How to Recover Data After Factory Reset on Android?

Summary: A factory reset erases all data on your Android phone, sometimes, even the files you wanted to retain. In this guide, we will discuss how you can recover your lost files after a factory reset using Google Backup or Android data recovery software. Use the best method applicable for your situation.

Table of Content:

• How to Recover Data After Factory Resetting Android?
• What is a Factory Reset in Android?
• Why is an Android Factory Reset Necessary?
• What Does a Factory Reset Affect?
• How to Recover Lost Data after a Factory Reset in Android?
• How to Restore Data Using Stellar Android Data Recovery Tool?

How to Recover Data After Factory Resetting Android?

Sometimes, you might need to reset your Android phone to fix some device malfunction or performance issues. However, a factory reset deletes all the data on your phone, including your important documents and media files. So, how can you recover this lost data? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. In this guide, learn how to recover data from your Android phone, even after a factory reset.

What is a Factory Reset in Android?

A factory reset returns the phone to the same state when it was new. When you perform a factory reset on the phone, the memory is wiped entirely, and the phone returns to its default state.

Why is an Android Factory Reset Necessary?

There are many reasons for performing an Android factory reset, such as:

1. The biggest culprit is malware. It can make a phone screen freeze or go into a restart loop.
2. An Android phone receives several kinds of updates – performance updates to improve memory usage, Android updates for a newer version of the operating system, and security updates to plug vulnerabilities. Updates can cause phones to malfunction and necessitate a factory reset.
3. If the fingerprint detector is malfunctioning or you have forgotten the password/pattern, you may need to factory reset your phone.

What Does a Factory Reset Affect?

An Android factory reset will make the following changes:

• A factory reset changes all your phone settings to default. The ringtone, volume, brightness, wallpaper, etc. will revert to what they were when you bought the device.
• It removes any app you have installed from the Play Store. But it does not remove apps that were preinstalled.
• It removes connections and deletes stored passwords to all Wi-Fi networks.
• It erases all data stored on the phone, including photos, videos, PDFs, etc.

How to Recover Lost Data after a Factory Reset in Android?

There are essentially two ways to recover data after a factory reset. We shall discuss these methods one by one.

Method 1. Restore your Backed-up Data via your Google Account

The steps are from a phone running Android 14. Depending on the manufacturer, UI, and Android version, the steps might slightly differ.

1. Turn on the phone and select “Language.”

2. Sign in to a Wi-Fi network.

3. The phone will show the “Getting your phone ready”

4. The next screen will allow you to “Copy apps and data.” Tap Next

5. If you are prompted to transfer data from your old device, tap the “Can’t use the old device?”

6. Log in to your Google account

7. The Android phone will automatically restore your Google One backup

8. There might be several device backups. Select the one you want.

9. Android might prompt you to enter a PIN (if you had one when you did the factory reset)

10. Select the data you want to restore, e.g., app data, device settings, photos, videos, etc.

 

So, you can see that restoring your data from a Google Backup is easy and reliable. However, it will replace everything currently on your Android phone with the backed-up data. To overcome this drawback, you need to use Android data recovery software.

Method 2. Restore your Data using Android Data Recovery Software

You might have reset your Android phone without backing it up. This is a common mistake and sometimes the only choice. However, there is a way to get your data back even without a backup.

A reputed Android data recovery software, like Stellar Android Data Recovery tool, makes it easy to retrieve contacts, messages, media, photos, and more. It can also easily recover deleted data from an Android phone’s internal memory or SD card.

Stellar Android Data Recovery software uses advanced algorithms to thoroughly scan your Android device’s memory for maximum data recovery.

How to Restore Data Using Stellar Android Data Recovery Tool?

1. Download and install Stellar Android Data Recovery Software

2. Select the specific type of data you want to recover from your Android device (e.g., photos, videos, contacts)

3. Connect the phone to your PC using a USB cable.

4. On the phone, a pop-up will appear “Use USB For”. Tap on “File Transfer/Android Auto”.

5. Next, you have to enable “USB Debugging”.

6. Go to “Settings” > “About Phone”.

7. Tap the “Build number” 7 times.

8. Tap “Developer Options”.

9. Tap “Enable USB Debugging” and “Install via USB”.

10. The Stellar Android Data Recovery Software will now display “Connected Device”.

11. Click “Install” at the next pop-up: “Install via USB”.

12. Next, a pop-up will ask for access to call logs, contacts, SMS, and photos. Click “Allow” to all.

13. Next, the software will scan your device. Allow it some time to complete.

14. When the scan is complete, click “OK”.

15. You can see the folders in the left pane. Open the folders and you can preview the files.

16. After connecting your Android phone, click “Scan” to begin the search for lost and deleted data.

17. Choose the ones you want to save and click “Save” to restore them to your computer.

So, you now know how to use Stellar Android Data Recovery software to recover your data when the Backup and Restore option (via Google’s backup feature) isn’t viable.

We hope this article has helped answer how to recover lost data after a factory reset in Android. Do you have any queries or tips? Please share them in the comments below.

Watch Video on: Best Android Data Recovery Software: Recover Deleted Photos/Video/Files!!

FAQs

1. Can I use any cloud backup for my Android device? 

You can back up an Android phone to any cloud service – Google Cloud, OneDrive, or Dropbox. When you sign into Android, it turns on sync (unless you have opted out). Moreover, with billions of users, Google has a strong support community. You can ask Google Support, ask Google communities, and seek help from reliable sources about how to recover data after a factory reset.

2. How much storage is there on Google Drive?

Your Google Account includes 15 GB of free storage shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. In comparison, OneDrive offers 5 GB free, and Dropbox offers 2 GB for free.

If you want more, you have to sign up for Google One. Google One is a subscription service offered by Google that provides expanded cloud storage (and other benefits).

3. How do I back up my smartphone locally and recover data after a factory reset?

If you have a Samsung, you could back it up to your PC using a Samsung Smart Switch. Similarly, One Plus has a Clone Phone app that lets you back up your phone to a local drive. It depends on the manufacturer and if they have a local backup system.

4. Can I recover data if my phone has a broken screen?

If the screen has shattered, you cannot access your phone normally. Stellar Android Data Recovery software installs on the PC and connects through USB Debugging mode. There will be no problem recovering data after a factory reset if the screen is broken.

5. Is there a free trial version of the software?

Stellar Android Data Recovery software is free to download and install. The software will show you a preview of all the files you have lost. If you want to save them, you’ll need to buy a license.