Factory Reset (Erase all Data)
The reasons for which you should perform a Factory reset of your Fairphone are:
- To protect your personal data when you are giving your device to someone else (ie. selling, gifting, lending, recycling, or repairing it).
and/or
-
To solve an issue when troubleshooting did not help:
- Make sure you are running the latest software version. If you are not running the latest software, or you are not sure, update your Fairphone to the latest Fairphone OS.
- Test the SIM card(s) - Make sure your SIM card is new and undamaged. An old (+1 year) or damaged SIM card can cause unexpected issues. So if your SIM card is older than two years - or you can not recall how old it is - contact your provider to renew your SIM card.
- Remove your SD card, and troubleshoot your phone in Safe mode to check if an app is causing the issues, or the SD card.
Back up your data
Before you proceed, we recommend that you back up your data.
Performing a Factory reset will wipe all your data, such as photos, sound recordings, downloaded apps, and app settings.
If you don't have a backup of your data, there's a lot of data that you won't be able to recover.
Factory reset
Fairphone starts normally
If your Fairphone boots normally, perform a Factory reset via the Settings menu.
When possible, we recommend using this procedure to avoid triggering the Factory Reset Protection (FRP). You can read more details about FRP at the end of this article.
- Go to Settings → System → Advanced → Reset options → Delete all data (factory reset).
- Tap the button Erase all data.
- Insert your PIN Code if required. You will also have to tap again on the button Erase all data.
Fairphone does not boot anymore.
If your Fairphone does not boot into Android anymore, you will have to perform the reset using the system recovery. Choose your phone below to see the relevant instructions:
- Power off your phone.
- Android 12 or older: Press and hold the Power button to open the power menu. Tap on Power off.
-
Android 13 or newer: Press and hold the Power and Volume up buttons to open the power menu. Tap on Power off.
Tip: you can change this shortcut in Settings → System → Gestures → Press & hold power button.
- Now, press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons together. When the Fairphone logo appears, keep holding Volume up but release the Power button. A new menu will appear with blue, yellow, and white text.
- Use the Volume Up or Volume Down buttons to select Wipe data/factory reset.
- Select Yes -- delete all user data to confirm that you want to delete your personal information.
- Press the Power button to confirm.
Once the action is complete, the message "Data wipe complete" will appear in the bottom. The Recovery system menu will appear once again.
- Use the Volume Up or Volume Down buttons to select Reboot system now.
- One last time, confirm tapping the Power button and wait for your device to restart.
- Make sure your Fairphone 2 is turned off.
- Press and hold the Power button and the Volume Up button. Keep them both pressed until the Fairphone logo appears, which could take up to five seconds (it might take the phone up to one minute to enter the system recovery).
- Once the phone reaches the system recovery, you'll see an Android robot lying on its back. You'll also see the message No command.
- Now, press and hold the Power button, then press and release the Volume Up button. A new menu with blue, yellow, and white text will appear.
- Use the Volume Up or Volume Down buttons to select Wipe data/factory reset.
- Select Yes -- delete all user data to confirm that you want to delete your personal information.
- Again, confirm tapping the Power button.
Once the action is complete, all the way at the bottom left, in white small text, the message Data wipe complete will briefly appear. The Recovery system menu will appear once again.
- Use the Volume Up or Volume Down buttons to select Reboot system now.
- One last time, press the Power button to confirm and wait for your device to restart.
You are done! The first boot will take longer than usual, as the system has to initialize.
- In case you want to leave the recovery system and not continue with the Factory reset, select Reboot system now. Alternatively, you can just briefly remove the battery.
After the reset
Test your device again
In case you did a Factory reset to fix a software issue, in the beginning, we don't recommend restoring your data. Instead, first, test your phone for a day or two.
If the issue is gone, start installing your favorite apps again, a few at a time.
If you are giving the device away
If you performed the reset to sell or gift the phone to someone else, you can now proceed to do so without worrying about your personal information.
Google Factory Reset Protection (FRP)
Also known as Android Device Protection, FRP is an Android safety measure that Google implemented with Android 6.
Simply put, performing a Factory reset via system recovery will NOT delete any Google account login information stored on the phone. This way, if someone stole your phone, they can not change the Google account assigned to your device. As soon as you reboot the phone, you will have to log into the same Google account linked to it before the reset.
If you can not access your Google account, contact Google to help you gain access. If you got a second hand device, contact the person who gave or sold you the device, so they can remove their account from the phone.
If you are planning on selling your Fairphone, follow the instructions above to avoid triggering FRP.
If after reading the article you need more help, contact our Customer Support.