How to Factory Reset a Samsung Phone When the Screen Isn’t Working: Your Essential Guide

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A cracked, unresponsive, or completely black screen on your Samsung smartphone can be a frustrating and often immobilizing problem. You might need to sell your device, troubleshoot persistent software glitches, or simply prepare it for repair, and the inability to navigate the touchscreen makes accessing settings impossible. Fortunately, it is still possible to perform a factory reset on your Samsung phone even when the screen is not working. This guide will walk you through the various methods and considerations, ensuring you can effectively reset your device and regain control, even in this challenging situation.

Why You Might Need to Factory Reset a Samsung Phone with a Broken Screen

Several scenarios necessitate a factory reset when your Samsung’s screen is compromised:

  • Preparing for Sale or Trade-in: Before handing over your device, it’s crucial to erase all your personal data. A factory reset ensures that your photos, contacts, accounts, and sensitive information are securely removed.
  • Troubleshooting Persistent Software Issues: If your phone is experiencing frequent crashes, boot loops, or other software malfunctions that you can’t access via the screen, a factory reset can often resolve these problems by returning the software to its original state.
  • Unlocking a Forgotten Password/Pattern: While not a guaranteed solution for all lock screen bypasses, in some cases, a factory reset can remove an inaccessible lock screen if you can’t remember your PIN, password, or pattern.
  • Getting Ready for Repair: Many repair shops will ask that you back up your data and perform a factory reset before they accept your device. This protects your privacy and can sometimes resolve minor issues before they even get to the technician.

Understanding the Risks and Prerequisites

Before proceeding with any factory reset method, it’s vital to understand the implications:

  • Data Loss: A factory reset will permanently erase all data stored on your phone’s internal storage, including apps, photos, videos, music, contacts, messages, and downloaded files.
  • Google Account Lock (FRP): If your phone is logged into a Google account, you will likely encounter Factory Reset Protection (FRP) after the reset. This means you’ll need to enter the credentials of the previously logged-in Google account to set up the phone again. If you don’t know these credentials, your phone might become unusable.
  • Samsung Account Lock: Similarly, if you have a Samsung account linked to your device, you may need to enter its credentials after a reset.

Prerequisites:

  • Battery Charge: Ensure your Samsung phone has at least 50% battery charge to prevent interruption during the reset process.
  • USB Cable: You’ll need a USB cable to connect your phone to a computer for certain methods.
  • Computer: A Windows PC is generally recommended for most methods involving software.
  • Samsung USB Drivers: If you’re using a computer, installing the correct Samsung USB drivers is essential for your PC to recognize your phone. You can usually download these from the official Samsung website.
  • Odin (for advanced users): Odin is a Windows utility that Samsung technicians use to flash firmware. It can be used for advanced resets but requires caution and the correct firmware files.

Method 1: Using Physical Buttons to Access Recovery Mode (Most Common Method)

This is the most common and often the easiest method for performing a factory reset when the screen is unresponsive. It relies on a specific combination of physical buttons to boot your Samsung phone into its recovery mode.

Steps for Samsung Galaxy Devices

The exact button combination can vary slightly depending on the Samsung model, especially between older and newer devices, and those with or without a physical home button.

For Samsung phones with a physical Home button (e.g., Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 5):

  1. Power Off the Phone: If your phone is on, you’ll need to turn it off. Since the screen isn’t working, this might be tricky. If the phone is frozen, you might need to hold the Power button for an extended period (10-20 seconds) to force it to shut down.
  2. Enter Recovery Mode: Once the phone is completely off, press and hold the following buttons simultaneously:
    • Volume Up button
    • Home button
    • Power button
    • Hold all three buttons until you see the Samsung logo appear on the screen, then release all buttons.
  3. Navigate the Recovery Menu: You should now see the Android recovery menu. This menu is navigated using the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, and selections are made by pressing the Power button.
  4. Select “Wipe data/factory reset”: Use the Volume Down button to scroll down to the option that says “Wipe data/factory reset.”
  5. Confirm the Reset: Press the Power button to select it. You’ll be presented with a confirmation screen. Use the Volume Down button to scroll to “Yes” or “Factory data reset” and press the Power button to confirm.
  6. Wait for the Reset to Complete: The phone will now begin the factory reset process. This can take a few minutes.
  7. Reboot System Now: Once the reset is complete, the recovery menu will reappear. The option “Reboot system now” should be highlighted. Press the Power button to select it. Your phone will now restart, and it will be in its factory default state, as if it were brand new.

