factory reset

Meaning

A factory reset is the process of restoring an electronic device to its original system state by erasing all information and settings. It is typically done to fix software issues, clear personal data before selling a device, or start fresh. The phrase can be used as a noun or a verb.

Examples

• Before you sell your old phone, make sure you perform a factory reset to erase your personal data.

  Before you sell your old phone, make sure you perform a factory reset to erase your personal data.

• My tablet was lagging so badly that I had to factory reset it.

  My tablet was lagging so badly that I had to factory reset it.

• A factory reset will delete all your photos, so back them up first.

  A factory reset will delete all your photos, so back them up first.

• If the router keeps disconnecting, a factory reset might fix the issue.

  If the router keeps disconnecting, a factory reset might fix the issue.

• The IT department recommended a factory reset to clear the malware.

  The IT department recommended a factory reset to clear the malware.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to make a factory reset on my laptop.

  ✓ I need to perform a factory reset on my laptop.

  While 'do' is sometimes heard, 'perform' or 'run' are the correct collocations when using 'factory reset' as a noun, or you can use it directly as a verb.

• ✗ The factory reset deleted my cloud backups.

  ✓ The factory reset deleted my local data.

  A factory reset only affects the physical storage on the device itself, not data stored in the cloud.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If your phone is completely frozen, you might need to do a ___.

  💡 The term for restoring a device to its original out-of-the-box settings.

  Show answer

  factory reset

• Remember to back up your files before you ___ your computer.

  💡 Used here as a verb meaning to wipe and restore the system.

  Show answer

  factory reset