Released August last year, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is aimed at serving a very specific target market. Perfect for those who take ‘work’ wherever they go or for content creators who record or make content in the most random moments, this phablet is everything you need for a portable ‘studio’.

If you’re considering buying this specific model from the Samsung cosmos, let’s take a look and unlock its features.

Top-level Overview

Pros 

• The brightest AMOLED Screen so far 
• Sharp Space Zoom cameras 
• Long battery life 
• Powerful new features 
• The gaming experience is amazing
• The S Pen has become much more intuitive

Cons 

• Very expensive 
• Less memory capacity compared to previous Note models 
• The curved display is aesthetically pleasing but annoying at times. 
• Fingerprint resistant finish 
• The camera bulges too much and it’s too bulky

Design and Build Quality

What you’ll like: 

If you’re buying a Note for the first time, you’ll definitely fall in love with the Note20 Ultra. It is a beautiful phablet (phone and tablet) with a matte bronze finish standing 6.9 inches tall. The weight of the phone is just about right, it is substantial enough to assert itself as a premium flagship device, but not too heavy that it feels like it’s made with cheap materials. 

The whole phone is made of Gorilla Glass both front and back and has a stainless steel frame. It is fingerprint resistant so you don’t have no need to wipe it too often. 

And if you’re feeling like taking your phone underwater to take incredible beach pictures, have no fear, because this flagship can stay submerged in up to 1.5m underwater for 30 minutes (IP68 dust/water resistant ). For sure you’ll have been able to take a lot of pictures by then. 

Related: How to permanently Factory Unlock your phone with the Mobile Device Unlock App.

What you won’t like: 

Design-wise, there are many things you wouldn’t like about the Note20 if you were to compare it with other flagships. Just like its predecessors, the Note20 Ultra has a curved display, although Samsung has managed to keep the apps away from the edges, it does cause accidental screen taps. 

The cameras at the back bulge off the back too much that the phone can’t lay flat on a surface. It makes the phone rock when you lay it down and because they hit the surface first, they are prone to breakage. Good to remember if you’re a butterfinger. 

It does make up for its 5X optical zoom ability which is very stable even up to 20x. You can zoom up to 50x and still get a decent photo, but it might be a bit too shaky for some. And if you’re not a leftie, you probably wouldn’t appreciate how they have moved the S-pen to the left hand side in this series. 

Lastly, this flagship is very, very expensive. From T-Mobile, the full price is $1299.99 when bought

The Note20 Ultra has an advanced chipset and operating system making it one of the fastest phones today. 

What’s in the box:

Cameras.

The cameras at the back may look unsightly but it captures way better than the Note20 5G. It has a dedicated autofocus sensor at the back that helps ensure your images are steady and sharp even when you zoom in up to 50x. 

It can be a preference type of issue, but the Note20 Ultra cameras make faces washed out or too ‘filtered’. 

If you’re a filmmaker or video content creator that takes a lot of raw videos, the Pro Video Mode is an absolute treat for you. You have the ability to tweak anything from the exposure to the white balance. Moreover, you can choose your bluetooth earbuds as the audio source so when you’re recording videos or vlogging outside, you can effectively reduce the background noise.

The S-pen.

Whether you’re taking notes or drawing, the S-Pen is your companion for your day-to-day work. It feels natural and smooth, and you will love how it came with new intuitive features. 

Samsung added new air gestures for the S-Pen and it’s a fast shortcut for when you’re in a hurry or multi-tasking between apps. You can even take screenshots you can write on or annotate! 

Gaming 

Whether you play small or play big, the Note20 Ultra is able to keep up with your needs. You can use DeX Mode and play on a 4K TV and you can stream XBox games and play with no lags. 

Aside from gaming, you can cast your Note20 Ultra screen on a TV and open multiple apps. You can also show your whole Note20 Ultra screen on a laptop or PC and be able to take calls, or run multiple apps side by side. 

With its 4500 mAh battery which can last a day on normal use, with music or video streaming, gaming, calling and more. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is the ultimate dream phone for content creators who take their craft seriously, and a great phone for multi-taskers who take work everywhere they go. 