For Samsung phones without a physical Home button (e.g., Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20, Note 8, Note 9, Note 10 series, all A series and M series post-2017):

  1. Power Off the Phone: Similar to the above, ensure the phone is completely powered off. If it’s frozen, a long press of the Power button should suffice. Some newer models might require holding Volume Down + Power to turn off.
  2. Enter Recovery Mode: Once the phone is off, press and hold the following buttons simultaneously:
    • Volume Up button
    • Bixby button (if present) OR Power button (if no Bixby button)
    • Hold all buttons until you see the Samsung logo, then release them. For newer models without a Bixby button, you might need to hold Volume Up + Power.
  3. Navigate the Recovery Menu: Use the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons to navigate and the Power button to select.
  4. Select “Wipe data/factory reset”: Scroll down to “Wipe data/factory reset.”
  5. Confirm the Reset: Press the Power button to select it. Scroll to “Factory data reset” and press the Power button to confirm.
  6. Wait for the Reset to Complete: The reset process will begin.
  7. Reboot System Now: Once finished, select “Reboot system now” by pressing the Power button.

Important Note for Newer Models (Android 11 and above): Some newer Samsung devices might have a slightly different procedure for entering recovery mode when the screen is completely off. If the above methods don’t work, you might need to connect the phone to a computer and use ADB commands, which is a more advanced technique.

Method 2: Using Samsung Find My Mobile (If Previously Set Up)

Samsung’s Find My Mobile service is a powerful tool that can remotely manage your device, including performing a factory reset. This method requires that you had previously set up a Samsung account on your phone and enabled the Find My Mobile feature.

Prerequisites:

  • Your Samsung phone must be powered on.
  • Your phone must be connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
  • Your Samsung account credentials must be known.
  • Find My Mobile feature must have been enabled on the device.

Steps:

  1. Go to the Find My Mobile Website: Open a web browser on your computer or another device and go to the official Samsung Find My Mobile website: https://findmymobile.samsung.com/
  2. Log In to Your Samsung Account: Enter the email address and password associated with your Samsung account.
  3. Select Your Device: If you have multiple Samsung devices registered, select the phone you wish to reset from the list.
  4. Choose “Erase data”: On the Find My Mobile dashboard for your device, you will see several options. Click on the “Erase data” option.
  5. Confirm Your Identity: You will likely be prompted to re-enter your Samsung account password to confirm your identity and authorize the erase command.
  6. Initiate the Factory Reset: Click “Erase” or “Confirm” to initiate the factory reset.
  7. Wait for the Process: The Find My Mobile service will send a command to your phone to perform a factory reset. This process can take a few minutes. Your phone will restart after the reset is complete.

This method is incredibly convenient as it doesn’t require physical button combinations, but it’s entirely dependent on prior setup.

Method 3: Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) – Advanced Users

This is a more technical method that requires a computer and some command-line knowledge. ADB allows you to interact with your Android device at a deeper level, including initiating a factory reset. This is a good option if the physical buttons are also damaged or inaccessible.

Prerequisites:

  • USB Debugging must have been enabled on your Samsung phone before the screen stopped working. This is a critical prerequisite.
  • Android SDK Platform-Tools installed on your computer. You can download these from the official Android developer website.
  • Samsung USB Drivers installed on your computer.

Steps:

  1. Connect Your Phone to the Computer: Use a USB cable to connect your Samsung phone to your computer.
  2. Open Command Prompt or Terminal:
    • On Windows, search for “cmd” and open Command Prompt.
    • On macOS or Linux, open your Terminal application.
  3. Navigate to the Platform-Tools Directory: Use the cd command to navigate to the directory where you installed the Android SDK Platform-Tools. For example, if you installed it in a folder called “platform-tools” on your desktop, you would type: cd C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop\platform-tools (adjust the path accordingly).
  4. Check if the Device is Recognized: Type the following command and press Enter: adb devices
    • If USB Debugging was enabled and your phone is recognized, you should see your device’s serial number listed. If it says “unauthorized,” you won’t be able to proceed without screen interaction. If it’s not listed at all, you may have driver issues or USB Debugging was not enabled.
  5. Reboot into Bootloader/Download Mode (Optional but recommended for certain resets): While ADB can initiate a reboot, it’s often more reliable to use the button combination to get into the bootloader or download mode if you’re going to flash firmware or perform more drastic actions. However, for a direct factory reset via ADB, you can often proceed from the normal booted state.
  6. Initiate Factory Reset Command: Type the following command and press Enter: adb shell am factory-reset
    • This command tells your phone’s operating system to perform a factory reset.
  7. Wait for the Reset: Your phone should begin the reset process. It will likely reboot automatically once complete.

