What a Factory Reset Does and When to Use It
A factory reset erases all data on your Samsung Galaxy phone and returns it to the state it was in when it left the factory. This means your contacts, messages, photos, videos, apps you installed, and account logins all disappear. The operating system and pre-installed Samsung apps remain, but everything you added or changed is gone.
Factory reset your Galaxy phone when you plan to sell or give it away, when the phone is running slowly or freezing despite closing apps, or when you want to remove malware or a virus. It is also the standard fix when you forget your lock screen PIN or pattern and cannot get into the phone any other way. Do not factory reset if you straightforward want to free up storage space — deleting individual files and apps is faster and safer.
Before you start, back up anything you want to keep. Photos, contacts, and documents can be backed up to Google Drive, Samsung Cloud, or your computer. Once the reset begins, there is no way to stop it or recover what you did not save.
Key Takeaways
- A factory reset deletes all your personal data, photos, messages, and installed apps, so back up anything you want to keep before starting.
- You can reset through Settings if you remember your lock screen PIN or password, or through the recovery menu if you do not.
- The reset takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on how much data is on the phone, and the phone will restart several times during the process.
- After the reset completes, you will see the initial setup screen as if the phone is brand new, and you can sign in with your Google account to restore some data.
- If you are locked out of the phone, you will need your Google account email and password to proceed after the reset finishes.
Factory Reset Through Settings (If You Can Unlock the Phone)
This is the easiest method if you remember your PIN, pattern, or password. Open Settings on your Galaxy phone. Scroll down and tap General management (on some older models, this may be called System or About phone).
Tap Reset or Reset options. You will see several choices: tap Factory data reset or Erase all data. The phone will show you a warning listing what will be deleted. Read it, then tap Reset or Delete all to confirm. You may be asked to enter your PIN or password one more time as a safety check.
The phone will restart and show a progress bar. Do not turn off the phone or remove the battery during this time. The process usually takes 5 to 15 minutes. When it finishes, you will see the initial setup screen, the same one you saw when the phone was brand new. You can now set it up again or power it off.
Factory Reset Using Recovery Mode (If You Are Locked Out)
If you cannot unlock your phone because you forgot the PIN or pattern, use recovery mode. First, power off the phone completely. Press and hold the Volume Up button and the Power button at the same time. Keep holding both buttons until the Samsung logo appears, then release them.
The phone will boot into recovery mode, showing a menu with white text on a black background. Use the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons to move between options. Highlight Wipe data/factory reset and press the Power button to select it. The phone will ask you to confirm; highlight Yes and press Power again.
The reset will begin. You will see a progress bar and the message "Formatting..." Do not interrupt this process. When it finishes, the menu will reappear. Highlight Reboot system now and press Power. The phone will restart and show the setup screen.
What Happens After the Reset Completes
Your Galaxy phone will boot up as if it is brand new. You will see the initial setup screen asking you to select a language and connect to Wi-Fi. Follow the on-screen prompts. When you reach the Google account sign-in screen, enter the email address and password for the Google account that was on the phone before the reset.
If you sign in with the correct Google account, the phone will restore some data automatically: your contacts, calendar events, Gmail messages, and some app data. Photos and videos you backed up to Google Photos will also reappear. Apps you had installed will not restore automatically; you will need to read them again from the Google Play Store.
If you do not remember the Google account email or password, you can skip this step and set up the phone without it. However, you will not be able to use the Google Play Store or restore any backed-up data until you add a Google account later in Settings.
Removing Your Google Account Before Selling or Giving Away the Phone
If you are resetting the phone to sell it or give it to someone else, remove your Google account before the reset. This prevents the new owner from being locked out by Factory Reset Protection, a security feature that requires the original account password after a reset.
Open Settings and go to Accounts (or Accounts and backup). Tap your Google account, then tap the three-dot menu and select Remove account. Confirm the removal. Now when you factory reset, the new owner will not need your password to set up the phone.
Troubleshooting a Stuck or Slow Reset
If the reset appears to be frozen on the progress screen for more than 20 minutes, the phone may be stuck. Wait a full 30 minutes before taking action, as very full phones can take longer. If nothing changes after 30 minutes, try a force restart: press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button together for 10 seconds, then release. The phone will restart.
If the phone restarts but the reset did not complete, try recovery mode again. If recovery mode itself will not load, the phone may have a software problem that requires a computer. You can use Samsung's Smart Switch software on a Windows or Mac computer to perform a reset, or contact Samsung support for help.
Backing Up Your Data Before You Reset
The safest way to back up is to use your Google account. Open Settings, go to Accounts, tap your Google account, and make sure Sync is turned on for Contacts, Calendar, Gmail, and Photos. For photos and videos, open the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture, go to Photos settings, and turn on Backup and sync.
You can also back up to Samsung Cloud if you have a Samsung account. Open Settings, go to Accounts and backup, tap Samsung Cloud, and tap Backup. Choose what you want to save: contacts, messages, settings, and app data. Samsung Cloud gives you 5 GB of free storage.
For extra safety, connect your phone to a computer with a USB cable and copy your photos and documents to a folder on the computer. This way, even if cloud backup fails, you still have your files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a factory reset remove my SIM card data or phone number?
No. A factory reset only erases data stored on the phone itself. Your SIM card, phone number, and carrier account are not affected. After the reset, your phone number will still work and your carrier will still recognize the phone.
Can I factory reset a Samsung Galaxy phone without a computer?
Yes. You can reset using Settings if you can unlock the phone, or using recovery mode if you cannot. You do not need a computer for either method. A computer is only necessary if recovery mode will not load.
What if I forget my Google account password after the reset?
Go to the Google account recovery page on a computer or another device and follow the steps to reset your password. Once you have a new password, sign in on your Galaxy phone. If you cannot recover the account, you can set up the phone without it and add a different Google account later.
How long does a factory reset take?
Most resets finish in 5 to 15 minutes. Phones with a lot of data or older models may take up to 30 minutes. The phone will restart several times during the process, which is normal. Do not turn off the phone while the reset is running.
Will factory reset fix a phone that is running slowly?
Often yes, especially if the slowness is caused by too many apps running or corrupted files. However, if the phone is slow because the storage is full, you should delete files and apps instead of resetting. If slowness returns quickly after a reset, the problem may be hardware-related and you should contact Samsung support.