The quickest way to restart your Samsung tablet
The fastest reboot is a soft reset: hold the power button on the side or top of your tablet for about 10 seconds until the power menu appears, then tap Restart. Your tablet will shut down and turn back on within 30 seconds. This fixes most freezing, app crashes, and slow performance without erasing anything.
A soft reset is safe to do anytime. It clears your tablet's temporary memory and closes all running apps, which often solves problems that started after heavy use or an app update. You do not lose files, photos, or settings.
Key Takeaways
- A soft reset using the power button is the first thing to try and takes less than a minute with no data loss.
- If your tablet is frozen and the power button does not work, hold the power and volume down buttons together for 10 to 15 seconds to force a restart.
- A factory reset erases everything on your tablet and should only be used if the tablet is broken or you are selling it.
- After any restart, check that your apps open normally and your internet connection works before assuming the problem is fixed.
Force restart when your tablet is completely frozen
If your tablet does not respond to the power button or the restart menu does not appear, use a force restart. Hold down the power button and volume down button at the same time for 10 to 15 seconds. The screen will go black, then the Samsung logo will appear. Release both buttons and let the tablet restart on its own.
A force restart is more aggressive than a soft reset but still safe. It cuts power to the tablet when ready rather than shutting down gracefully, so use it only when the tablet is completely unresponsive. After a force restart, your files and settings remain unchanged.
What to do after the restart
Once your tablet restarts and you see the home screen, wait a full minute before opening apps. The tablet is still loading background processes and indexing files during this time. If you open an app too soon, it may appear slow or unresponsive.
Test the problem that made you restart in the first place. Open the app that was crashing, check your internet speed, or try the action that was freezing. If the problem returns when ready, the issue is likely with that specific app or a setting, not a temporary glitch. If the problem does not return, the soft or force restart solved it.
Factory reset: when to use it and what it does
A factory reset erases all files, photos, apps, and settings on your tablet and returns it to the state it was in when it left the factory. Do this only if your tablet has a serious problem that a restart did not fix, or if you are selling or giving away the tablet.
To factory reset, go to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset. The tablet will ask you to confirm and may ask for your Samsung account password. The reset takes 5 to 15 minutes. After it finishes, you will see the initial setup screen as if the tablet were brand new.
Back up your files before a factory reset. Photos, documents, and other files will be permanently deleted. If your files are stored in Google Drive, OneDrive, or Samsung Cloud, they will not be deleted, but files only on the tablet itself will be gone.
Restart vs. factory reset: which one you need
| Problem | Use a soft or force restart | Use a factory reset |
|---|---|---|
| App crashes or freezes | Yes, try this first | Only if restart does not fix it |
| Tablet is slow | Yes, try this first | Only if restart does not fix it |
| Tablet will not turn on | Force restart may help | Not applicable |
| Selling or giving away the tablet | No | Yes, always do this |
| Tablet has a virus or malware | No | Yes, this is the only fix |
How to avoid needing a restart
Close apps you are not using, especially games and video apps, which use a lot of memory. Restart your tablet once a week even if nothing is wrong — this clears temporary files and keeps performance smooth. Update your apps and Android system when updates are available, because updates often fix bugs that cause crashes.
If one app crashes repeatedly, uninstall it and reinstall it from the Google Play Store. A corrupted app file is sometimes the cause, and reinstalling fixes it. If the app still crashes after reinstalling, the app itself may have a bug and you should contact the app maker or switch to a different app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a restart delete my photos or files?
No. A soft restart and a force restart do not delete anything. Only a factory reset erases files, and it erases everything on the tablet itself. Photos and files stored in the cloud (Google Drive, OneDrive, Samsung Cloud) are not affected by any restart.
How long does a restart take?
A soft restart takes about 30 seconds from the moment you tap Restart until the home screen appears. A force restart takes 10 to 15 seconds to shut down, then another 30 to 45 seconds to turn back on. A factory reset takes 5 to 15 minutes and shows a progress bar on the screen.
What if the restart does not fix the problem?
If an app still crashes after a restart, uninstall and reinstall that app. If the whole tablet is still slow, check how much storage space is left by going to Settings > Storage. If storage is nearly full, delete large files or apps you do not use. If the problem persists after these steps, a factory reset may be necessary.
Can I restart my tablet while it is charging?
Yes, restarting while charging is safe and fine. The tablet will continue charging after it restarts. However, do not unplug the tablet during a restart or factory reset, as this can cause problems.