Back up and verify your data, remove accounts when transferring ownership, then use the reset option in Settings. A factory reset erases local user data and cannot be undone from the phone.
Quick answer: Confirm recent backups for the device, photos, messages and authentication codes.
Steps: Factory Reset an Android Phone Safely
- Confirm recent backups for the device, photos, messages and authentication codes.
- Charge the phone and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- If selling it, remove your Google Account and eSIM or SIM as appropriate.
- Open Settings, System, Reset options, then Erase all data; wording varies by brand.
- Complete the confirmation prompts and let the phone restart without interruption.
Before you finish
- Know the Google Account password before resetting; theft protection may require it afterward.
- A reset does not guarantee recovery of cloud data that was never synced.
- Use the manufacturer's recovery instructions only if Settings is inaccessible.
If the menu is different
Use the search box at the top of Settings and search for the key control in
this guide. Pixel uses Google's labels; Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and other
manufacturers may move the same control or rename one level of the menu. Check
the support page for your exact model before using a reset or erase command.
Official reference
Google Android Help: back up or restore data. Menu names can differ by phone maker.
Keep going in this Android hub
See the complete guide for this topic,
or continue with one of these closely related Android walkthroughs:
