What a factory reset does and when you need one

A factory reset erases everything on your Samsung phone — all apps, photos, messages, contacts, and settings — and returns it to the state it was in when it left the factory. The operating system stays, but your personal data does not. You should do this before selling or giving away the phone, if the phone is running slowly and you have tried other fixes, or if you are locked out of your account and cannot get back in.

A factory reset is not reversible. Once you start, you cannot stop it halfway through. Make sure you have backed up anything you want to keep — photos, contacts, messages — before you begin. If you do not back up first, that data is gone.

Key Takeaways

  • Back up your photos, contacts, and messages to Google Drive, Samsung Cloud, or your computer before you start, because a factory reset deletes everything on the phone.
  • The fastest method is Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset, which takes about five to ten minutes.
  • If you are locked out of your Samsung account, you may need to enter your Google account information after the reset to use the phone again.
  • You can also factory reset from the recovery menu if the phone will not turn on or Settings will not open.

Back up your data before you reset

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Select Samsung Cloud. Tap Backup and choose what you want to back up — contacts, messages, apps, home screen layout, and settings are the main options. Tap Back up to start. This usually takes a few minutes depending on how much data you have.

If you use Google instead, open Settings, tap Google, then select Manage your Google Account. Go to the Backup tab and tap Back up now. Google backs up contacts, calendar, Gmail, and some app data automatically if you have a Google account on the phone.

For photos and videos, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, select Photos settings, and make sure Backup and sync is turned on. Photos will upload to your Google account. You can also connect your phone to a computer with a USB cable and copy files to a folder on your computer.

Factory reset through Settings

Open Settings. Scroll down and tap General Management. Tap Reset. Select Factory Data Reset. Read the warning — it will tell you what will be deleted. Tap Reset. You may be asked to enter your PIN, pattern, or password. Enter it and tap Continue.

The phone will restart and show a progress bar. Do not turn off the phone or remove the battery during this time. The reset usually takes five to ten minutes. When it is done, the phone will restart and show the setup screen, as if it just came out of the box.

If you see a screen asking for your Samsung account or Google account information, enter the credentials for the account that was on the phone before the reset. This is a security step to prevent someone else from using a phone they do not own. If you do not remember the password, you will need to recover it through that account's website before you can continue.

Factory reset from the recovery menu

If your phone will not turn on, the screen is frozen, or Settings will not open, you can reset from the recovery menu. Turn off the phone completely. Press and hold the Volume Up button and the Power button at the same time. Keep holding both buttons until you see the Samsung logo or the recovery menu appears. This usually takes about ten seconds.

Use the Volume buttons to move down to Wipe data / factory reset and press the Power button to select it. You will see a confirmation screen. Use the Volume buttons to highlight Yes and press Power to confirm. The reset will start. When it is done, select Reboot system now and press Power. The phone will restart.

The recovery menu method works the same way on most Samsung phones, but the exact button combination can vary slightly by model. If the Volume Up and Power combination does not work, try Volume Down and Power instead, or check your phone's model number on Samsung's support website for the exact steps.

What happens after the reset is complete

Your phone will restart and show the initial setup screen. You will be asked to choose a language, connect to Wi-Fi, and sign in to a Google account. If you had a Samsung account on the phone before the reset, you may also be asked to sign in to that account. This is normal and is part of the security system.

Once you have signed in, your phone will begin to restore some data automatically — contacts, calendar events, and some app data if you backed them up to Google or Samsung Cloud. Photos and videos will not restore automatically; you will need to open Google Photos and read them, or copy them from your computer if you saved them there.

You will need to reinstall apps from the Google Play Store. Open Play Store, tap your profile icon, select Manage my apps and games, go to the Manage tab, and you will see a list of apps you had before. Tap Install next to each one you want back, or tap Install all to reinstall everything at once.

Troubleshooting a reset that will not complete

If the reset starts but gets stuck on the progress bar, the phone may not have enough battery. Plug it into a charger and wait. Do not unplug it or turn it off. If it is still stuck after 30 minutes, try a hard reset: press and hold the Power button for 10 seconds until the phone vibrates and restarts, then when ready press and hold Volume Up and Power again to get back to the recovery menu and try the reset again.

If you see an error message about not enough storage space, the phone may have a corrupted file. Try the reset from the recovery menu instead of Settings. If that does not work, the phone may need service from Samsung or a repair shop.

If you are stuck on the account sign-in screen after the reset and cannot remember your Google or Samsung password, go to the account recovery website on a computer — accounts.google.com for Google or findmymobile.samsung.com for Samsung — and follow the steps to reset your password. Then sign in on the phone with the new password.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a factory reset remove my Google account from the phone?

The reset removes all data and settings, but you will be asked to sign in to a Google account when the phone restarts. If you sign in with the same account, your contacts, calendar, and backed-up app data will restore automatically. If you sign in with a different account, you will start fresh on that account.

Can I factory reset a Samsung phone that is locked with a PIN?

Yes. When you select Factory Data Reset in Settings, you will be asked to enter your PIN before the reset starts. If you do not remember your PIN, you will need to unlock the phone first through Find My Mobile (Samsung's account recovery service) or by signing in with your Google account on the lock screen.

How long does a factory reset take?

A factory reset through Settings usually takes five to ten minutes. A reset from the recovery menu may take slightly longer, up to 15 minutes. The time depends on how much data is on the phone and how fast the storage is. Do not turn off the phone while it is resetting.

Will factory reset fix a slow Samsung phone?

Sometimes. If the phone is slow because of too many apps or corrupted files, a reset will help. If the phone is slow because the storage is almost full, a reset will clear space. If the phone is slow because the battery is old or the hardware is failing, a reset will not fix it.

Do I need to remove my SIM card before a factory reset?

No. A factory reset does not affect your SIM card or your phone number. Your SIM card will work the same way after the reset. You do not need to remove it or do anything special with it.