Is it worth its hefty price? 

For all the features it offers and the quality of the build, it is every bit worth its thousand dollar price tag. 

Compared to other flagship manufacturers within the same price point, the Note20 Ultra boasts superior features than the rest- moreover, with so many trade-in discounts nowadays, you will still be able to slash off a good amount from the original price making this phablet a steal. 

That’s it for our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, we hope this helped!

Here at UnlockBase, our goal is to help you unlock the best potential of your device by giving you freedom over your choice of carriers. If you find yourself wanting to permanently unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, choose the one that best fits your situation below. 

Tracfone is well known for its non-contract services as a prepaid mobile service provider. Being able to enjoy the fastest networks from the US and in some parts of Mexico, Tracfone is an affordable way to get connected while you’re on a budget. 

And today at UnlockBase, we’re happy to announce that we now support unlock for all Tracfone devices including its subsidiaries Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, Total Wireless, Walmart Family Mobile, and GoSmart, Net10 Wireless, and Page Plus Cellular. 

If you own a Tracfone device or any of the above-mentioned prepaid services carrier, you can now have your phone unlocked so you can use it on any network across the globe! 

How to Permanently Sim Unlock Tracfone Devices

All Tracfone (and its subsidiaries) devices, both GSM and CDMA, can now be unlocked through UnlockBase. 

The process is fairly easy. Here’s how: 

1. Dial #TFUNLOCK# (#83865625#) to open the Unlock Code menu

2. The device will ask for 2 Unlock Codes: In the first field, please enter the MCK/DEFREEZE Code. In the second field, please enter either the SPCK code OR (in case you did not receive an SPCK code), the NCK/NETWORK code.

3. Your device will show a “Device Unlocked“ message and may reboot.

4. That’s it – Your device is now successfully unlocked and ready to use with any GSM carrier worldwide!

Having your Tracfone phone unlocked is easy, the unlock codes for your device will be provided by UnlockBase! If you want to have your Tracfone phone unlocked, we have to know a few information from you in order for us to generate the unlock codes.

We need your device model number, its IMEI or serial number (how to know your IMEI code here), and your carrier. 

How to Know If You’re Using Tracfone GSM or CDMA Phone

There are two types of Tracfone devices, CDMA and GSM. It is important to know that an unlocked CDMA phone will only work with CDMA carriers, and an unlocked GSM phone will only work with GSM carriers. 

If you are planning to switch carriers, please make sure that your phone is compatible with the type of network your new carrier is servicing. 

Although most carriers in the USA are GSM, many carriers such as Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular still use CDMA. On the other hand, the more commonly known carriers that are GSM are T-Mobile and AT&T. 

If you are unsure what type of Tracfone you own, here is an easy way how: 

For older Tracfone device

• If your phone model ends with a “G”, then it means you are using a phone compatible with a GSM carrier. 

• If your phone model ends with either a “C” it means you are using a phone compatible with a CDMA network. 

For new Tracfone device

• If your phone model ends with “VL” it means it’s using the Verizon-LTE network. 

• Some GSM phones from Tracfone use “AL” or “BL” which means they are either using AT&T LTE or T-Mobile LTE. There are also “DL”and “TL” models both of these are GSM as well.

For the best experience with your unlocked Tracfone device, we recommend that you choose the carrier which has the best coverage in your area. 

Conclusion

For the best experience with your unlocked Tracfone device, we recommend that you choose the carrier which has the best coverage in your area. 

Moreover, please note that most of the world uses GSM, good to know if you want to travel outside the USA and want to use a Tracfone device. 

For its $1000 price tag, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G is a pricey flagship device. It is among the most expensive phones on the Android flagship range and just a hundred dollars shy of the price of the latest iPhones. 

If you’re considering buying this specific model from the Samsung cosmos, let’s take a look and unlock its features.

Top-level Overview 

Pros 

• Good screen 
• Good camera 
• Premium look 
• Good battery life 
• Powerful features

Cons 

• Plastic back cover 
• No headset in the box 
• High price 
• Too pricey for its build

Design and Build Quality 

Right off the box, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G is eye candy. It is available in several metallic colors (only one color available for T-Mobile), and its glossy, matte finish will not disappoint your imagination. 

