Factory Reset - Settings vs. Recovery (2024)

FAQs

Factory Reset - Settings vs. Recovery? ›

Factory reset from settings wipes both the Google account and the phone data. This is what you need to do if you want to sell or give away your phone. Factory reset from recovery mode retains your screen unlock and Google account information, but wipes all other data.

No. Entering Android Recovery Mode does not erase everything unless you select Factory reset. Android Recovery Mode's main purpose is to troubleshoot a phone and while a factory reset is part of troubleshooting, you have to manually select that in order for the phone to be erase.

To remove all data from your phone, you can reset your phone to factory settings. Factory resets are also called “formatting” or “hard resets.” Important: You're using an older Android version.

To completely wipe Android phone before selling, you should first factory reset the device, then either copy a few large movies to eat up the memory by full and delete them afterwards. You have to do this a couple of times. It is a manual process and it takes time.

Resetting an iPhone refreshes settings but keeps personal data. Erasing all content and settings removes all data, like a factory reset.

Disadvantages of Android Factory Reset:

It will remove all the application and their data which might cause a problem in the future. All of your login credentials will be lost and you have to sign-in all of your accounts again. Your personal contact list will also be erased from your phone during the factory reset.

However, it's super important to understand that by doing a factory reset, you're removing all of your photos, videos, and messages from your device. You will also erase any apps that you added to the device, games, contacts, and files of all kinds.

A factory reset is essential when selling, donating, or refurbishing a device to prevent unauthorized access. Resetting an Android helps remove malware and ransomware caused by compromised apps or phishing emails, ensuring a clean device without corrupt apps, accounts, or documents.

It is also known as a "soft reboot" or "soft power cycle." This contrasts with a hard reset, which removes all user data, settings and applications and returns a device to the same state it was in when it shipped from the factory. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Performing a factory reset on a laptop can be a useful solution to many common computer problems, such as slow performance or persistent software issues. However, it is important to note that a factory reset will erase all data on the laptop's hard drive, including personal files, applications, and settings.

Is it safe to sell a used phone after factory reset? ›

A simple factory reset won't ensure that everything is wiped out from your phone, so all your files could be easily recovered. Encrypted data means that even if the new owner of your device tries to restore all your data, they won't be able to access it. Go to “Settings, Security & location.”

Since the encryption key is tied to your password, the phone automatically resets the key after a factory reset. A savvy hacker can still dump the phone's storage, perform data forensics on it, and extract files. However, those files would still be encrypted, and reading them is next to impossible.

When you perform a recovery by selecting a system image, it will overwrite data on the destination drive. So, yes, if you run system image recovery on your PC, it will delete all your files and then replace all of the files that were that when the image file was created.

If you can't remember your passcode when you try again, use a computer to put your iPhone in recovery mode. Recovery mode allows you to erase the iPhone, giving you access to set it up again. You will need your Apple ID and password to set your iPhone up again.