How to factory reset your Android phone

There are a number of reasons why you might need to factory reset your phone, even if it's one of the best phones you can buy today. Maybe you've downloaded a new update and it's causing problems, or you just want to reset your phone before selling it. The recovery mode can be used to reset your phone.

A factory reset will wipe out all the data on your phone. If you haven't backed up your stuff in the cloud, now is the time. Do you not know where to back up your data? First, read our guide on how to do that.

I'll be using the Pixel 6a and the A51 as examples for this guide because of the variety of phones on the market. The process on the Pixel is almost the same as on the other devices that have a stock user interface.

With the company being the largest manufacturer in the world ofAndroid, it makes sense to see how things differ between the A51 and the other phones. Let's start with that out of the way

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You can reset your phone through the settings menu. If you find the Backup and reset menu, you should be able to find the factory reset option.

1. Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer.
2. Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the settings menu.
3. Tap System.

1. Hit Reset options.
2. Select Erase all data (factory reset).
3. Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the page.

1. Hit the Reset phone button.
2. Enter your device PIN and select Continue.
3. Select Erase everything.

You can go through the initial setup of your device as if it were a brand new phone after the device restarts.

How to factory reset your Samsung phone

1. Tap the Settings icon from your home screen or app drawer.
2. Swipe up to scroll down to the bottom of the page.
3. Tap the General management tab.

1. Hit Reset.
2. Hit Factory data reset.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

1. Hit the blue Reset button.
2. Enter your device PIN and tap Next.
3. Tap Delete all.

You will have to go through the setup again before you can restore your data.

How to factory reset your phone via recovery mode

You can factory reset your phone if it's running into issues with an update or if there's a malfunction that's preventing it from boot up. You can enter recovery mode by pressing down on the power and volume buttons at the same time.

The process is different depending on the device you're using. FactoryReset Protection is a security mode that we need to know about before we can reset.

Factory Reset Protection is standard on all phones running Lollipop and above. It's important that someone can't just factory reset your phone and set it up as new if you lose it. After a factory reset, the mode requires you to sign into a account with a search engine. You can't proceed with the setup if you fail.

When you reset a device via the recovery mode, it isn't an issue, as long as you use the settings. If you would like to learn more about the feature and how it works, you should read this article.

If you're looking to sell your device, you should go through the settings page first. Recovery mode can be used if you can't boot into your device and need a way to reset it. Here is how to reset your phone after you understand the risks.

How to factory reset via recovery mode on a Pixel/Android One phone

1. If your phone is on, power it off.
2. Hold down the Power and Volume down buttons. Instead of booting up normally, you'll see "Start" in an arrow pointed at the power button. Here you use the Volume buttons to scroll and the Power button to select an option.
3. Press the Volume down button until you've highlighted Recovery mode.
4. Press the Power Button to start recovery mode.
5. When your phone reloads, you should see a screen that says "No command" with an Android robot in distress. Press and hold the power and volume up buttons together to load the recovery mode.
6. Using the Volume buttons to scroll through the menu, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.
7. Press the Power button to select.
8. Highlight and select Yes to confirm the reset.
9. Once the reset is complete, you will be bounced back to the same recovery mode menu. Press the Power button to select Reboot system now.

The phone will power on and be reset. You will have to go through the setup again before you can restore your data.

How to factory reset via recovery mode on a Samsung phone

1. If your phone is on, power it off.
2. Hold down the Power and Volume up buttons simultaneously. You should see the Samsung logo followed by an "Installing system update" screen.
3. After a few seconds, you should see a "No command" message flashing on the screen. Wait 10 to 15 seconds at this screen and the device will enter recovery mode.
4. Use the Volume buttons to scroll through the menu and the power button to make a selection.
5. Highlight Wipe data/factory reset.
6. Press the Power button to select.
7. Highlight and select Yes to confirm the reset.
8. Once the reset is complete, you will be bounced back to the same recovery mode menu. Press the Power button to select Reboot system now.

The phone will power on and be reset. When you turn the phone on, you'll go through the initial setup process as if it's a brand new phone. You can restore your data from anywhere you had it backed up.

If you haven't removed your Google accounts from the device, factory reset protection kicks in. Before you do a hard reset on your device, make sure you remove your Google accounts and lock screen security.