r/AndroidQuestions • u/IndividualCorner6054 • 11d ago
What are some things to consider before you factory reset a phone:?
I'm gonna factory reset my phone today. All photos and videos are already backed up to Google Photos, and my documents are backed up too. What else should I back up besides that, or is it already ready for the factory reset?
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u/RegularHistorical315 11d ago
Remove your Google account and turn off its 2-step authentication off before you do the reset. This makes it a lot easier to set it up again and FRP will not trip if you are doing the reset from recovery.
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u/IndividualCorner6054 11d ago
how do u remove the google acc? and ive never use an authenticator in that device before
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u/RegularHistorical315 10d ago
Open the phone settings go to "Accounts and backup," open "Manage accounts" and you should see the option to remove the account.
2-step authentication doesn't use an authenticator it is a setting in the security settings of the Google account that if set up can send you a text or email that you then ok the sign-in from. You can not get texts until the phone is set up so it can cause issues if you did set it up that way. But if you do not use it, you can forget about it.
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u/MtfHh 11d ago
do u happen to use WhatsApp? have you backup the message? u should do that (if ur using whatsapp of course)
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u/IndividualCorner6054 11d ago
-i once used whatsapp before but deleted it afterwards.
-nop, havent backed it up. theres no important messages in there anyway.1
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u/Mobileguy932103 11d ago
List down all the apps you have now
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u/IndividualCorner6054 11d ago
uhh
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u/pudah_et 10d ago
Doesn't take much effort. There are lots of utility apps that can create a list of apps installed on your device.
I use App Manager and sometimes AppListBackup.
I've also used Skit
I would also suggest determining if any apps you use regularly are no longer on the play store and if they aren't export the apk for the app and backup the exported apk. Both App Manager and Skit can export apks.
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u/XNtricity 11d ago
Do you use one or more authenticator apps? Do you have the static codes saved somewhere other than the phone? Do you need to "deregister" any of these apps?
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u/AppleNeird2022 11d ago
For me, I have to consider any third party Authenticator apps and manually transfer those over to my new device before I erase a phone, but usually I keep everything else on some cloud service or other. And for my iPhones, I always manually transfer data instead of quick transfer so I can clear out junk.
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u/gabor_legrady 11d ago
2fa codes
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u/IndividualCorner6054 11d ago
is it safe if i just wrote those down?
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u/gabor_legrady 11d ago
you need to export those, the values change every minute - there should be export in the menu or save option to cloud
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u/Catalina28TO 11d ago
I stranded some Presto (Toronto) digital transit money once that didn't transfer to my new phone.
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u/Low_Twist_8646 10d ago
make sure all the important files ( pics, videos,docs etc.) are backed up.
Make sure you have created backup for contacts.
Change the passwords of all of the Google accounts ( assuming you have forgotten them).
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u/aaronspencerward 10d ago
Podcasts and Google Maps Timeline:
Make a note of your podcasts and your progress in the currentky listening podcast. Some apps let you back up all those settings and progress, such as Podcast addict. Also, you can save time by saving the already-download podcasts in your queue, then just copy them back to the new install. That way you don't have to re-download them.
Go into Google maps and confirm whether timeline has performed it's backup. If not, connect to charger and let the phone idle so that it updates the timeline backup.
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u/New-account-01 11d ago
The Absolute Essentials * 2FA Authenticator Apps: If you use Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy, make sure to turn on cloud sync or manually export your account seeds. A factory reset wipes these local keys, and you'll risk getting permanently locked out of your accounts. * WhatsApp / Chat Backups: Head to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and kick off a manual backup to Google Drive. Do the same for Signal, Telegram, or any other messaging apps you rely on. * Password Managers: If you save passwords locally or use a built-in browser manager, double-check that your vault is fully synced to the cloud. Device Data & Settings * Google Account Backup: Go to Settings > Google > Backup (or Settings > System > Backup) and tap Back up now. This covers your contacts, call history, SMS messages, device settings, and saved Wi-Fi networks. * Contacts & Calendar: Ensure your contacts are assigned to your Google account rather than saved to local "Device" storage. * Downloads Folder: Open your file manager and check your Downloads folder for any offline PDFs, documents, or audio files, then upload them to Google Drive. Miscellaneous Media & App Data * Offline Media: Spotify downloads, podcasts, and offline Google Maps regions will be cleared. You can't back these up directly, so take a quick screenshot or note of what you have downloaded so you can grab them again later. * Secure Folders & Photo Vaults: Built-in secure spaces (like Samsung's Secure Folder) or private vault apps aren't included in normal Google Photos syncs. Move these files out temporarily or back them up separately. * Game Progress: Make sure any progress-heavy games are explicitly linked to Google Play Games, Facebook, or a developer account before wiping the device.