How do I erase the personal data on my device?
Resetting your phone erases all data and brings it back to out-of-the-box condition.
This data will be erased from the phone:
- Google account
- Media (music, photos, videos)
- System settings and data
- App settings and data (including text messages)
- Downloaded apps
Learn how to backup your data using Rescue & Smart Assistant.
Reset phone from Settings
To erase all data and reset your phone:
- Go to Settings > System > (Advanced)
- Touch Reset options
- Touch Erase all data (factory reset)
- Touch Erase all data
If you are unable to access the phone's menu to perform the standard reset you can attempt an external factory reset.
Warnings:
- Before proceeding with an External Reset ensure you know your Gmail address and password. If you don’t know the Gmail address and password, visit www.gmail.com > “Need help?”. If you have recently reset the password, power up the locked phone in an area with Wi-Fi or data service, and enter the new password.
- When using this feature; everything is deleted from the device.
- Charge your battery 30% or more.
- Turn off the phone.
- Press and hold the Volume Down button and the Power button at the same time until the phone turns on.
- Press the Volume Down button until you see Recovery mode.
- Press the Power button to restart in Recovery mode.
- If you see an Android robot with a red exclamation mark, press and hold the Power button and, while holding it down, press and release the Volume up button.
- Use the Volume buttons to scroll to Wipe data/factory reset, then press the Power button to select it.
- Use Volume buttons to scroll to Factory data reset, then press the Power button to select it.
Allow several seconds for the reset to complete.
- Use Volume buttons to scroll to Reboot system now, then press the Power button to select it.
Allow several minutes for the reboot to complete. If the phone doesn't finish rebooting, press and hold the Power button until the screen turns dark, then release it to power up normally.
- If you reset your phone because you suspect a third-party app is causing problems, when you set up the phone again, be sure you don't copy all apps. Restore one app at a time and use the phone for a while. If the phone has no issues, install the next app and retest.
