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    Intermediate

    How to Factory Reset Your Android Phone

    Resetting your Android phone to factory settings wipes it clean — great before selling or fixing stubborn issues.

    4 min read 6 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026
    1

    Back up your phone to Google

    ~25s
    Go to Settings and search for "Backup." Find the Google One backup or "Back up to Google Drive" option. Make sure it is turned on, then tap "Back Up Now." This saves your contacts, app data, and settings. Your photos are backed up separately through Google Photos — check that Google Photos backup is enabled too.

    Warning

    Back up before doing anything else. A factory reset cannot be undone and all data will be permanently deleted.

    2

    Back up with Samsung Cloud if you have a Samsung phone

    ~20s
    On Samsung devices, go to Settings, tap "Accounts and backup," then "Back up data" under Samsung Cloud. Select everything you want to save and tap "Back up now." Samsung Cloud saves contacts, calendar items, messages, and more separately from Google.

    Quick Tip

    You can use both Google backup and Samsung Cloud simultaneously for extra protection.

    3

    Remove your Google account from the phone

    ~15s
    Go to Settings, tap "Accounts" (or "Accounts and backup" on Samsung), then tap your Google account. Look for "Remove account" and tap it. This removes Factory Reset Protection, which would otherwise lock the next owner out of the phone.
    4

    Find and start the factory reset

    ~27s
    The path varies by brand. Samsung: Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory data reset. Google Pixel: Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data. Other Android phones: look for "Reset" under Settings or General Management. Tap through until you see a final confirmation screen, then tap "Erase" or "Reset."

    Quick Tip

    If you cannot find the reset option, search for "reset" inside your Settings app — there is a search bar at the top of Settings on most Android phones.

    5

    Wait for the reset to complete

    ~18s
    The phone will restart one or more times and show a progress screen. Do not turn off the phone during this process. It typically takes 10 to 20 minutes. When finished, you will see the welcome or language selection screen, the same one that appeared when the phone was brand new.
    6

    Set up or hand off the phone

    ~19s
    If you are keeping the phone, go through the setup steps and sign into your Google account. When asked about restoring from backup, select your most recent Google backup to bring your apps and data back. If you are giving or selling the phone, leave it on the initial welcome screen for the new owner.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: How to Factory Reset Your Android Phone

    Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

    A factory reset on an Android phone erases all of your personal data — contacts, photos, apps, accounts, messages, and settings — and returns the phone to the state it was in the day it was purchased. This is the recommended step before selling or giving away your phone, and it can also resolve stubborn software problems that other fixes cannot solve.

    The backup step is the most important part of this entire process. Before resetting, go to Settings and search for "Backup." On most Android phones, you will find a "Google One backup" or "Backup to Google account" option. Turn it on and tap "Back Up Now." This saves your contacts, photos (to Google Photos), and app data to your Google account. If you use a Samsung phone, Samsung Cloud is an additional backup option found in Settings under "Accounts and backup."

    After backing up, sign out of your Google account. Go to Settings, then "Accounts" or "Accounts and backup," tap on your Google account, and select "Remove account." This step ensures Activation Lock (called Factory Reset Protection on Android) is removed so the next owner can set up the phone normally.

    The location of the factory reset option varies by phone brand. On Samsung phones, go to Settings, tap "General Management," then "Reset," then "Factory data reset." On Google Pixel phones, go to Settings, tap "System," then "Reset options," then "Erase all data (factory reset)." On other Android brands, look for "Reset" under Settings or General Management. All paths lead to the same confirmation screen.

    After tapping "Erase" or "Reset," the phone will show a progress screen and restart one or more times. This can take 5 to 20 minutes depending on your phone. When it finishes, you will see the initial setup screen the same as when the phone was new.

    If you are keeping the phone and resetting to fix a problem, sign in with your Google account during setup and choose "Restore from backup" to bring your apps and data back. If you are passing the phone on to someone else, leave it at the initial setup screen for them.

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    Official Resources

    Apple Support — iPhoneGoogle Help — AndroidSamsung Support

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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    How to Factory Reset Your Android Phone — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure