Skip to main content
An overview of soft resets

A soft reset is a useful method of resolving issues you may experience with your phone. It does not wipe any data of the phone, but resets and reboots the phone. We would recommend trying this if you are experiencing any problems. In this article we have highlighted the different ways to perform a soft reset on different phones.

When may I need to perform a soft reset?

You may need to perform a soft reset if you experiencing ‘software’ issues on your phone. For example, if your phone has frozen or if it is not behaving as you would expect.

Apple iPhone SE, 6, 7, and 8.

  1. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Power-Off slider appear.
  2. Drag the slider across.
  3. Wait 30 seconds for the device to fully turn off.
  4. Press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo is seen.

Apple iPhone X, Xs, XR, 11, 12, or 13

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Press and hold the Side Button.
  4. When the Apple Logo appears, release the button.

Android Phones

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up and Power button together for 20 seconds.
  2. The phone will restart.

Or

  1. Press and hold the Power button for 5-10 seconds to reveal the power button.
  2. Select Restart to shut down the device and power it back on.

Tablets

These same steps can also be used if you are experiencing issues with a tablet too. Generally, if you are using an Android tablet you can perform a soft reset using the following:

  1. Press and hold the Volume Up and Power button together for 20 seconds.
  2. The tablet will restart.

Or

  1. Press and hold the Power button for 5-10 seconds to reveal the power button.
  2. Select Restart to shut down the device and power it back on.

Laptops

You can also soft reset your laptop. If you are using Windows software, you can use the following steps:

  1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.

Or

  1. Select ‘Shut Down’ or ‘Restart’ from the start menu.

What is a soft reset doesn’t resolve the issue?

If a soft reset doesn’t resolve your issue it could be a setting that needs adjusting, or a full reset may be required. We would recommend contacting the relevant support team or consulting your user manual for further troubleshooting tips.