It looks beautiful, and its substantial weight makes it feel premium on the hands. 

The S-pen’s new location is a welcome surprise. It is now on the left side, and many left-handed people love this new orientation. 

It has aluminum sidings, and it still has the usual boxy Note design, but without the edgy corners, the Note usually has. The Note20 5G has rounded corner edges that fit easily to the curve of your palms. 

What you’ll like: 

Right off the box, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G is eye candy. It is available in several metallic colors (only one color available for T-Mobile), and its glossy, matte finish will not disappoint your imagination. 

It looks beautiful, and its substantial weight makes it feel premium on the hands. 

The S-pen’s new location is a welcome surprise. It is now on the left side, and many left-handed people love this new orientation. 

It has aluminum sidings, and it still has the usual boxy Note design, but without the edgy corners, the Note usually has. The Note20 5G has rounded corner edges that fit easily to the curve of your palms. 

What you won’t like: 

For its price, it is a disappointment to see that the Note20 5G doesn’t have the glass case like in other Samsung flagships within its price range. 

Its polycarbonate back cover looks a lot like the glass back of the Note20 Ultra 5G, but you can feel how glossier the glass back cover is. 

But it comes with an upside- because it is plastic, dropping the phone may not incur as much damage as you would with the glass back ones (if you are not using any rubber or plastic cover case). 

Overall, the Note20 5G has the casing and the looks of the previous Galaxy S-series flagships before it. 

Tech Specs 

When it comes to its tech features, you wouldn’t be disappointed with Note20 5G. It is what Samsung says it is: a powerphone. 

With all-new apps, features, and tech upgrades, this phone is a match made in heaven for artists, multi-taskers, and avid gamers. It runs on the Android 10.0 OS, has a wide and beautiful FHD+ display, and a 4300mAh battery. 

You also get three cameras at the back that is powerful enough to shoot in 8K quality. It has 3x hybrid optical zoom and up to 30x hybrid zoom. Its powerful cameras let you take noise-free images even when you’re shooting pictures at night. 

As the model name itself suggests, the Note20 5G is part of the galaxy series that is made to help you take advantage of the hyperfast 5G network.

What’s in the box:

Cameras.

The Galaxy Note20 5G has a 10MP selfie camera in front, which also occupies a tiny hole in the front screen.

It has three sets of rear cameras: one 12MP Ultra Wide camera, one 12MP Wide-angle camera, and one 64MP Telephoto camera. 

As mentioned earlier, the cameras let you shoot videos in 8K quality. It has Pro mode that lets you control the zoom speed. You can zoom in slow and zoom out fast with easy screen controls. 

If you’re a content creator, you definitely won’t need to bring bulky high-resolution cameras to make great quality videos.

The S-pen.

The S Pen has always been part of what makes Galaxy Notes so appealing. The Note20 and Note20 Ultra have new S Pen features that allow you to navigate without touching the phone. There are five new gesture control features:  Back, Home, Recents, Smart Select, and Screen Write. 

Our personal favorite, Screen Write, takes a screenshot of whatever’s on your screen at that moment and allows you to annotate or write on it and then share. 

Gaming 

If you’re looking to get the best gaming experience with the Galaxy Note20 5G, you can add the MOGA XP5-X+ Controller. This Bluetooth controller has a clip phone holder that lets you play Xbox games from the cloud-like a pro. 

Conclusion: 

One major downside of this model is the fact that it doesn’t come with a headset. There’s usually an AKG headphone that comes with the box, and for a $1000-dollar phone, it is a disappointment. It may not be a big deal for some who have greater quality earbuds than the basic AKG headphones, but they surely add value to the whole package. 

Despite that, Note20 5G packs new features, a new operating system, and faster, much better hardware. Although the experience is not that far from the previous Note phones, you’ll surely feel how much better it is to use than the rest of the other flagships within and beyond the Samsung cosmos. 
That’s it for our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G, we hope this helped!

