6 working ways to restore factory settings on your Android phone

Experiencing a sluggish performance, unresponsive applications, or unexpected device shutdown on your smartphone is a major issue. To resolve this issue, it is essential to be aware of how to restore or reset your Android device to its factory settings. Often, the root cause of the device malfunction lies within these settings.

For what it is done

Performing a factory reset on Android involves completely erasing all data, including photos, cache, videos, RAM, clipboard, applications, and widgets that have been downloaded by the owner since purchasing the smartphone.

There are a few situations where you may need to perform a factory reset on your Android phone:

• If you plan on selling the device, performing a factory reset will ensure that all confidential information is completely deleted and won’t be accessible to unauthorized individuals.
• If your device is experiencing frequent hangs and glitches during simple operations, a factory reset can help resolve the issue by clearing out any clogged RAM.
• If a virus has infected your system and your antivirus software is unable to remove it, a hard reset or factory reset with full memory formatting may be necessary to eliminate the virus.

There are various methods for utilizing the "Reset" feature on Android:

• By means of the standard menu. Performing a hard factory reset in this manner is the simplest approach, furthermore, the procedure will be completed quickly and does not necessitate any special knowledge or skills.
• Through the utilization of service codes. These codes are usually universal and can be utilized with equal success on Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, and other smartphone and tablet manufacturers.
• By pressing specific combinations of hotkeys. This method is applicable for all device brands.
• With the assistance of a computer (this method is only suitable for hardware reset and should be used by experienced users only).

Prior to performing the operation, it is advisable to acquaint oneself with the guidelines for each technique: this will facilitate the comprehension of the most optimal approach to restoring the Android device to its original settings and prevent any irreversible errors that may render the entire system inoperative.

Preparing for a factory reset

To avoid losing all data and ensure optimal functioning of your cell phone after a rollback, it is advisable to take some preliminary steps before proceeding:

1. Back up important photos, videos, and other essential information to a flash drive, computer, or cloud storage. Failure to do so will result in the loss of all data, and you may have to spend a significant amount of money to recover them.
2. Ensure that your device is fully charged. During the rollback process, the device may run out of battery power, and interrupting the procedure can have serious consequences, potentially rendering the operating system unable to start. If you perform a hard reset through a computer, the charging level is irrelevant as the phone is connected to the computer via a cord and charged from it.
3. The mentioned steps apply to all types of mobile phones, such as Samsung and other brands. Google binding is compulsory, regardless of whether the owner utilizes it or not.

The aforementioned measures are applicable to any type of mobile device, including Samsung and other branded phones. It is obligatory to link your device with Google, even if the owner does not use it.

Backup

To make a backup before restoring factory settings on Android, there are several easy methods:

1. Utilizing a Google account.
2. Connecting to a PC and using ADB tools.
3. Using a custom Recovery.
4. Using the DataSync program.

The most recommended option is to back up through the Google account because it offers full synchronization, which provides the user with convenient access to the backups. Here is how to do it:

1. Go to "Personal" and "Accounts".
2. Select your account and mark all the checkboxes.
3. Go back to the previous step, click on "Backup" and "Reset", choose data archiving and automatic recovery. Perform a thorough check of the account and navigate to the sync menu, where you click on "Synchronize".

This option is only suitable for individuals who can recall all the necessary account information (login and password). This information will be required in the future after executing a rollback and system reboot; otherwise, the device will be rendered unusable.

Upon syncing and backing up data on "Google," the device will automatically download all pertinent information associated with the respective account.

In order to execute this operation through ADB RUN, you will need a PC and a cord connected to the smartphone, inserted into the USB port. The process consists of several steps:

1. Enable USB debugging on your smartphone.
2. Launch the ADB RUN program.
3. If the appropriate driver has not been previously installed, proceed with installing it.
4. In the program, select "Backup" and then "ADB Backup".
5. Locate the backup menu on your device and select it.

Once the procedure is finished, you will only need to follow two steps to recover:

1. In the software, click on "ADB Restore".
2. Select "Data Restore" on your smartphone.

If you have a custom "Recovery" installed on your operating system, it will create a complete firmware copy instead of a backup. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Access Recovery and click on "Backup and restore".
2. Choose "Backup" to create a copy, and then "Restore" to recover.

If you are looking for an alternative method of copying, you can consider utilizing the DataSync application. It specifically caters to users who solely require data transfer from various applications. However, if you wish to generate archive copies of your data, DataSync does not provide that option.

This method is suggested for individuals who are experiencing issues turning on their phone because of a system freeze or if they are unable to input the lock password or graphic key. The procedure using Recovery is as follows:

1. Activate Recovery by simultaneously pressing the volume down and shutdown buttons. Some devices may require different combinations such as power + "home" + volume up (for Samsung), power + volume, or pressing both the volume up and volume down buttons at the same time.
2. Once the menu appears, navigate through it using the volume keys.
3. Select "Wipe data" or "Clear flash", then choose "Yes" or "Yes, delete all user data".
4. After the process completes, choose the option to reboot the operating system – "Reboot system now".

There are certain smartphones that provide specific guidelines on how to back up or restore settings on Android, and the options in the menu might vary slightly.

Performing Hard Reset from Fastboot mode

To perform a factory reset on your Android device, you can utilize the Fastboot utility which can be obtained from the developer’s official website. In order to correctly install this program, please follow the steps below:

1. Once you have downloaded Fastboot, extract it to the root directory of your "C" drive. Next, proceed to install the Java Development Kit by accepting the licensing terms.
2. Navigate to the "Android SDK" folder and locate the "Android" file. Launch this file.
3. Select "Accept License" in order to install the package.

Should you own an LG, Nexus, Huawei, HTC, or Motorola device, it will be necessary to unlock the program beforehand:

• For LG, Huawei, or HTC devices, select "Fastboot oem unlock".
• For other device manufacturers, you will need to obtain an activation code from the official website.

In order to enter Fastboot mode on your device, there are several options available:

1. First, turn off your smartphone. Then, press and hold the power button along with the volume down button simultaneously.
2. Alternatively, you can connect your device to a PC and open the command prompt in administrator mode. Once opened, enter the ADB command in the address bar and press Enter. After the firmware is loaded, perform a hard reset using the commands "./fastboot erease userdata" or "./fastboot-w". Finally, reboot your smartphone using the command "fastboot reboot".

You have several options for rolling back:

• Using Google’s "Find a Device" service, which is useful for users who have lost their device and want to remotely delete personal information.
• Using the TWRP service, which allows you to clean specific partitions without affecting the entire operating system.
• Using a specific numeric key combination.

If you encounter the latter scenario, you will be required to input the following codes:

1. *#**#8
2. *#**#*
3. *2767*3855#
4. proceed to press the call button

Following this, the device will execute the operation and restart. At times, the restart may occur immediately after entering the final symbol, which is considered normal.

All of the aforementioned options are the most straightforward to implement for users who lack specific expertise. In the event that additional difficulties arise post-reset, it is advisable to seek assistance from a professional service. Otherwise, attempting to resolve the situation independently raises the likelihood of exacerbating the issue.

Conclusion

Rolling back can be an efficient method of addressing issues such as phone freezing and other problems caused by excessive RAM usage and system instability. Performing an Android reset can be easily done within just one hour if you follow the instructions carefully, as the process itself doesn’t consume much time.