How to reset android phone to factory settings when locked

To remove all data from your phone, you can reset your phone to factory settings. Factory resets are also called “formatting” or “hard resets.”

Table of Contents Show

Get ready to factory reset
Factory reset your phone
Related resources
Read before Factory Reset
3 ways to factory reset a Samsung Galaxy phone that's locked
Way 1: Factory Reset Using Samsung Find My Mobile
Way 2: Factory Reset Using Google Find My Device
Way 3: Factory Reset Using Buttons
How to factory reset Samsung Galaxy phone if you have password
How do I unlock a locked Android phone?
How to restore Android phone to factory settings?
How to unlock Android phone lock pattern without factory reset?
How do I Reset my Android phone to factory settings?
How do you do a factory reset in a Android if the phone is locked?
How do I factory reset my Android phone without logging in?
How do you force a factory reset on Android?
How do you restart a locked Android?

Get ready to factory reset

Important: A factory reset erases all your data from your phone.

If you're resetting to fix an issue, we recommend first trying other solutions. Learn how to troubleshoot Android issues.

Know Google Account username & password

To restore your data after you reset your phone, you must enter security info. When you enter the info, it shows that you or someone you trust did the reset.

Be sure that you know a Google Account on the phone.
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Accounts. If you don't have the option to tap "Accounts," get help from your device manufacturer.
- You'll find a Google Account username.
Be sure that you know the password for the Google Account on the phone. To confirm, sign in to that account on another device or computer. If you don't remember the password, get sign-in help.
If you've set a screen lock, be sure that you know your phone's PIN, pattern, or password. If you can't unlock your phone, learn what you can do.

Tip: If you recently reset your Google Account password, wait 24 hours before you perform a factory reset.

Back up your data to your Google Account

A factory data reset erases your data from the phone. While data stored in your Google Account can be restored, all apps and their data will be uninstalled.

To be ready to restore your data, make sure that it's in your Google Account. Learn how to back up your data.

Charge & connect

A factory reset can take up to an hour.

Charge your phone to at least 70%.
Connect your phone to Wi-Fi or your mobile network. When the factory reset completes, you must be connected to sign in to your Google Account.

Factory reset your phone

On most phones, you can reset your phone through the Settings app. If you can't open your phone's Settings app, you can try factory resetting your phone using its power and volume buttons.

We recommend checking your manufacturer's support site for device-specific instructions.

Add an account to your phone
Can't sign in to your Google Account
Can't unlock your phone

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Are you locked out of your Samsung Galaxy phone because you forgot the screen lock password/Pattern? So Factory Reset is an effective unlocking solution in this case. This article will show you how to factory reset a Samsung Galaxy phone that is locked.

Related: How to Unlock Android Phone Password without Factory Reset

Read before Factory Reset

1. A factory reset erases all data from your phone except the Android operating system, and the data is not recoverable. So, if you don't have a backup and you don't want to lose data, please think twice before factory reset.

2. If your locked phone has a Google account or Samsung account synced (or logged in), make sure that you know the email address and password for that account. Because after factory reset, you will be asked to enter them to reactivate the phone. If by any chance you forgot your account information, don't worry; you can recover your Google account and password or even bypass Google account after factory reset.

3 ways to factory reset a Samsung Galaxy phone that's locked

Way 1: Factory Reset Using Samsung Find My Mobile
Way 2: Factory Reset Using Google Find My Device
Way 3: Factory Reset Using Buttons

Way 1: Factory Reset Using Samsung Find My Mobile

If your locked Galaxy phone has a Samsung account logged in and Find My Mobile turned on, you can remotely factory reset it from another device. What you need to do is make sure your phone is turned on and connected to a mobile data or Wi-Fi, and then follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open https://findmymobile.samsung.com/ in any web browser on your computer or other available device, and then log in to this page with your Samsung account currently logged in on your locked Samsung Galaxy phone.

Step 2: If your Samsung account is protected by two-step verification, you may need to verify before you can log in in this browser.

Step 3: After logging in, your Samsung Galaxy device will be displayed on the page and what you need to do is click Erase data under your device in the right pane.

Step 4: When the "Erase phone data" dialog appears, click Erase to start resetting your locked Samsung Galaxy phone to its factory default settings.

Step 5: Just wait for the erase to complete. When the webpage shows that your Galaxy phone has been reset to its factory settings, continue to wait for a few minutes until your phone turns on.

Way 2: Factory Reset Using Google Find My Device

If you have a Google account logged in on your locked Samsung Galaxy phone and Find My Device is turned on, you can remotely factory reset your phone from another device. Keep your Galaxy phone turned on and connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, then follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open https://www.google.com/android/find in any web browser on your computer or other available device, and then log in to this page with your Google account currently logged in on your Samsung Galaxy phone.

