How to reset a frozen Moto G7

Modern smartphones are pretty impressive when it comes to performance and the Moto G7 is no exception, coming with an array of cutting-edge functions that indicate great innovation in design and assembly. These features, however, are highly demanding and can sometimes overwhelm and crash the device. This is expected of electronic gadgets and can be dealt with by simply doing a reset. There are several ways to do that depending on the issue and each one can be consecutively tried until the problem is fixed.

Light Reset

This reset method is basically a forceful reboot of the device. It is quite effective if the device stops responding to inputs of touch or when the display just goes blank or switches off totally. Usually, this is also accompanied by an unresponsive on/off button. To execute this reset:

  • Make sure the device is charged and hasn’t simply shut down, especially in the case of a blank screen or an unresponsive power key
  • Press the power key for about 20 seconds without releasing it
  • The device should switch on and launch itself up to the boot menu, where you need to select the reboot option and proceed.

For small issues, this very simple reset should be sufficient to bring the device back to normal. It’s also quite convenient because it does not erase any data from the device and the user can simply pick up right from where they left off once it’s done. If this isn’t effective, then it’s time to call in the big guns.

Hard or Factory Reset

This is a more thorough reset that removes all the user data gained during usage. This means one must make a backup before attempting to execute it. It is generally advisable to have consistent backups to platforms such as Google drive regularly. Once everything is in place in terms of backup, ensure the device is sufficiently powered (about 25% at least) or connected to a charger, then follow these simple steps:

  • Navigate to the Settings menu on the device
  • Scroll to the "Advanced" category and locate "Reset Options."
  • Select the "factory reset" option which will give you a warning that all device data will be erased. Confirm this and proceed
  • The device will prompt a screen lock input as a security precaution. Enter this and select the ‘erase everything’ option to execute.

This reset should fix all problems and reboot the phone with a clean slate. Avoid Google personalization or backup recovery during the initial start-up for a faster and less complicated reset. Instead, configure all this once it has fully returned to normal operations. If this reset method is ineffective or not executable, another option is detailed below.

Use the buttons to reset

This method is useful when the phone is inaccessible due to security features like screen lock. Just like the second method, all the data in the device will be wiped out and it will be restored to its ‘new’ state. Have the Google account details of the device close and ready because they’ll be required later on. The battery must also be at least 25% and a convenient Wi-Fi network must be close to execute this reset.

  • Press the "lower volume" key simultaneously with the power key until the device responds
  • Now press the lower volume key again to bring up the mode for recovery
  • Once the recovery flag appears, confirm this mode with the power key
  • Simultaneously press the volume up and power keys, which will bring up a set of options
  • Navigate to the erase data option using the volume keys and confirm the selection with the power key, which will prompt more confirmation.

The device will perform a factory reset and erase everything on the device. Personalization will have to be redone after completing the reset, which should fix all the device problems.

Join our newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss out on what's happening in the tech world. It's that simple.
subsc

🚀 Trusted source for tech since 2012