Do you have an old Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that is no longer working? The display looks fine but it’s not responding even if you charge the battery? Well, before you throw that vintage beauty away, there’s a way to bring it back to life and even remove the sim lock from its carrier. And that is by replacing its motherboard. 

Disclaimer: Yes, you will have to tinker with your phone’s hardware. By following this guide, you acknowledge the risk and we will NOT take responsibility if any damage is done. 

Now that we have that cleared up and you still want to bring your Note 3 to life, here are the basic tools you will need to follow this guide: 

• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 
• A factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Motherboard (you can purchase it from third-party sellers, make sure to double-check the correct model number).
• J1 screwdriver

If you have all the tools needed, then let’s get started! 

Below are the steps on how to replace Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Motherboard:

• Carefully remove the battery, SIM card (if any), and microSD card (if any).

• Remove the IMEI sticker, and replace it with one that came with your replacement motherboard. If if didn’t come with a sticker, leave it blank.
• Take out all twelve screws.
• Remove the cover by prying on the side of the battery compartment.

• Disconnect all of the cables as indicated by the picture below.
• Slowly remove the motherboard from the phone.
• Slowly install the replacement motherboard. Work out all of the connectors, and ensure that they’re all above the motherboard.

• Reconnect the cables as indicated in the picture below.
• Replace the cover. Massage the entire edge of the phone. To ensure that the cover is snapped in place.
• Screw all twelve screws.

• Insert SIM, and/or micro SD card (if you have one).
• Insert the S-Pen and install the battery cover.
• Turn on the phone and ensure that it works!

If you followed all the steps of how to replace Samsung Galaxy Note 3 motherboard correctly, then your phone should work. This is one of the hacks that can factory unlock a previously locked phone otherwise if you have a sim locked Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that works just fine but you want to unlock or use it with another carrier, you can always have it unlocked through us! 

Give us a chat or go to our unlock phone page and choose your device and your carrier. Price may vary depending on your device model number, carrier or type of service, but we have the most competitive prices and the fastest turnaround times in the market! Over 8 million people worldwide have trusted us to unlock their phones! 

That’s it for this guide! If you think this helped you immensely, please return us the favor and share this with your friends! Just click on the share button for Facebook or Twitter at the end of this post. 

Follow us on FB or Twitter for more guides, infographics, and the latest phone reviews!

Important: This video guide is about how to enable ADB (Android Debug Bridge) on Samsung phones that are running Android 5.0 and up (also known as Android Lollipop). To check your phone’s android version, go to Settings > About Phone > Android Version.

It’s always a requirement to allow USB debugging on your phone before we proceed into the unlocking process. It’s because this is the only way possible for our remote unlock team to successfully conduct a USB Cable unlock on your phone. 

By connecting your phone to a computer, you can make changes and push commands on your phone from your computer.

Most importantly, our Cable Unlock software can only calculate your phone’s unlock code when it can communicate to your phone via the computer. You will need to install it on your computer and have your phone enable the ADB for the cable unlock to be successful. 

Below is a 1-minute video that supplements this guide:

Step by step images on how to enable ADB Samsung Galaxy Android 5.0

Step 1. First, download and install the driver pack from our website. 

Open the zip file and extract it. Drag the Samsung folder to the desktop. 

Double click on it and start the installation process.

Step 2. Enable USB debugging on the phone. 

On your phone, go to Settings > About Device > Software Information > Build Number

Tap “Build number” at least 7 times until you see “Developer mode has been turned on” or it says “You are now 1 step away from becoming a developer”.

Press the return/back button twice. 

Scroll down and go to “Developer options”.

Scroll down and turn on “USB Debugging”.You will be prompted with the question “Allow USB debugging?”, just tap “OK”.

Step 3. Connect the phone to computer via USB cable.

Plug one end of the USB cable to the computer’s USB port and the other end to the phone. When prompted, check the checkbox beside “Always allow from this computer”, then tap “OK”.

NOTE: To avoid connectivity problems, connect it directly to the computer’s USB port. Do not use a USB hub, USB extension, and if using a desktop computer, use the USB ports on the back.

And that’s it, your phone is now ready ADB enabled and it’s ready for the next step of the unlock process. If you have questions about this guide, we can start the conversation at the comment box below! 

