If you’re like most people, you probably have a Droid or Android phone. But if you don’t have one, there are ways to wipe your device and restore it to factory settings.
- Open the Settings app and tap on the General tab.
- Scroll down and tap on the Security button.
- Tap on the Wipe Data/Factory Reset button.
- Enter your phone’s password and confirm your selections by tapping on the OK button.
- The phone will start wiping its data and will take a few minutes to finish. Once it’s done, tap on the Back button to return to the previous screen.
- Tap on the Install update from Unknown Sources option if you want to install any new updates while your device is being wiped (this is optional but recommended).
- Tap on the Done button to finish wiping your device and restoring it to factory settings as desired!
If your device is still fully functional—meaning it powers on and you can use it—then you should be able to factory reset it from the Settings menu. The process is very similar across all manufacturers, but keep in mind that the wording may vary slightly between Android phones.
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The first thing you’ll need to do is head into the Settings menu. Swipe down once or twice from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon in the notification shade
In the Settings menu, scroll down to “System.” Samsung owners should look for “General Management.”
Expand the “Advanced” section if you need to and select “Reset Options.” Samsung owners will see “Reset.”
Now look for “Erase All Data (Factory Reset)” or simply “Factory Data Reset.”
You’ll see a warning to let you know that this process will erase all of your Android phone’s or tablet’s internal storage data. Tap the “Erase All Data” or “Reset” button.
Enter your lock pattern, PIN, or password to confirm you want to reset your phone and then tap the button one more time to complete the process. There’s no going back after this.
The device will immediately reboot, and the “erasing” animation will show up. After a brief period, the Android phone or tablet will reboot itself a final time and prompt you to complete the setup process.
While factory resetting your device will completely wipe the internal storage, it’s worth noting that the SD card may not be included in that. This will vary between devices, but if you plan on selling or otherwise getting rid of the device, it’s recommended to either remove the SD card completely or format it on the PC first.
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