What is a factory reset and when should you do it?

25th February 2025

What is a factory reset and when should you do it?

“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”

Factory resets are almost an IT cliché, thanks in part to the IT Crowd show. Often though, they can help to resolve problems, as daft as it may seem.

I’m sure even the most IT reluctant people reading this have at one stage or another used this classic technique: internet not working? Turn it off, wait a bit, turn it back on. TV image playing up? Unplug, wait, then plug in again.

A factory reset is similar, it starts from scratch to ensure everything is working perfectly. It erases all the data, settings and applications that were on a device, restoring the system to its original state.

Why might an IT specialist suggest a factory reset?

1. Troubleshooting: it may help to resolve performance problems and software issues that you haven’t been able to fix so far.

2. Security: by resetting the system malware, viruses or other unauthorised software may be wiped from the device.

3. Data Privacy: if you are planning on selling the device on or returning it to an employer it is important to erase your personal data.

4. Preparation for New Users: when a new user is given access to device it is best if the device is clean of threats and data.

5. System Updates: sometimes a factory reset is needed to properly install major system updates or to revert the system back to a stable version after a problematic update.

If you think one of your devices could use a factory reset, then speak to your IT support team: it might not always be the solution – occasionally though turning it off and on again will do the trick!

Want to know more about factory resets? Contact us HERE.