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How to Factory Reset an Android Phone Safely: A Step by Step Guide

How to Factory Reset an Android Phone Safely: A Step-by-Step Guide

Android phone users can simply reset their smartphone by going into the settings app on their handset.

Written by Dhruv Raghav, Edited by Rohan Pal | Updated: 12 September 2026 08:00 IST

How to Factory Reset an Android Phone Safely: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here's how you can factory reset your Android phone safely

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Highlights

You can also perform a hard reset on your phone
A factory reset erases all the data from your phone
You must back up your phone before a factory reset

Smartphones can often run into various kinds of software issues. Moreover, the saved cache and other bottlenecks can build up over a long period of usage, causing your Android handset to slow down. If such issues are persistent and temporary fixes stop working eventually, it is advised that you factory reset your Android phone. On top of this, before you sell your smartphone, you must factory reset it to delete all the personal data and other identifiable information. Android users can easily factory reset their device via two methods. They can either enter recovery mode and reset their phone or initiate the process from the Settings menu.

If you are wondering how you can factory reset your Android smartphone for any of the above-mentioned reasons, we have prepared a step-by-step guide for you to help you with the same. However, before you proceed, make sure that you have backed up all your contacts and other locally saved data to your Google account or to an external hard drive.

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Unlock your Android phone.
Open the Settings menu.
Scroll down to the System settings menu.
Now, tap on the Reset options button, appearing at the bottom of the screen.
Here, you must click on the Erase all data (factory reset) button.
Now, tap on the Erase all data button, appearing in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Now, you must enter your phone's PIN to confirm that you want to Factory Reset your handset.
After a few seconds, your Android phone will start restarting to erase all data.

How to Factory Reset an Android Phone via Recovery Mode

Turn off your Android phone.
Now, to enter recovery mode, press and hold the power and volume down buttons for 5 seconds till the fastboot menu appears.
Here, use the volume up and down keys to navigate to the Recovery Mode option.
Now, press the power button to confirm your choice.
Wait for the new screen to appear with the text “No command”. Here, press and hold the Power button, then quickly press and release the Volume Up button to open the recovery menu.
Then, press and hold the Power button again and, while pressing it, press and release the Volume Up button.
Now, you must use the volume buttons to navigate to the Wipe data or Factory reset option > press the Power button to select it.
Wait for a few seconds, and your Android phone should start rebooting and factory reset.

FAQs

1. How many are there to factory reset my Android phone?

You can either go to your Android phone's settings menu or enter recovery mode after turning off your handset to factory reset it.

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2. What will be deleted after I factory reset my Android phone?

All the apps, locally saved files, system settings, photos, videos, and messages will be deleted after to you perform a factory reset on your Android phone.

3. Should I back up my Android phone before the factory reset?

Yes, you must create a backup of all the files, messages, and other saved data before you factory reset your Android phone, or you might lose it.

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Further reading: Android Phone, Factory Reset, Android, Google, How to

Dhruv Raghav

Email Dhruv Raghav

Dhruv Raghav is currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets360. He has previously covered the North American financial markets as a Headline News Correspondent for a major news agency. After taking a sabbatical to prepare for the Civil Services examination, he returned to journalism to cover tech policy, with a special focus on AI laws and online gaming regulation. Now, he is back in Gadgets360 to write features and edit stories. To unwind, he likes to spend time with his PS5, listening ...More