Step 2: After you log in, your Galaxy phone will be displayed on the page. What you need to do is click ERASE DEVICE on the left pane.

Step 3: On the next page, click ERASE DEVICE again, and then click Erase to confirm.

Step 4: You will see your locked Samsung phone restart and start restoring itself to factory settings. Wait for a few minutes until the reset is complete and your phone turns back on.

Way 3: Factory Reset Using Buttons

If your Galaxy phone isn't linked to any Google account or Samsung account, or if it is linked but you don't know the login information of the account, what to do? Here is how to factory reset a locked Samsung Galaxy phone without a Google account or Samsung account by using buttons.

Step 1: Boot to Android Recovery mode.

For Samsung Galaxy phone with Home button:

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down button simultaneously for 7 to 10 seconds.

2. Once you feel the phone vibrate slightly, press and hold the Power + Volume Up + Home buttons.

3. Release all the buttons when the SAMSUNG logo appears, and the phone will get into Android Recovery screen.

For Samsung Galaxy phone without Home button

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for 7 to 10 seconds.

2. Once you feel a sight vibration, press and hold the Power + Bixby + Volume Up buttons.

3. When you see the Samsung logo, release all the buttons and the phone will enter Android Recovery screen.

Step 2: Factory reset Samsung phone.

While your locked Samsung phone is in Android Recovery screen, follow the steps below to factory reset it.

Press the Volume Up or Volume Down button to select the "Wipe data/factory reset" option, and then press the Power button to confirm.
On the next page, press the Volume button to select Yes under "Wipe all user data", so the Samsung phone will begin to restore to factory settings. This will take a few minutes.
When factory reset is complete, select "reboot system now", so your phone will restart normally.

After your phone turns on, it' like a new device and you will need to re-set it up. During the set-up process, if you are asked to enter a Google account that was previously synced on this phone to verify and you don't have the account, don't worry, please learn How to Bypass Google Account Verification after Factory Reset.

How to factory reset Samsung Galaxy phone if you have password

Now that you know three ways to factory reset a Samsung Galaxy phone that is locked, finally, let's take a look at how to factory reset an Android phone without any hassle when you have a password. If you already know this part well, just skip it.

Step 1: First unlock your phone to the home screen, if it is locked, and then open the Settings app from the app list.

Step 2: In the Settings menu, tap General management > Reset > Factory data reset.

Step 3: After entering the Factory data reset page, tap Reset, then enter your current screen lock password/PN/Pattern to confirm the reset, and finally tap Delete All to start resetting the phone to its factory settings.

How do I unlock a locked Android phone?

Method 1. Unlock Locked Android without Losing data Using Android Unlock [HOT!]
Method 2. Unlock Locked Android Phone with Safe Mode
Method 3. Unlock Android Password with ADB Mode
Method 4. Unlock Your Locked Android Device with Android Device Manager
Method 5. Unlock Android Device with Google Find My Device
Method 6. ...

How to restore Android phone to factory settings?

[Factory Reset Android] 2 Ways to Restore Android to Factory Settings Step 1. Turn off your phone at first if it is on. Step 2. Press and hold Power button + Volume Down button + Home button at the same time to boot your phone into Recovery... Step 3. Choose the "wipe data/factory reset" option ...

How to unlock Android phone lock pattern without factory reset?

To learn how to unlock Android PIN lock without the factory reset, follow these steps:

Launch the dr.fone on your system and go to its "Screen Unlock" section.
Connect your locked Android device to the computer and click on the "Start" button.
Enter the specific details about your device like its brand, name, and model. Click on the "Next" button to continue. ...

How do I Reset my Android phone to factory settings?

Using the Settings Menu To Factory Reset Your Device.

Open your phone, drag down the 'Options' menu and select 'Settings' menu. Look for the little cog in the top right of your screen.
Find the option for 'Back up and Restore' (please note - using Google to back up your account is a good idea, but it won't save your music, ...
Press the button for 'Factory Data Reset' (please note - this is irreversible)

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How do you do a factory reset in a Android if the phone is locked?

Switch your phone off. Press and hold the Volume Down and Up buttons along with the power key to enter into the Android recovery menu. Press the Volume down button to select the "Wipe data/factory reset' option and press the Power button to proceed. Select "Yes".

How do I factory reset my Android phone without logging in?

Please perform data backup in advance to preserve your data in device..

Hold the Volume up + Home + Power key at the same time..

Once the Android recovery mode appears, select: wipe data / factory reset with the volume keys..

Enter with the power key..

How do you force a factory reset on Android?

Press the Power button to select it. The phone will restart and show an Android robot in trouble. Press and hold the Power button, then press the Volume Up button while still holding the Power button. Using the Volume buttons, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.