Many people still tend to confuse the Reset Device option with Reset all settings or network settings. In fact, it happened to a reader who sent us an email and ended up losing everything when he just wanted to reset some settings. The point is that they are very different things and as such we have to be careful. Otherwise, we could lose all the data on our smartphone and then it’s always very difficult to recover what we had there. So we will explain the differences but above all what the Reset Device option on smartphones is for. Android.
Be careful when they tell you to reset all settings!
Resetting the device means, in practice, putting the smartphone back in as if it had left the factory. In other words, as the equipment was before it reached our hands. Many people resort to this to solve problems and in fact some situations are really overcome. This is also something you should use if you are going to sell or give equipment to someone. Everything so that no one gets their hands on your information.
![Android: how to find out if an application is fake!, android locate switched off smartphone](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/www.leak.pt/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/apps-android.jpg)
Resetting the device is just like putting your smartphone in a time machine. After the process is complete, your device will be exactly as it was when new. Of course, the reset only applies to software. It cannot reverse any hardware defects.
But how does it all work?
When we purchase a new device like a computer, tablet or smartphone, it comes preloaded with a “base layer” of software. It contains the operating system, some applications and files, etc. When we start using it, we start placing our things.
![Android reset device](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/www.leak.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/repor1.jpg)
Choosing to reset the device is going back to that base layer.
Is it possible to recover data after resetting the device?
Operating systems make it very clear that device reset cannot be undone. But what if you miss something you didn’t remember?
In fact, data recovery after a factory reset is normally impossible. However, if you have a backup, that’s a different matter. Then it will be possible.
![](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+ret_img+to_auto/www.leak.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/repor2.jpg)
Is it dangerous to reset the device too often?
It’s a legitimate question whether repeatedly erasing and overwriting data can cause damage to your device. The good news is that this isn’t really something you need to worry about. Technically, there is no limit to how many times you can reset your Android smartphone.
However, it is true that a factory reset affects the physical memory of the device. This is where the data being erased and rewritten is stored. This repeated cycle can harm memory, but it would take a crazy number of repetitions to have problems.