Important Note: If USB Debugging was not enabled, you cannot use this method. Trying to force it without prior enablement is not possible through standard ADB commands.

Method 4: Using Odin (for Advanced Users and Specific Scenarios)

Odin is a powerful Windows-based software used by Samsung technicians to flash firmware onto Samsung devices. It can also be used to flash a stock firmware package that effectively performs a factory reset. This method is more complex and carries a higher risk if not done correctly.

Prerequisites:

  • Correct Samsung USB Drivers installed on your computer.
  • Odin software downloaded and installed on your computer.
  • The correct stock firmware (often referred to as a “full firmware” or “CSC” file) for your specific Samsung model and region. You can usually find these on reputable Android firmware websites like SamMobile or Frija. Downloading the wrong firmware can brick your device.
  • Your phone needs to be booted into Download Mode.

Steps:

  1. Power Off Your Phone: Ensure your phone is completely turned off.
  2. Enter Download Mode:
    • For phones with a physical Home button: Hold Volume Down + Home + Power button simultaneously until you see a warning screen. Press Volume Up to continue to Download Mode.
    • For phones without a physical Home button: Hold Volume Down + Bixby button (if present) OR Volume Down + Power button until you see a warning screen. Press Volume Up to continue to Download Mode.
  3. Launch Odin on Your Computer: Open the Odin executable file.
  4. Connect Your Phone to the Computer: Connect your phone (which is in Download Mode) to your PC using a USB cable.
  5. Check for Connection in Odin: In Odin, you should see a blue box with a COM port number appear under “ID:COM,” indicating that your phone is recognized. If not, ensure drivers are installed and try a different USB port or cable.
  6. Load the Firmware Files:
    • Click on the “AP” button in Odin.
    • Browse and select the AP firmware file (usually starts with AP_).
    • Click on the “BL” button and select the BL file (starts with BL_).
    • Click on the “CP” button and select the CP file (starts with CP_).
    • Click on the “CSC” button and select the CSC file (starts with CSC_). Crucially, use the CSC_ file, not the HOME_CSC_ file, as the latter will preserve user data.
  7. Configure Odin Options:
    • Go to the “Options” tab in Odin.
    • Ensure that “Auto Reboot” and “F. Reset Time” are checked.
    • It is highly recommended to UNCHECK “Re-Partition” unless you are absolutely certain you know what you are doing, as incorrect use can permanently damage your device.
  8. Start the Flash Process: Click the “Start” button in Odin.
  9. Wait for Completion: Odin will now flash the firmware onto your phone. This process can take several minutes. You will see a “PASS!” message in Odin when it’s successful. Your phone will automatically reboot.
  10. Initial Setup: Once your phone reboots, it will be reset to factory defaults. You will go through the initial setup process as if it were a new device.

Warning: Using Odin incorrectly can lead to a soft brick or hard brick of your device, making it unusable. Always use firmware specifically for your exact model and region, and double-check all steps before proceeding.

Troubleshooting and Important Considerations

  • “No Command” Screen: If you enter recovery mode and see a screen with an Android robot and the words “No Command,” it means you need to press a specific button combination to reveal the recovery menu. This is usually holding the Power button and then quickly pressing the Volume Up button.
  • FRP Lock: As mentioned, if your phone was logged into a Google account, you will need that account’s credentials to set up the phone after the reset. If you don’t have them, you might be locked out of your own device. There are third-party tools and services that claim to bypass FRP, but they often come with security risks and may not be reliable.
  • Samsung Account Lock: Similarly, if you have a Samsung account linked, you might need those details.
  • Data Recovery: Once a factory reset is performed, data recovery is extremely difficult, if not impossible, without specialized forensic tools and expertise. Always prioritize backing up data if there’s any chance you might need it.
  • Professional Help: If you are uncomfortable with any of these methods, or if your phone has suffered significant physical damage beyond just the screen, consider taking it to a reputable phone repair shop. They have the tools and expertise to handle such situations safely.

