How to factory reset a BlackBerry smartphone

A factory reset of a BlackBerry® smartphone is a troubleshooting method that completely turns off and restarts the BlackBerry smartphone's operating system software and applications. It is a useful first step if a BlackBerry smartphone is experiencing hardware, software, or wireless network problems.

Note: A reset of a BlackBerry smartphone does not delete any settings or data.

There are two options for performing a reset: a hard reset and a soft reset.

A hard reset involves physically removing the battery from the BlackBerry smartphone and then reinserting it. To perform a hard reset, complete the following steps:

1. Remove the battery cover from the back of the BlackBerry smartphone.
2. Remove the battery, and then reinsert it after a few seconds.
3. Replace the battery cover.

A soft reset is a three-key combination that resets the BlackBerry smartphone without removing the battery. It is only available on BlackBerry smartphone models with a QWERTY keyboard. Do not attempt to perform a soft reset on BlackBerry smartphones that are equipped with SureType® technology or the SurePress™ touch screen, such as the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Series, BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip Series, and BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphone.

To perform a soft reset, complete the following steps:

1. Press and hold the Alt key on the BlackBerry smartphone.
2. While holding down the Alt key, press and hold the Right Shift key.
3. With both of those buttons still pressed, press the Backspace/Delete key. The display on the BlackBerry smartphone turns off to indicate that the reset has started, and the keys can now be released.