If you think this guide helped you immensely, please return us the favor and share this with your friends! Just click on the share button for Facebook or Twitter at the end of this post. Follow us on FB or Twitter for more guides, infographics, and the latest phone reviews!

Did you know that you can use a Z3X Box to unlock Samsung Galaxy J1?

And there are plenty of other Samsung phones you can unlock with it? But in this guide, we will cover how you can do it with the 2016 model Samsung Galaxy J1. If you already have configured the Z3 box and have installed the necessary drivers and software, you’re ready for this tutorial!

On the other hand, if you think you need professional help, you can contact our remote unlock team for help. 

Below is the video guide created for this article:

The following steps have screenshots from the phone and the computer to give you a visual guide on how to navigate through each device. 

Step 1. Enable USB Debugging on Samsung Galaxy J1.

On the phone, go to “Settings” or tap the gear icon on the notifications bar.

Scroll all the way down and tap “About device” 

Scroll down and tap “Software info”

Tap the “Build number” 7 times or until it says “Developer mode has been enabled!” 

Press “Back” or “<”  two times. 

Scroll down and tap “Developer options”

Turn on Developer options by sliding the button right to turn it on. 

Scroll down and slide the enable button right for “USB debugging”

You will be prompted with a question box “Allow USB Debugging?”

Tap “OK”

Step 2. Connect Z3X box to the computer via USB. 

Step 3: Install Samsung Tool Pro to your computer. 

Download the Samsung USB Unlock Drivers from this page on our website. 

Open the downloaded file. Extract the file, and drag the Samsung folder to the desktop. 

Click open the folder and you will be prompted with the box for the installation process.

Step 4. Connect your phone to the computer via USB. 

Press the “Windows” and “R” key at the same time on your keyboard. 

In the “Run” box that will open on the lower left-hand side, type “compmgmt.msc”.

A window will open, click on “Device Manager” on the upper left corner. 

Click the dropdown arrow in “Modems” and you should see your device “Samsung J1”. 

Close window.

Step 5. Run the recently installed “Samsung Tool Pro” software.

A box will open asking permission, just click “Yes”.

Wait for the program to open. 

From the left-hand side, you will see a list, click on your phone’s correct model number. 

*Confirm your model number: On your phone, go to Settings > About Device > Model Number

Step 6. Generating the unlock code. 

From the uppermost, you will see several tabs, click on the “Unlock” tab.

On the right-hand side, you will see options, click on “Read Codes,” it has a magnifying glass next to it. 

Step 7. Entering the unlock code. 

Wait a few seconds, and now look at your phone. On its screen you will see a prompt that says, “Allow USB debugging?”, tap the checkbox “Always allow this PC” and click on “OK”.

On your computer screen, the program will calculate the code. Just wait a few more seconds.

After a few minutes, you should find the unlock code, which is “NET lock“.

Restart your phone. (It should still be connected to your computer).

Once it boots up, it will prompt you to enter the “SIM network unlock PIN” this means it’s asking for the unlock code. 

Enter the code you got for “NET lock”. 

Tap on the “UNLOCK” option.

Congrats, your phone is now unlocked! You should see signal bars coming in from your new service provider!

That’s it for this guide! If you followed the steps properly, your phone should be successfully unlocked. If you have questions about this guide, we can start the conversation at the comment box below! 

It’s very easy, you don’t have to be an expert to do it, but still, if you think you’ll need professional help, let the pros from our very own remote unlock team help you out. Tell us how we can help you by giving us a chat! 

If you think this guide helped you immensely, please return us the favor and share this with your friends! Just click on the share button for Facebook or Twitter at the end of this post. Follow us on FB or Twitter for more guides, infographics, and the latest phone reviews!

Unlike AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon phones operate and connect via a CDMA network, which means it is not configured to work on GSM networks as AT&T and T-Mobile do. If it’s a CDMA phone it’s by default unlocked, however, simply inserting a sim card from AT&T or T-Mobile or any foreign network won’t make it work.

