Factory Reset and Hard Reset have similar effects – a clean slate smartphone, all data is wiped out, including the third-party apps – but each one differs in terms of its association with the phone’s settings and execution. Performing hard reset is at your own risk and perhaps it could be your last option in case your smartphone hangs; you must use the volume, power button, and home button, unlike the factory reset where you can access it via the Settings menu.
What’s the difference?
The factory reset or master reset is associated with the rebooting of the entire system while hard reset is associated with resetting of any hardware in the system according to Difference Between. Here’s a table I got from the same source, comparing the two.
How to perform hard reset
Make sure you back up all your files: either you transfer them to the SD Card, including your contacts and media files, or use a cloud backup. Note: Export your contacts to the SD Card as backup so you can restore them after the reset. Hard reset is useful when:
You want to flash a new custom ROM You experience intermittent crashes and lags You want to refresh the hardware because you haven’t done it for years The device freezes or is unresponsive – your last resort if you can’t access the system’s Settings
Note: The steps below are for a Samsung phone. For other Android phones, the steps are similar except for the hardware buttons to access the boot screen. Here’s how to do it:
Turn off the phone.
Press the volume UP button and Home button simultaneously and wait for a moment.
Then press the power button until the phone vibrates and release all the buttons.
You’ll see this on your screen. Use the volume buttons and power button for control.
Under the menu, choose “Wipe data/Factory reset.” Use the volume button to scroll down.
Select “Yes” using the power button.
Wait for a while and the phone will reboot. You’ll see the menu again and select, “Reboot system now.”
You’ll see this on the screen after the reboot; wait for a moment to set up the device and enter your account details.
Aside from setting up your device, logically, you would need to install and update third-party apps. Your files in the external card and SIM aren’t affected. You can restore your contacts by importing them.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, hard reset is another way to refresh your smartphone. Is it different from factory reset or is it just the same? For a one-time data wipe-out, the functions are the same; as you can see in the screenshot (no.5), it’s another way to perform a factory reset using the buttons if you can’t access the system’s Settings; the difference between the two is associated with the phone’s parts, components, power cycles, and how it’s done. Hard reset is just a part of Factory Reset. But at the end, whether it’s Factory Reset or Hard Reset, all of your data can be deleted. Let us know how it goes with your device.
