Find out how to reset a tablet to help fix a wide range of issues.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
There are many reasons why you might want to know how to reset a tablet. Maybe it's behaving oddly, freezing or it has become unresponsive. Or perhaps you want to sell it or give it away so you need to wipe your data.
There are a few different types of reset, and you'll need to know which one is right for you. See below for an explanation of each, including when you'll need to enact each one. Following that, you'll find instructions for how to reset different types of tablet, including iPad, Samsung, Kindle and Amazon Fire.
Note: some of the button configurations may differ depending on which generation model you have. We have given the most common reset instructions.
If your tablet isn't behaving as it should be, but is still responsive, this should be your first try. It's a simple restart – the equivalent of 'turn it off and on again', which could fix the problem whilst protecting your data and settings.
Hard reset/forced restart
If you want to know how to reset a tablet that is unresponsive, you may want to try a hard (or forced) reset to fix the problem. It isn't any different to a normal restart you'd do when the device is working, except it forces the tablet to respond if it has frozen or is misbehaving in another way.
Factory reset
This solution is the last step to try if the other types of reset haven't worked, or if you want to completely wipe your tablet to give it to someone else or sell it on. If you still need your data, make sure you back it up before starting the process to avoid disappointment (and panic) when it's all gone.
Use the jump links below to skip to your tablet:
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Georgia is lucky enough to be Creative Bloq's Editor. She has been working for Creative Bloq since 2018, starting out as a freelancer writing about all things branding, design, art, tech and creativity – as well as sniffing out genuinely good deals on creative technology. Since becoming Editor, she has been managing the site and its long term strategy, helping to shape the diverse content streams CB is known for and leading the team in their own creativity.
