Restarting, resetting and repairing
You can force your device to restart or shut down if it stops responding or won't
restart normally. No settings or personal data get deleted.
You can also reset your device to its original factory settings. This action is
sometimes necessary if your device stops functioning properly, but note that if you
want to keep any important data, you should first back up this data to a memory card
or other non-internal memory. For more information, see
Backing up and restoring
content
on page 41.
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If your device fails to turn on or you want to reset your device’s software, you can use
Xperia™ Companion to repair your device. For more information on using Xperia™
Companion, see
Xperia™ Companion
on page 38.
If you are sharing a device with multiple users, you may need to log in as the owner, that is,
the primary user, to reset your device to its original factory settings.
To restart your device
Your device may fail to restart if the battery level is low. Connect your device to a charger and
try restarting again.
1
Press and hold down the power key .
2
In the menu that opens, tap
Restart. The device restarts automatically.
To force the device to shut down
1
Open the cover for the nano SIM card and memory card slot.
2
Using the tip of a pen or a similar object, press and hold down the OFF button
for about 10 seconds.
3
After your device emits a series of three quick vibrations, release the OFF
button. The device turns off automatically.
Do not use overly sharp objects that could damage the OFF button.
To perform a factory data reset
Before you start, make sure to back up any important data that is saved on the internal
memory of your device to a memory card or other non-internal memory. Factory data reset will
erase all data from your device’s internal storage, and you will not be able to access the files
on any of your encrypted SD cards again.
To avoid permanent damage to your device, do not restart your device while a reset procedure
is underway.
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap
Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset.
3
Tap
Reset phone.
4
If required, draw your screen unlock pattern or enter your screen unlock
password or PIN to continue.
5
To confirm, tap
Erase everything.
Your device does not revert to an earlier software version of Android™ when you perform a
factory data reset.
If you forget your screen unlock password, PIN or pattern, you can use the device repair
feature in Xperia™ Companion to erase the security layer. You need to provide your Google
account login details to perform this operation. By running the repair feature, you reinstall
software for your device and you may lose some personal data in the process.
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Repairing the device software
If you forget your screen unlock password, PIN or pattern, you can use the device
repair feature in Xperia™ Companion to erase the security layer. You need to provide
your Google account login details to perform this operation. By running the repair
feature, you reinstall software for your device and you may lose some personal data
in the process.
If you can’t turn off your device before performing a software repair, force it to shut
down.
When you receive a new Google™ account username or password, you might not be able to
use them to log in to and recover your device for 72 hours.
To repair the device software using Xperia™ Companion
Before performing a software repair, make sure you know your Google™ account username
and password. Depending on your security settings, you may need to enter them in order to
restart the device after a software repair.
If your device seems to have frozen, restarts repeatedly or doesn’t start at all after
you’ve updated the Xperia™ software or after you’ve performed a software repair or a
factory data reset, try forcing the device to shut down then try turning it back on. If
the problem still exists, force the device to shut down then perform a software repair
by following the steps below:
1
Make sure that Xperia™ Companion is installed on your PC or Mac
®
.
2
Open the Xperia™ Companion software on the computer and click on
Software
repair on the main screen.
3
Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to reinstall the software and
complete the repair.