How to reset a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, or S10e smartphone?

Reset Smartphone Samsung S10

Though resetting any smartphone is not a daily routine for users but when your cell phone starts giving your trouble or issues that cannot be solved straight forward, you need to reset your phone. Some of the problems that demand phone reset is a frozen cell phone or an unresponsive phone or it is needed even when you are selling your old smartphone. So if you are facing any of such problems where you need to reset your phone then be prepared to follow the simple steps as given below. This guide is for Samsung S10, S10 Plus or S10e and note that when you soft reset your phone, you’re simply forcing it to turn off and on again. There won’t be any loss of data, so there’s no real risk. If your S10 screen has frozen, it’s not responding to touches, or maybe it’s unusually sluggish, then you should try a soft reset.

Soft reset and factory reset your S10 Samsung Galaxy

soft reset and factory reset Samsung phone

First press and hold the Power and Volume down buttons simultaneously for several seconds.

When your Galaxy S10 restarts, you can let go.

If your problems persist after a soft reset and nothing works then you may need to try a factory reset.

A factory reset can solve more elusive or serious issues, but it will completely wipe your phone. That means you will lose all messages, photos, contacts, apps, and everything else on your phone unless you back them up first. You will also want to factory reset your S10 before selling it or passing it on to someone else. Once completed, a factory reset will return your phone to the state it was in when you first removed it from the box.

Simply go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Backup and restore and you should see options to Back up my data and Automatic restore. Once you’re satisfied that you’ve backed up everything you don’t want to lose, proceed with these steps:

  • Go to Settings > Backup and reset > Factory data reset.
  • Scroll down and tap Reset.
  • Now enter your PIN or Password.
  • Finally tap Delete all.

When it’s done you can set it up as new or restore your backup. If you did the factory reset to combat a problem then it’s best to test that your issue is gone before restoring your backed up files and installing apps and games again.

Turn Factory Reset Protection off

Factory reset protection off

If you are resetting your Galaxy S10 to pass it on or sell it, then you should turn Factory Reset Protection off before you do the factory reset, otherwise you’ll be prompted to enter your Google account details to get into the phone. This is a security measure to deter thieves. It’s easy to turn off by following the simple steps

Go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Google > Remove account then confirm and tap Remove account again.

Factory reset an unresponsive Galaxy S10

Suppose your Galaxy S10 touchscreen is not responding then you can factory reset with the hardware keys. Just remember that you will lose anything that isn’t backed up. Here’s how to factory reset with the keys:

  • Press and hold the Power button until the Galaxy S10 switches off.
  • Press and hold the Volume up and Bixby buttons simultaneously, then press and hold the Power key as well.
  • When you see the green Android logo, you can let go of all keys.
  • Use the Volume buttons to navigate up and down and highlight the wipe data/factory reset option.
  • Press the Power button to select it.
  • Now, you’ll want to press Volume down to highlight the Yes – delete all user data option.
  • Press Power to select it.
  • Once the reset is complete, Reboot system now should be highlighted and you can press the Power key to restart your S10.