Performing a factory reset on a Samsung phone with a non-working screen is certainly achievable. By understanding the different methods available, their prerequisites, and potential risks, you can successfully restore your device to its factory settings and move forward, whether that means selling it, preparing it for repair, or resolving stubborn software issues. Always proceed with caution and ensure you have the necessary tools and information before starting any reset process.

Why would I need to factory reset my Samsung phone if the screen isn’t working?

A factory reset is often necessary when your phone’s screen is unresponsive, preventing you from accessing settings or performing a standard reset. This can happen due to software glitches, persistent freezing, or after a failed operating system update. By restoring the phone to its original state, you can often resolve underlying software issues that are causing the screen malfunction.

This process effectively wipes all user data, including installed applications, settings, and personal files, and reinstalls the operating system. Therefore, it’s a last resort solution when other troubleshooting steps, like restarting the device, have failed and you cannot interact with the screen to initiate the reset.

What are the risks of factory resetting a Samsung phone with a broken screen?

The primary risk is data loss, as a factory reset will erase all personal information and settings from your device. If you haven’t backed up your data beforehand, you will permanently lose photos, videos, contacts, messages, and app data. This is especially concerning when the screen is broken, as it makes creating a backup through conventional methods impossible.

Another potential risk, though less common, is that the reset might not resolve the underlying hardware issue causing the screen to malfunction. If the screen damage is physical or severe, a software reset won’t fix it, and you’ll still be left with an unusable device after all your data is gone.

Can I back up my data if my Samsung phone screen is not working?

It’s extremely difficult to back up your data if your Samsung phone screen is not working and you cannot interact with it. Traditional backup methods, such as using Samsung Cloud or Google Drive, require you to navigate through your phone’s settings, which is impossible with a non-functional screen. Similarly, connecting to a computer via USB to transfer files also usually requires you to “Allow” USB debugging or file transfer on the phone’s screen.

However, in some very specific scenarios, if your phone has USB OTG (On-The-Go) support and you have a compatible USB mouse, you might be able to navigate the touch interface indirectly to initiate a backup or transfer files. This is not guaranteed and depends heavily on the severity of the screen issue and the phone’s capabilities.

What is the primary method for factory resetting a Samsung phone with a broken screen?

The most common and effective method involves using the phone’s physical buttons to access the Recovery Mode. This mode is a special environment that allows you to perform system-level tasks, including a factory reset, without needing to interact with the touchscreen. You typically achieve this by pressing a specific combination of power and volume buttons while the phone is turned off.

Once in Recovery Mode, you will use the volume buttons to navigate through the menu options and the power button to select them. You’ll be looking for an option like “Wipe data/factory reset” and then confirming your choice. This allows you to initiate the reset process externally, bypassing the need for a working screen.

What button combinations are typically used to enter Samsung Recovery Mode?

The exact button combination can vary slightly depending on the specific Samsung phone model, but the most common sequence involves pressing and holding the Power button and the Volume Down button simultaneously when the phone is completely powered off. For some models, especially older ones or those with a dedicated Bixby button, it might involve holding the Power button, Volume Up button, and Bixby button together.

It’s crucial to refer to your specific Samsung phone model’s documentation or search online for the correct button combination for entering Recovery Mode. Holding the wrong buttons or for too long can lead to unintended consequences or simply not entering the desired mode.

What should I do after successfully factory resetting my Samsung phone with a broken screen?

After the factory reset is complete, your Samsung phone will likely restart in its factory default state. Since the screen is still not working, you will not be able to go through the initial setup process that normally guides you through connecting to Wi-Fi, signing into your Google account, and restoring data. At this point, the phone is essentially a clean slate, but still unusable due to the broken screen.

Your next steps will depend on your objective. If the goal was to sell or give away the phone, you’ve successfully wiped your data. If you intended to repair and continue using the phone, you will need to get the screen replaced by a qualified technician. Without a working screen, the reset has only addressed potential software issues, not the physical hardware problem.

What are the alternatives to a factory reset if my Samsung phone screen is broken?

If your primary goal is to recover data, and a factory reset will erase it, exploring data recovery services or attempting to connect to a computer with specialized software that might bypass the screen lock could be alternatives. However, these are often costly and not always successful, especially with severe screen damage that prevents any form of connection or recognition.

The most practical alternative, if the phone is otherwise functional and you wish to continue using it, is to have the screen repaired or replaced. This will allow you to access your device normally, back up your data, and perform a standard factory reset if still desired, or simply continue using the phone with a functional display.

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