How to Format a Samsung Galaxy

Remontry

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posted on 10 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Formatting, or doing a factory reset, on your Samsung Galaxy device involves making the device revert to its state when it first rolled out of the factory. This will erase all user apps, data (like phone numbers), media, and other user-installed data. Before you begin, make sure you have access to a computer if you want to back up your data beforehand. Formatting the device can sometimes solve issues that occur on the device, such as force-closing apps and system application failures. This is a last resort, however, as it is quite drastic.

Steps

Backing Up Your Data

Connect your Galaxy to your computer. Make sure that you have no important data left on the device before you begin formatting it. Grab the USB cord for your device, plug it into your computer, and plug the small end to the device’s charging port. You computer should make a notification sound that a storage device is plugged in.

View the Galaxy’s internal memory. Click on “My Computer” to view the device’s internal memory by double-clicking on the device storage drive under “Devices with Removable Storage”.

Transfer important files. Copy all the folders you want to back up, including photos, documents, etc., by highlighting them and then dragging and dropping them to another location on your computer.

Wait for the progress bar to fill up. Once done, unplug your device from the computer.

Formatting the Device

Go to Settings. Open the Settings app by swiping down from the top of your screen, and then tapping the Settings icon on the upper right.

Find “Backup and Reset.” Scroll down the Settings menu until you reach the “Personal Header” and locate the “Backup and reset” option. Tap on it to begin.

Format the Galaxy. Tap “Factory Data Reset” on the next screen to initiate the formatting. A warning should come up, telling you that you will lose all your data. Tap on “Agree” and the device should dim.

Wait for the formatting process to finish. The factory reset will begin, and all you have to do now is wait for the device to reboot to the home screen. After this, you will have successfully formatted your Samsung Galaxy device.