The Samsung Galaxy S8 may be one of the older members of Samsung’s Galaxy S range, but it’s an absolute classic. Its sleek looks, capable hardware, and great camera mean anyone who has one may not want to give it up anytime soon. But a phone starts to slow down as it ages, and if you’re not planning on replacing it, that’s going to get very annoying very fast. Thankfully, there are ways to help speed a phone back up, and one of those is a factory reset. A full reset helps to clear out all the cobwebs that have built up over the years, and can significantly speed a phone up.
On the flip side, you may be palming off or selling an old Galaxy S8 — at which point a factory reset is even more crucial, as it makes sure your precious data doesn’t fall into anyone else’s hands. But regardless of why you’re doing it, a factory reset is simple. Here’s how to factory reset a Samsung Galaxy S8.
Factory Reset Protection (FRP), a security measure Google introduced in Android 5.0 Lollipop, is designed to prevent thieves from wiping your device and using or selling it. But if you don’t disable it, then it can interfere with a factory reset.
When you reset a phone to factory default with FRP enabled, it’ll prompt you to enter the user name and password for the last Google account registered to the device. That’s good and fine if you’re the owner, but obviously problematic if you’ve sold it or given it to another person.
Thankfully, you can disable it so this doesn’t happen. Here’s how to disable Factory Reset Protection on the Galaxy S8:
Now that you’ve disabled Factory Reset Protection, it’s a good idea to back up your apps and settings. Alternatively, you can skip straight to the factory reset process.
To back up the apps and games you’ve installed on your Galaxy S8, head to the Settings menu.
Saving your contacts to the cloud is just as easy as backing up your apps and settings.
Your cloud-stored contacts should now be up to date.
Factory resetting your Galaxy S8 doesn’t have to mean losing your photos, videos, and other media. Here’s how to back everything up.
One of the benefits of using a Samsung Galaxy S8 is having a microSD card slot. Not only are they an affordable option for more memory, but they function as storage space to back up your apps, contacts, and media files. The built-in Smart Switch app on your phone allows you to seamlessly do that.
The easiest way to factory reset your Galaxy S8 is from the phone’s settings menu. Make sure it’s powered on, and then go to Settings > General management > Reset. Tap on Factory data reset, then Reset, and finally Delete all.
Now sit tight — the process takes a few minutes. Once it’s finished, you’ll see the Galaxy S8’s welcome screen.
Sometimes, software corruption, persistent malware, and other factors make resetting your Galaxy S8 from the settings menu an unrealistic proposition. Luckily, you can erase the phone’s data without having to boot into its operating system by using the recovery menu.
Make sure your Galaxy S8 is powered down.
Once the Galaxy S8 boots, you’ll see the default welcome screen.
If you’d prefer to use a computer to reset the Galaxy S8, good news: Samsung’s Smart Switch software makes it simple. It’ll guide you through the factory reset process, install the newest firmware on your Galaxy S8, and wipe your apps, settings, and personal data.
There are a few prerequisites, though. You’ll need to plug the Galaxy S8 into one of your PC’s USB ports using a USB-C cable, and you’ll have to download and install the Smart Switch software from Samsung’s website. From there, it’s all downhill.
If you’re plugging in your Galaxy S8 for the first time, you’ll have to wait for the necessary drivers to install. Once that’s finished, move on to the next steps.
Find My Mobile has a custom security feature that allows concerned users to override their phones and force a factory reset online— even if their phone is lost or stolen and not in their possession. Users can also backup their important and sensitive data to the Samsung Cloud remotely before the factory reset even starts. The only requirement to successfully back up your data via a remote connection is to ensure that your smartphone is on and connected to wireless internet. To remote-factory reset your lost phone, follow a few quick steps:
There are a few other factory reset techniques you could try out to revert your device. In our experience, most resets will make your S8 as good as new. It’s a good idea to restore your device to factory settings if you’re preparing to sell it or if your phone has been stolen. You can learn more about the features of your Samsung smartphone with these Galaxy S8 tips and tricks. If a factory reset doesn’t reverse your phone’s problem, check out this list of common Galaxy S8 problems and how to fix them for detailed solutions.
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