How to Reset Factory Settings on Samsung Galaxy

Three safe ways: through Settings, Recovery menu, and remotely

1) Through the phone’s Settings (the simplest way)

If the phone is unlocked and functioning normally, the easiest way is to use the settings menu.

1. Open Settings → General management → Reset.
2. Select Factory data reset and review what will be deleted.
3. Tap Reset, enter your PIN/pattern/password, then press Delete all.
4. After the automatic reboot, you will see the initial setup screen.

Advantages: quick, no computer needed. Disadvantages: not suitable if the device is locked or the UI is malfunctioning.

2) Through Recovery mode (when unable to access the system)

Use this method when the screen lock is forgotten, the OS is freezing, or the system menu is inaccessible. Turn on Recovery by holding the button combination (varies by model):

• No Home and no Bixby (e.g., S21/S22/S23, Note20, Fold/Flip): hold Volume Up + Side (Power) buttons until the Samsung logo appears.
• No Home, with Bixby (e.g., S8/S9/S10): hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power.
• With physical Home (e.g., S6/S7): hold Volume Up + Home + Power.

1. Once in Android Recovery, use the volume buttons to highlight wipe data/factory reset and confirm with Power.
2. Select Yes – delete all user data and confirm.
3. Select Reboot system now – the device will reboot to factory settings.

Advantages: works even if the UI is broken. Disadvantages: requires precise execution of steps; FRP may trigger after the reset.

3) Remotely via Samsung Find / SmartThings Find

This is convenient when a Samsung account is active on the phone and remote control is enabled, and the device is connected to the internet. Steps (in a browser): log in to your Samsung account, select the device, and execute the Erase data command. If the phone is offline, the deletion will occur when it reconnects. After remote deletion, you will no longer be able to control the device remotely.

What is deleted during the reset and how to prepare properly

A factory reset removes all user data from the internal memory: contacts (unless synchronized), SMS/MMS, call logs, photos, videos, downloaded files, apps and their data, account information. Typically, the external microSD card is untouched, but if it was encrypted on the phone, it is recommended to decrypt it before the reset; otherwise, the card’s contents may become inaccessible after the procedure.

Most reliable backup methods:

• Google backups: Settings → Accounts and backup → Google → Create backup. Photos can be conveniently stored with Google Photos (Google One).
• Smart Switch on PC: full backup to PC/Mac (contacts, messages, media, settings) and later convenient restoration.
• Samsung Cloud/OneDrive synchronization: in some cases – for contacts, photos, etc. (depending on model/service availability).

How it works and how to avoid unexpected locking

FRP is a protection against unauthorized resets installed by Google: if a Google account was added to the device before the reset and a screen lock was set, after the factory reset, the phone will ask you to sign in with the same Google account. This protects the device in case of theft. To avoid FRP locking, before the reset, remove the Google and (if applicable) Samsung accounts from the phone. If you forget the password, use Google account recovery or contact an authorized service with ownership documents.

For quick execution – three scenarios

A) Through Settings

1. Unlock the phone → Settings → General management → Reset → Factory data reset.
2. Read the warnings, press Reset, enter the security code, and select Delete all.
3. Wait for the phone to reboot and open the initial setup.

Note: it is recommended to remove accounts before resetting to avoid FRP asking for login after the operation.

B) Through Recovery (button combinations)

1. Turn off the phone (recommended ≥30–50% battery).
2. Hold the appropriate button combination for your model (see above) until the Android Recovery menu appears.
3. Select wipe data/factory reset → Yes → Reboot system now.
4. When the setup begins, if there was a Google account before the reset, you may be asked for its login.

If you cannot access Recovery, repeat the steps or contact a service.

C) Remote deletion via Samsung Find / SmartThings Find

1. Open a browser and log in to your Samsung account on the Samsung Find/SmartThings Find page.
2. Select the required device and execute the Erase data command.
3. Confirm your identity and wait for the phone to connect (if offline) and perform the reset.

After remote deletion, you will no longer be able to control the device remotely – this is normal.

What to check before and after the reset

• Data loss: without backups, you will lose everything. Solution – Google backups, Smart Switch, synchronization.
• FRP lock: if accounts are not removed, you will need to log in with the same Google account after the reset. Solution – remove accounts in advance, recover the password if necessary.
• Process interruption: ensure charging/power supply so the device does not turn off during the procedure.
• microSD encryption: if the card was encrypted, decrypt it before the reset – otherwise, data may become inaccessible after the reset.
• Post-reset “freezes”: install all system and app updates; if necessary, repeat the reset.

First setup and data restoration

• Log in to your Google account and allow the restoration of synchronized data (contacts, calendar, app list).
• If you made a Smart Switch backup on your computer – connect the device and perform Restore.
• Restore personal files (photos, videos) from the cloud/PC/microSD, rewrite necessary documents.
• Reconfigure security (PIN, biometrics, 2FA), check software updates (Settings → Software update), enable Find My Mobile / Samsung Find.

Quick overview table

Quick answers to frequent scenarios

• After reset asks for Google account (FRP): this is normal; log in with the same account or remove accounts in advance before the reset.
• Forgotten PIN/pattern: reset via Recovery or remote methods (Samsung/Google).
• No backups: data not recoverable – use Google/Smart Switch preventively in the future.
• Phone performance after reset is not smooth: check for updates, repeat reset, review apps.

When you don’t need to erase everything

If the issues are only related to connectivity (Wi-Fi, mobile internet, Bluetooth), a full factory reset is not necessary – you can restore only the network settings. This will reduce the risk of data loss.