In this guide, we will show you how to reconfigure a CDMA XT1528 to connect to GSM networks so it can be used with any other SIM cards from AT&T, T-Mobile, and even international ones!

There’s a video below that supplements this written guide:

We also supplemented this step by step guide with screenshots to help you along the way. 

Now, let’s get started!

Step 1: Download and install the universal ADB drivers from this website (Clockworkmod). Note: the universal ADB (Android Debug Bridge) drivers are needed because it will allow you to control your android device over USB from your laptop or desktop computer. Through this, you can copy files, install and uninstall apps, and do special functions that will unlock your Motorola phone.

You may delete this file from your computer at the end of this guide or after your phone is successfully unlocked. 

Step 2. Download the SDK Platform Tools from Android Developer’s website and extract the said file to your desktop so we can easily find it later. Note: SDK Platform Tools is needed here because it will allow you to perform functions available only for Android Developers. This will help you get into the “brain” of the phone and remove the sim lock from Verizon. 

You may delete this file from your computer at the end of this guide or after your phone is successfully unlocked. 

Step 3. Open the “platform-tools” folder, and then copy everything on its address bar.

Step 4. Open the command prompt and type “cd” (without quotation marks), press space, and then right-click on your mouse

Step 5: Activate the Developer mode on the phone

Step 6. Allow USB Debugging on your phone.

Step 7: Connect your phone to the computer with a USB cord. Type the following codes on your command prompt in this order. Note: DO NOT include the quotation marks.

• “Adb shell” and press Enter. After this, you will see a prompt on your phone. Tap box for “Always allow from this computer”. 

• Type “adb shell”, again on your command prompt box (black box). If you see “shell@surnia_cdma:/ $”. It means you’re doing everything correctly, so far.

Step 8. Next, type the following codes in the command prompt box in this order. Note: DO NOT include the quotation marks.

• “pm clear com.android.providers.telephony”, then press ENTER on your keyboard. Do this, twice. 

• “settings put global preferred_network_mode 9”, then press ENTER. Do this, twice.

• “settings put global preferred_network_mode1 9”, then press ENTER. Do this, twice.

• “settings put global preferred_network_mode2 9”, then press ENTER. Do this, twice.

• “reboot”, to reboot the phone.

It should look like this.

Step 9. Wait for the phone to reboot. If you see the network’s name on the upper left corner (and on the bottom of the screen), along with signal bars (upper right side). It worked!

On the other hand, if the phone says “No Service” repeat step 8. 

Step 10. Add your carrier’s APN. To obtain your APN’s info, click on the search bar and type your APN’s name. The example is using Sun Cellular so I typed “Sun Cellular APN”. Once you filled up all the info, tap on the three dots on the upper right, and then tap “Save”.

Step 11. Turn on your Data.

And that is the end of this guide! You may now disconnect your phone from your computer and remove all the files you have downloaded on your computer earlier.

If you’ve been able to successfully use another sim card using this guide, congratulations! 

Do you have a phone that you want to sim unlock from your carrier? Let us know how we can help! We have unlocked over 8 million phones worldwide and we have the fastest turnaround times, perfect if you’re traveling or in a hurry! 

If you think this guide has helped you immensely, return us the favor and share this with your friends or give us a shoutout on Facebook or Twitter! 

Got any questions? Comment it down below and let’s talk about it!

There is a YouTube video below that supplements this guide:

In order for our team to conduct a remote unlock session successfully, we first need you to connect your phone to the computer via USB. However, simply connecting your phone to the computer will not do it. 

You need to have your phone “communicate” to the computer so we can alter the sim lock settings through your computer. 

It may sound like USB Debugging is very technical but it’s very easy! Here’s a quick guide that we made into an infographic so you can scroll and see what to do conveniently.

Let’s do it! 

Step 1. On your phone, go to Settings > General

Step 2. Scroll down and go to Software Info

Step 3. Tap on Build Number seven (7) times 

Step 4. If prompted for your PIN, enter your PIN and press Back “ < ” twice.

Step 5. Tap “Developer options“

Step 6. You will be prompted with a “Warning” box, just tap on the empty button and tap OK. 

Step 7. Turn on “USB debugging” by dragging the button on one side.

