Do I need to remove my SIM card before rebooting?
No. A soft reboot and forced restart do not affect your SIM card. A factory reset will not erase your SIM card either, but your phone will lose its connection to your carrier for a few minutes after restarting. This is normal—your phone will reconnect on its own.