Tech

How to Factory Reset My Phone

  • Reading time: 3 min
How to Factory Reset My Phone, phone, Apple, Factory reset, Android, iOS

Our devices need some TLC every now and again to ensure their longevity. I didn’t know how to factory reset my phone. But now I do, and so do you.

  • Be careful when doing so, as the data will be gone forever.
  • It’s a time-consuming task.

 Is a phone meant to last forever? No. But it is meant to last you a long time, that is if the manufacturer doesn’t intervene. Yes, I’m looking at you, Apple. There are a number of things you can do to ensure the longevity of your phone, like keeping the software up to date and avoiding data clutter. I mean, my Samsung A7 2017 is still functional, so I must be doing something right. Granted not at its optimal but what else do you expect from a 6-year-old device? (Not sponsored, just really impressed) Once a year, I deep clean my phone. In other words, I factory reset it. Simply put, a factory reset refers to restoring a device’s software (either iOS or Android) to its original system state. You basically delete all of the data, settings, and applications.

The Benefits

In my opinion, despite its time-consuming nature, the pros outweigh the cons. The reset offers performance optimization by removing unnecessary files that slow down your phone. Thus, providing a fresh start. Eliminating problematic configurations or conflicts also resolves software issues. Most importantly, resetting your phone is crucial for privacy and security reasons when selling, giving away, or recycling it, minimizing the risk of personal information being compromised. If a problem persists, a factory reset can serve as a final troubleshooting option.

Before You Do it

There are a couple of things I want you to consider before you go ahead. First, back up anything you’d like to keep. ALL the data goes away once you reset it, including photos, videos, PDFs, documents, etc. Second, go through all your apps and programs and note down which app is linked to which email and the password. Figuring out everything later is time-consuming. I learned that the hard way. And finally, if you are not doing this voluntarily, but rather to fix a problem, use it as a last-ditch effort because well, your data gets ENTIRELY deleted.

Android

  1. Make sure your phone doesn’t run out of battery.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Go to System Settings.
  4. Tap Reset Options.
  5. Click to erase all data (factory reset).
  6. Follow onscreen instructions.
  7. Wait.

What if Your device Won’t Boot Up

  1. Turn off your phone.
  2. Turn it back on again as you hold down either the volume up or down button at the same time as the power button (depending on the phone).

You just entered recovery mode.

  • Using the volume up and down and power button, navigate the options and select wipe data/factory reset.

iOS

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Go to General.
  3. Tap Transfer or Reset.
  4. Enter your passcode or Apple ID password.
  5. Confirm that you want to erase your device.
  6. Wait.

Wrap-up

I had to learn how to factory reset my phone through trial and error, but you don’t have to. personally find this very useful, especially when my storage is running low. It’s like a digital spring cleaning. However, and I cannot emphasize this enough, be careful. If you don’t transfer whatever data you want to safeguard, you will lose it forever. It’s not a quick ten-minute solution. It’s a plan of action that requires a couple of hours, especially if you don’t periodically declutter your storage.

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