Factory reset android phone

If you are someone who wants to know about factory reset an android phone then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will be discussing in detail, all about the factory reset process on your android phone. This article will discuss all the steps that are needed to perform a factory reset successfully without any issues. Firstly, you should know why exactly do we need to perform a factory reset in our Android phone and what situation prompts us to do so. A factory reset is generally performed when you wish to restore your data to the original form in which it existed. If you are in a situation like this then a factory reset would be the best option for you.

There are times when your device starts lagging and the applications take a lot longer than usual to open or to function properly. In such situations, you should head towards performing a factory reset. A factory reset helps to clean all the unnecessary files and cache from your device in order to make your device work faster. There are many times when you will come across some errors while carrying out a process so performing a factory reset would always help you.

Factory reset android phone
Factory reset android phone

Various ways to perform a factory reset without losing your data

We will now be discussing some of the possible disadvantages of the solutions. The first one is that there is a very huge risk that you could lose all your data while performing a factory reset. If this happens then there would be no way left by which you could get your data or important files back. You need to understand in-depth how to perform a factory reset successfully step by step.

Look for an in-built option on your phone

Firstly, you need to look in your device whether an option to perform a factory reset is already available or not. When it comes to protecting your data, you need to take a lot of cautionary steps. Some manufacturers provide your device with an option to perform a factory reset without losing any of your important data and files. The latest models of mobile phones that we come across these days are mostly equipped with this feature. From this, we get to know that this feature is a very useful one for us.

On opening the settings option on your device, you will see an option that says ‘factory reset’. Please note that the option for factory reset could have different names depending upon different devices so do not worry if you do not see the same name on your device as it could be there from a different one. This option allows you to perform a factory reset without the loss of your data from your device. The settings of your device would turn to the factory state along with the cleaning of RAM. Please follow the steps given below in order to carry out this process successfully:-

  1. Open the settings app on your device.
  2. Just when you see the ‘Additional settings’ option, click on it.
  3. Now, look for the ‘Backup and Reset’ option and click on it.
  4. You will now see an option that says ‘Reset to Factory Settings’. Click on it and proceed.
  5. Now, click on the ‘Reset System Settings Only’ option from the list of options displayed.

Under this option, you will see some other options such as the ‘Erase All Data’ option. If you click on this option, then all your data would be erased and you would never be able to get your data back ever. Please read the above-mentioned steps twice and leave no doubt when it comes to performing a factory reset as it could lead to permanent data loss. Kindly check your phone thoroughly before going with the above-mentioned method. In case, your phone has some option that could be used to perform a safe factory reset then it is highly suggested that you should go with that option rather than following the above method.

Taking a complete backup to some other device or SD Card before performing the factory reset

The second method is that you first take a complete backup of all your pictures, videos, and files somewhere else such as a PC or an SD card so that you do not lose your data during the factory reset. This method is much more useful than the first one as not every device consists of an option to reset or any such similar option. The reason for this is that this feature is not very old instead it is a very recent one so not many devices have it.

An additional suggestion would be to take the backup even if the resetting feature is present on your device as you can never be too much careful when it comes to your data. Now, among the two options of either backing up the data on an SD Card or on a PC, the suggested option would be to back up your data on the SD Card. Using an SD card for taking your backup is much better because you will not require fast-speed internet for this. Instead, you do not need your PC too if you choose this method.

But, there are some drawbacks to this option too as there is no 100% surety that your complete data would be backed up to the SD card because people do not use memory cards more than 16bg nowadays. So, if your complete data exceeds 16GB, then this option is not for you. If you are also in a similar situation, then you should choose a PC to back your data up.

For backing your data on a PC, you would need a USB cable which would help in transferring the files from your phone to your PC with ease. Also, a PC has a lot of space which is enough for all your data to be safely stored. In case, you do not own a PC, then you can reach out to a trustable friend and borrow a PC from her/him and then back up your data on that PC.

Read Also: Android connected to Wi-Fi but no internet

Google services for Backup

The third method is to make use of google services and reduce the risk of data loss to a great extent.

Backing up your contacts

You can upload and save all your contacts to your Google Drive which is present as an app on your device. The only requirement for this is an internet connection with a good speed. Please follow the steps given below in order to carry this process out:-

  1. Locate the settings app on your device and then look for the ‘Accounts and Sync’ option. Click on it.
  2. Now, you will be able to see your google account. Select the google account that you wish to use to back your contacts in. In case, you wish to add a new account then click on ‘Add account’ and then enter your credentials. A new account would be made for you wherein you can backup your contacts securely.
  3. Now, tap on the google account that you have finally selected for the backup.
  4. You need to make sure that there is a tick mark in front of the ‘Contacts’ option in the list of options.
  5. Now, select the ‘Sync’ option which is present at the bottom of the screen.

Now, you need to download the contacts after you have successfully rebooted your device. Follow the steps below after you have done the above-mentioned steps:-

  1. You need to repeat steps 1 and step 2 which are mentioned above.
  2. Now, select the google account which you used to back up your contacts.
  3. Finally, you need to just click on ‘Sync’ option in order to get all your contacts that you backed up.

Backing up with google drive

This method is a very common one among users as it is a very convenient and easy-to-do method. All you need to do in this method is save all your files such as pictures, videos, and documents to google drive using a google account of your choice. Later, you can log in to that google account on your device and then sign in to google drive using that account in order to get all the files that you backed up. You can follow the steps given below in order to carry out this method:-

  1. Go to the google drive app on your device and then click on the + sign in the bottom right corner.
  2. Now, some options would be visible to you at the lower part of the screen. You need to choose the ‘Upload’ option.
  3. You can now locate the files that you wish to upload.
  4. Click on ‘OK’ and then you are good to go.

After you have successfully completed these steps then you can be sure that your data is secured and stored safely in your device and you will not lose it in any way. You can reset your data and perform a factory reset without tension as your data is 100% safely stored in Google drive. Now, follow the steps given below in order to download the uploaded files:-

  1. Add that google account to your device where you uploaded all the files on google drive.
  2. Open google drive and then you would be able to see all the files that you had uploaded.
  3. You can save any files to your device that you wish to.
  4. You would see three vertical dots on the top of the screen. Click on them in order to save your desired files to your device.

Conclusion

In this article, we learned all about factory resetting in android phones. We discussed the need for a factory reset and the possible risks that it comes with such as permanent loss of data. We have discussed various ways, following which you can back your data safely and securely and perform a factory reset with absolutely no worries as your data is safe. Some of those methods are backing up your data on some other PC or on an SD card, using google services to back up your data, using google drive to back up your data, etc. The pros and cons of each method are also discussed in detail for you to make the best decision because one cannot take any sort of risk when it comes to the possible risk of their important data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe and secure to perform a factory reset on an android phone?

A lot of people have the fear of losing their face after a factory reset and their fear is justified as if you end up losing your data after a factory reset then there really is no way by which you could get it back. The best way to avoid this is to take a complete backup of all your important files to some other PC or an SD card in order to not lose your data.

When should I perform a factory reset?

Factory reset is not a process that should be performed regularly. Instead, it is the last solution to a number of problems such as poor device performance, errors in the working of apps, when files stop responding, etc. We should first resort to the suggested method for each of these problems discussed but in case none of the solutions work, then a common solution is the factory reset. So, it could be described as the last savior in any issue that you could face.

What if I forget the details of my google account wherein I backed up my data?

In order to back your data up using google drive, you need to select the desired google account to back up your data. The same google account needs to be logged into the device where you want your backed-up data. It is very important that you note the login details of that google account as there is absolutely no way if you forget them as the only place where you had your backup would be gone forever.