Clean Data from Samsung Galaxy S4 by Reset

Edited by Leomar Umpad, Melsan, Lynn, Eng and 20 others

5 Parts: Instructions Hard Resetting the Phone, Backup and Restore Tips Tricks & Warnings Questions and Answers Comments
Clean Data from Samsung Galaxy S4 by Reset 65749.jpg

Should there be a need to delete all the files on your Samsung Galaxy S4 for whatever purpose you intend it to, you can easily do it by going to settings. Below are the steps on deleting data on your Samsung Galaxy S4 by way of a reset.

This is part of the VisiHow series on how to use the Samsung Galaxy S4. You can visit the main VisiHow on how to USE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 for a full list of S4 VisiHow Articles

Instructions

  1. 1
    Go to you Samsung Galaxy S4's home screen.
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  2. 2
    Tap on the Application Menu icon to be able to view the applications drawer on your phone.
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  3. 3
    Tap on an application that has a gear icon, this is the Settings
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  4. 4
    When you are in the Settings Menu, tap on Backup and Reset
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  5. 5
    Tap on Factory Data Reset
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  6. 6
    You will be shown with an option to Erase Everything
    .
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  7. 7
    Tap on it and confirm to start the resetting process.
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  8. 8
    Your phone should reboot and should be clean upon restart.
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  9. 9
    Congratulations
    !
    You have just cleaned all the data from your Samsung Galaxy S4.
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Hard Resetting the Phone, Backup and Restore

Aside from the software reset, you can also reset the device by pressing some buttons simultaneously. Again, data will be deleted after the reset. See below how to perform a Hard Reset and how to back up and restore:

Hard reset

  1. 1
    Power off the phone by either pressing and holding the power button and then tapping "Turn off" or by taking the battery out of the phone.
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  • 2
    Now you have to press and hold the power button then the volume up button
    .
    You may need to press and hold the home button as well.
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  • 3
    The volume up and down will be used to navigate, while the home button will be used to select your options.
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  • 4
    Move down and select the option for "Reset to factory" or "Wipe data".
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  • 5
    Select "Wipe data" again and wait until it completes the process.
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  • 6
    Select "Reboot device now" to restart the system and to boot the phone normally.
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  • 7
    Check your phone to see if the data has been deleted.
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    • Back up files

    When doing backup on a Samsung mobile, you need to download and install your Samsung Kies first to your computer. If you have the mini disc that came in the package, you can use that to run the installation or you can download from here: Samsung.com/ph/support/usefulsoftware/Kies/JSP. Then install to your computer.

    1. 1
      After you install your Samsung Kies, connect the phone via USB to your computer to perform backup.
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    2. 2
      Now Launch or Run the program (Samsung Kies) to start the process.
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    3. 3
      Once you have the program running, click on you phone under the connected devices and select USB cable/cord connection.
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    4. 4
      From the three tabs (Basic Information, Sync and Backup and restore), select "Back up and restore".
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    5. 5
      Mark or select the items you want to backup on your computer
      .
      For example, you may want to back up Apps, Music, Photos, Videos and any other folders or items.
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    6. 6
      Select the destination of the backup and click "Backup" to start the process.
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    7. 7
      Once complete, click on "Complete" to end the backup session
      .
      Then reset the phone or wipe data to empty the phone.
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    Restore files

    1. 1
      Connect the phone via USB to your computer to perform restore on the applications and any other stuff on the recent backup you made.
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    2. 2
      Now Launch or Run the program (Samsung Kies) to start the process.
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    3. 3
      From the three tabs (Basic Information, Sync and Backup and restore), click "Back up and restore".
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    4. 4
      Now click on "Restore data", and then select the recent date that you made a backup.
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    5. 5
      Wait for the process until it completes the restoration, and click the "Complete" button
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    6. 6
      Restart your phone, by turning the power off and then back on, and check all the files to see if your phone has been successfully restored.
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    Tips Tricks & Warnings

    • Make sure to backup data before resetting in case you want to use the data in the future.
    • Reset only affects phone data. Your SD card data should remain.

    Questions and Answers

    My Galaxy S4 has been wiped by Vodafone during a repair -- can I recover the lost data?

    I own a Samsung Galaxy S4 on Vodafone.

    Unfortunately, if you didn't back up your data before you sent the phone in repair, you cannot recover the files you lost.

    I have a business phone and the previous employee has left the company. I'd like to remove some files but leave the company proprietary file intact?

    Specifically want to remove the Gmail account etc.

    VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.

    If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

    Comments

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    Categories : USE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4

    Recent edits by: DeleteQnA, VisiHow, Pip

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