What Causes My Phone to Reset Itself?
Have you ever experienced the shocking experience of your phone suddenly returning to factory settings without you having to touch anything? Data is lost, apps are blank, and the phone feels like new. Many people assume it's a system error, but there are often more hidden factors behind the incident.
In this article, we'll thoroughly discuss the possible causes of a phone suddenly resetting itself, the signs to look for, and how to prevent this problem from recurring. Don't jump to conclusions. Many cases of automatic resets are actually related to security settings, Google or Apple accounts, or even the actions of loved ones.
Why Can a Cell Phone Reset Itself?
Before discussing solutions, let's first understand some possible causes that are often overlooked. Some cases are technical, but many are related to account security. Furthermore, each phone brand has different features and operating systems.
1. Repeatedly Entering the Wrong Password
Some brands of mobile phones, such as Samsung, have security settings that will automatically reset the device to factory settings if the password is entered incorrectly multiple times.
This feature aims to protect user data from theft. So, rather than have data stolen, the system chooses to erase it all. The problem is, many users are unaware that this feature is active.
Its characteristics include:
- The phone restarts itself after many password attempts.
- A welcome screen appears like a new cellphone.
This often happens when a child uses the phone, or the phone is kept in a bag and the buttons are accidentally pressed.
2. HP is reset remotely
Many people don't know that their phone can be reset remotely via the account security feature.
If your Google or Apple account is logged in on another device, or is known to someone else, they can perform a remote reset via the feature:
- Find My Device (Android)
- Find My iPhone (Apple)
This reset does not require physical access to the phone, just log in to the account connected to the device.
This can happen because:
- Google account is shared.
- The account password is known to someone else.
- Login to the Google account purchased from the marketplace.
- Have you ever logged in on someone else's cellphone or laptop and forgotten to log out?
If your phone suddenly resets, it's likely that someone else reset it via the account security menu.
3. Purchased Google Account or Sharing Account
This is one of the most common causes but is rarely realized.
Some users purchase Google accounts to access the Play Store or log in to specific games. The seller or original owner of the account still has access to the account and can perform a remote reset at any time.
The risks:
- HP can be reset at any time.
- Data lost without warning.
- Potential for data theft.
Using a second-hand Google account, a purchased account, or a shared account is highly discouraged.
4. Someone is doing phishing
Phishing is a form of data theft that involves tricking users into providing their usernames and passwords. Once the passwords are known, the perpetrators can log in to the account and reset the phone.
Signs of phishing:
- Suddenly asked to re-login to Google/iCloud account.
- Receive login notification emails from foreign locations or devices.
- There are applications or sites that ask to log in for no clear reason.
Never enter your Google or Apple account into an unofficial site or app.
5. System Bug or Crash After Update
Technical causes are still possible. A problematic system update or the installation of certain applications can also cause a crash and reset the system to its default settings.
The signs:
- HP often freezes.
- The screen suddenly turned off and restarted.
- Reset occurs after software update.
Usually, this problem occurs on cellphones that are old or whose internal memory is full.
How to Fix a Cell Phone That Suddenly Resets Itself
Here are steps you can take to prevent it from happening again:
A. Check Security Settings
On Samsung or certain brands:
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Select Security.
- Turn off the auto factory reset feature when the wrong password is entered repeatedly.
B. Change Google / Apple Account Password
Immediately do this step if your cellphone resets without any clear reason.
Tips:
- Use a unique and hard-to-guess password.
- Enable two-step verification (2FA).
C. Remove Unknown Devices
Google:
- Go to https://myaccount.google.com (in browser)
- Select Security
- View device list
- Log out of suspicious devices
Apple (iPhone):
- Sign in to icloud.com
- Select Find My iPhone or Manage devices
- Remove foreign devices
D. Don't Use a Purchased Google Account
Use a secure personal account.
E. Avoid Logging In On Other People's Devices
If necessary:
- Login via incognito mode
- Once done, log out and delete the login session.
Signs That Someone Else Has Taken Your Account
- Frequently logs out of Google or Apple accounts.
- Notification there is a login from a new device.
- Password change email that was not your doing.
If this happens, immediately change your password and enable two-step verification.
So, the conclusion...
A phone suddenly resetting itself isn't always due to a system error. Many cases occur due to active security features, accounts being accessed by someone else, or phishing attacks. Check your password settings, secure your Google or Apple account, and never use a purchased account, as someone else can reset your phone at any time without touching your device.
Always use a personal account and enable two-step verification to keep your data secure. Digital security tips like this can help you avoid data and privacy losses. You can find more tips on ajakteman.com.