How To Completely Clear A Samsung Phone

Perform a factory reset on your Galaxy phone

Factory data reset screen with a list of apps

Are you sending your phone in for repair, or giving it to a friend or family member? If you need to wipe your phone's data for any reason, you can perform a factory reset. This feature will completely erase your personal information and data to make your phone a clean slate.

Note: Available screens and settings may vary by wireless service provider, software version, and phone model.

Important: Please save any information you need prior to the factory reset because your personal information may not be recovered. If you have encrypted the microSD card, you must decrypt it before resetting the phone. Otherwise, your phone will not be able to read the data on the card. From Settings, search for and select Decrypt SD card, and then follow the on-screen prompts.

Before you perform a factory reset, be sure to back up your personal data, so you don't lose it all.

FromSettings, search for and selectFactory data reset.
Next, tapFactory data resetagain, and then review the information.
When you're ready, swipe to and tapReset.
If you have a security lock set on the phone, you will be asked to enter the credentials.
To continue with the reset and delete all information stored on your phone, tapDelete all.
From there, you will be required to enter your Samsung account's password if you have added a Samsung account to the phone.
Your phone will reset; when it turns back on, it will start from the initial setup screen.

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