How to hard reset your Samsung Galaxy
In this article we will walk you through the necessary steps to hard reset a Samsung Galaxy. Please note that a hard reset should only be used when every other attempt to reset your phone has failed. Be sure to back up all of your personal data before proceeding. This factory reset method applies to all Samsung Galaxy S and Samsung Duo models.
What is a hard reset?
Hard resets restore phones to their default factory settings. By resetting your phone, all personal data including passwords, accounts, contacts, and files will be deleted.
When should you do a hard reset?
A hard reset might come in handy if your phone has experienced consistent slowdowns or crashes or if you can no longer remember your lock screen pattern. It is worth trying to wipe the system cache before you do a hard reset as it should really be treated as a last resort. For information on how to wipe an android system cache, check out this article.
Hard resets are recommended before selling or trading in your smartphone, as all personal data and settings will be wiped.
N.B. Hard resets do not affect the data stored on your memory card. If you would like to delete the content of your memory card, simply go to Settings > Storage > SD Card > Format.
How to back up your data before a Samsung Galaxy factory reset?
You can use the backup service MobileGo to store your data while you reset your device. For more details on this, please see our FAQ on how to backup your device with MobileGo.
Alternatively, you can use Google's integrated backup services, Backup and Sync, for Google Photos and Google Drive to save your text messages and photos.
How to hard reset a Samsung Galaxy?
- Turn off your device, remove the battery, and wait a minute before reinserting it. Then, simultaneously press [Power] + [Home] + [Volume Up] to reboot your phone. Wait until the Recovery booting screen appears before releasing the keys.
- Use the [Volume keys] to move to the Wipe data factory reset option, and confirm your selection using the Power button. The smartphone will reboot.