What is the difference between restarting and a factory reset?

A restart just reboots the system without touching stored data. A factory reset erases the entire phone and reinstalls the system from scratch, which should only be used when a restart does not fix the problem.

My phone does not react when I try to restart it. What now?

If the touchscreen is frozen, press and hold the physical power button for several seconds. Most Android phones force a shutdown this way even without touch input.

How often should I restart my Android phone?

There is no fixed rule, but restarting once every week or two helps clear accumulated cache and keeps background services running smoothly, especially on phones that are rarely turned off.

I restarted the phone but the problem came back within a day. What does that mean?

A problem that returns quickly usually points to a specific app or a storage issue rather than a general system slowdown. Check which app was open right before the issue reappeared and look at how much free storage is left.

Android

Android: Restart Your Smartphone Properly

If apps freeze, the screen lags, or notifications stop coming through, a full restart often fixes the issue without any data loss. Android keeps background services and cache data running for as long as the phone stays on, and over time that buildup slows the whole system down. A restart clears active memory, finishes stalled installations, and gives every service a clean start.

Updated: 04.08.20263 min3 steps

Version

Step by step

1 / 3

Swipe down with two fingers from the top edge

1 / 3

Scroll or use the buttons for the next step

Live simulator

Android 14 · Android 14

Swipe down with two fingers from the top edge

1 / 3

Scroll or use the buttons for the next step

Feedback

Was the guide correct?

Help others: confirm the path or report a problem.

Confirmations

Forum verified this path

Android

Restart the Smartphone auf Android

A slow or unresponsive Android phone is usually not a hardware problem. Most of the time, background services, cached data, or a stuck installation are eating up memory and processing power. A restart shuts down every running process at once and reloads the system fresh, which clears temporary files and lets any pending update or app install finish properly.

To restart, swipe down with two fingers from the top edge, then tap on Power menu, and tap on Restart. The phone shuts down completely and boots up again within a few seconds. All open apps close, but nothing you have saved gets deleted.

A restart works best for temporary glitches: lag, apps crashing, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth not connecting, or notifications arriving late. If the phone still behaves the same way after restarting, the cause usually sits deeper, for example a corrupted app cache, a buggy update, or storage that is almost full. In that case, clearing individual app data or checking available storage is the better next step before trying anything more drastic.

Frequently asked questions

No. A restart only clears active memory and running processes. Photos, apps, messages, and settings stay exactly as they were.

Language & Input

Android: Restart Your Smartphone Properly

Step by step

Was the guide correct?

Restart the Smartphone auf Android

Frequently asked questions

More guides for Android

Change Gboard Keyboard Theme

Reset Advertising ID

Schedule Do Not Disturb

Turn Keyboard Sounds On or Off