The two ways to restart a Samsung phone

A restart clears your phone's temporary memory and stops all running apps, which fixes most freezing, lag, and app crashes without erasing anything. Samsung phones have two restart methods: a soft restart (power off and back on) and a force restart (holding buttons to force the shutdown). A soft restart is what you should try first—it's gentler and works for most problems. A force restart is for when your phone is completely frozen and won't respond to the power button.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you have a newer Samsung with an on-screen power menu or an older model with physical buttons. Both methods take less than a minute and are safe to do as often as you need.

Key Takeaways

  • A soft restart (power off normally, then power back on) fixes most phone problems and should be your first step.
  • A force restart (holding the power and volume buttons together) works when your phone is frozen and won't respond.
  • The exact button combination depends on your Samsung model—newer phones use the power and volume down buttons, while older models may use power and volume up.
  • A restart does not erase your photos, messages, apps, or any other data on your phone.
  • If your phone still won't turn on after a force restart, the battery may be completely drained and needs charging for 15 to 20 minutes.

How to do a soft restart on a Samsung phone

A soft restart is the normal way to turn your phone off and back on. Press and hold the power button (usually on the right side of the phone) until the power menu appears on your screen. This takes about 2 to 3 seconds. You will see options like "Power off", "Restart", or "Emergency mode"—the exact wording depends on your model.

Tap "Power off" or "Restart" if that option is available. If you tapped "Power off", wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to turn the phone back on. If you tapped "Restart", the phone will turn off and back on automatically. Either way, wait for the Samsung logo to appear and the phone to fully load before using it again—this usually takes 30 to 60 seconds.

How to force restart a Samsung phone

A force restart works when your phone is frozen, unresponsive, or won't turn off normally. The button combination depends on your model. For most newer Samsung phones (Galaxy S10 and later), press and hold the power button and the volume down button at the same time. Keep holding both buttons for 10 to 15 seconds, even if you see the power menu appear—do not tap it, just keep holding.

For older Samsung models (Galaxy S9 and earlier), the combination is usually the power button and the volume up button held together for 10 to 15 seconds. The phone will vibrate and the Samsung logo will appear; this means the restart is working. Release the buttons and let the phone boot up. Do not press anything while it is restarting.

If you are not sure which buttons to hold, check the back of your phone's box or look up your exact model number (found in Settings > About phone > Model number) on Samsung's support site. The model number tells you exactly which buttons to use.

What to do if your phone won't turn on after a restart

If your phone stays black after a force restart attempt, the battery is likely completely drained. Plug the phone into a charger using the original Samsung cable or a certified third-party charger. Leave it plugged in for 15 to 20 minutes without touching it—the phone may not show any sign of life during this time, which is normal.

After 15 to 20 minutes, press the power button once. If the phone still does not respond, try the force restart again while the phone is plugged in. Some phones will not boot from a completely dead battery without being connected to power first. If the phone still will not turn on after another 20 minutes of charging, the battery or charging port may be damaged and you should contact Samsung support or visit a repair shop.

When to restart versus when to contact Samsung support

A restart fixes most temporary problems: apps crashing, the phone running slowly, the screen freezing, or the phone not responding to touches. Try a soft restart first, and if that does not work, try a force restart. If the problem comes back within a few hours, restart again and then look for the app that is causing the problem—go to Settings > Apps and uninstall or update any app you installed just before the problem started.

Contact Samsung support or visit a repair shop if the phone will not turn on at all after charging for 30 minutes, if it restarts on its own repeatedly, if the screen is cracked or won't display anything, or if the phone gets very hot during normal use. These are signs of a hardware problem that a restart cannot fix.

Restarting does not erase your data

A restart—whether soft or force—does not delete your photos, messages, contacts, apps, passwords, or any other data. It only clears the temporary memory that apps use while they are running. Your phone will look and work exactly the same after a restart, except that frozen apps will be closed and the phone will run faster.

If you are worried about losing data, you do not need to be. A restart is one of the safest troubleshooting steps you can do on your phone. The only way to erase data is to do a factory reset, which is a different process that you have to start intentionally from the Settings menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will restarting my phone delete my photos or messages?

No. A restart only clears temporary memory and closes running apps. All your photos, messages, contacts, and installed apps stay on your phone. The only way to erase data is to do a factory reset, which requires you to go into Settings and choose that option intentionally.

How often can I restart my Samsung phone?

You can restart your phone as often as you need. Restarting multiple times a day is safe and will not damage your phone. If you find yourself restarting more than once a week to fix the same problem, an app is likely causing the issue—check Settings > Apps to see what you installed recently.

What is the difference between a soft restart and a force restart?

A soft restart uses the normal power menu and is gentler on your phone. A force restart forces the phone to shut down when ready by holding buttons, and is used only when the phone is frozen and will not respond. Always try a soft restart first.

My phone is stuck on the Samsung logo after a restart. What should I do?

Wait at least 2 to 3 minutes—sometimes the phone takes longer to boot after a restart. If the logo is still there after 3 minutes, try a force restart again. If it gets stuck on the logo again, the phone may have a software problem and you should contact Samsung support or visit a repair shop.

Can I restart my phone while it is charging?

Yes, you can restart your phone while it is plugged in. In fact, if your battery is very low, it is a good idea to plug it in before restarting so the phone has power during the boot-up process.