Samsung device 101: How to perform a full reset

Performing a factory reset on any device is something that should only be done as a last resort, or when you’re in the process of recycling or selling off an old phone or device. If you’re just having trouble with your phone, such as apps that are acting up, networking issues, and more, the issue might be resolved without resorting to a factory reset.

Samsung phones offer three distinct reset options to account for such issues. This includes the following:

Settings reset

Resetting your settings, as the name suggests, resets all your smartphone settings to their original values but doesn’t touch your apps or data. It’s a useful option to have when, say, you messed up a setting but don’t know which, and now your phone is not responding correctly. Your apps and data will of course be safe.

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1. Open Settings

2. Head to General Management

3. Tap Reset

4. Tap ‘Reset all settings’

5. Tap ‘Reset’ once again to confirm.

6. Your device will now reset to factory default settings

If your phone is still acting up, you can move on to the next step. If not, start changing the settings one by one to the way things were and examine your phone to check which setting is causing the problem for you.

Network reset

Assuming there’s no physical damage, most network issues, including difficulty connecting to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, should be resolved by resetting just the network settings. Sometimes an app or VPN program can interfere with these settings, preventing your apps from talking to their servers and causing slowdowns and unresponsive apps. A lot of apps these days rely very heavily on internet connectivity to function, after all.

1. Open Settings

2. Tap General Management

3. Tap Reset

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4. Tap ‘Reset network settings’

5. Tap ‘Reset settings’ in the panel that pops up

6. Tap Reset.

7. Your cellular network settings, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth settings will all be reset. You will need to pair wireless devices again to use them, and this applies to Wi-Fi passwords as well.

Factory reset

While this is a last resort, sometimes you have no option but to wipe your device completely. Doing so will wipe everything, including settings and all your data and apps. Please ensure you have a complete backup of all your important data before resorting to this step.

To factory reset a Samsung phone:

1.Open  Settings

2. Tap General Management

3. Tap Reset

4. Tap Factory data reset

5. Tap Reset after confirming that you’re fine with losing all the data on the phone

6. Enter your phone’s pin if you have one enabled

7. Tap ‘Delete All’

8. Enter your Samsung account password if you have signed in

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9. The phone will reboot. This process will take a few minutes.

10. Your phone is now reset to its factory state with no data or settings that didn’t come with the device when you unboxed it.

11. Set up your phone again by following the instructions on the setup screen.

That’s it! All it takes to reset your phone’s settings, network, or to perform a factory reset is a few taps on your Samsung phone. Do remember to backup all your critical data and keep your passwords handy in case things go wrong!