Step 8. You will be prompted with the question “Allow USB Debugging?” Tap OK.

Step 9. Connect your phone to the computer using a USB cable.

Step 10. You will be prompted with the question “Allow USB Debugging?” Tap the empty button and tap OK.

And we are done! If you think this has helped you immensely, return the favor and give us a shoutout or share this on Facebook or Twitter with your friends! 

If you have a phone that you wish to sim unlock or carrier unlock, drop us a message and tell us how we can help you! We’ve unlocked over 8 million phones at the fastest turnaround time! Perfect for traveling or when you need it done fast. 

Got any questions for us? Comment it down below and let’s talk about it!

Selling your old phone or just wanting to have a ‘fresh start’? If you want to ensure you your data is securely wiped out before you sell it to the marketplace or for any other purpose, then this is the guide for you. In this guide, we will be showing you how to do a factory reset and back up your data correctly on your Android phone.

What does Factory Reset mean?

As the term itself defines, factory reset is a method of restoring your phone’s original manufacturer settings. After doing a complete factory reset on your phone, you will realize that everything you have customized in it, like wallpapers, themes, languages, etc. will now be gone and the phone’s interface is back to when you had set it up the first time.

Related: How to sell your phone for the best price

A factory reset doesn’t involve tinkering on your phone’s hardware. It only resets the software and you can definitely do it correctly on your own through the Settings app on your phone.

A factory reset will erase all the data you have on your phone. That includes apps and all the data in those apps, pictures, music, downloaded files, etc. And that is the main reason why it is necessary for you to back up your data.

Android phones have a different settings place and terms used. If you are not familiar with your phone’s Settings app, you may visit this list of Android phone manufacturers and check out your phone’s UI (user interface).

Note that a Factory Reset is not the same as Factory Unlock. Factory unlock is a service that is also known as sim unlock where a certain service provider, like UnlockBase, removes the lock your carrier put on your phone so you can use another carrier’s sim card.

Types Of Reset

Aside from a factory reset, there are other types of resets that are available in many Android phones. In some Android phones you will have 3 different options for ‘reset’ and none of them directly uses the term ‘factory reset,’ and they are:

Reset Network Settings

Resetting network settings means deleting all the saved WiFi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Data information in your phone and restoring the default manufacturer network settings. If you are trying to resolve connectivity or internet issues on your phone, this is the option for you.

Reset All Settings

This type of reset restores system default settings without erasing any data. Its purpose is to help you go back to your phone’s default theme, keyboard, language, etc. This doesn’t erase your downloaded apps, pictures, contacts, messages, etc.

Erase All Data

This is the new term for Factory Reset, and as the term itself defines, going in this direction erases all the data in your phone. This includes your Google Account, downloaded apps, saved passwords, albums, downloaded files, etc.

It will completely wipe out everything that’s on your phone and restores your phone back to its default system state. If you are selling your phone, there’s no need to log back in again to your Google Account, because unless your account’s deleted, the new user won’t be able to use it.

Ways To Back Up Your Phone’s Data

If there’s anything more important than your phone itself, it’s the data it contains. There are three ways to back up your data: (1) Google Account, (2) Using external memory or another computer device (3) phone manufacturer’s Cloud account.

(1) Google Account Back up

What type of information does your Google (Gmail) Account save/back up for you? It will save your calendar, contacts, and other similar Google developed Android apps. It will automatically sync and back up every data from all the synced apps on your phone.

However, you have to make sure your Google Account is synced with your phone.

To know your Google account: 

• Go to Settings 

• Go to Accounts 
• Open Account username (email)

Tap on the “>” icon next to your email address and you will see all the synced apps under that account.

(2) MicroSD, External Memory Card Backup

What type of information can you save via an external memory card or computer?

You can save several phone-based apps such as Gallery/Albums, Notes, Contacts, Music, Recorded audio, and other downloaded files. If your phone has a memory card with an ample amount of space, you can move your albums and other downloaded files in this location.

To move files from your internal storage to your SD card:

• From your Home screen, open “File Manager” or go to “Local Storage”. Tap on the “Internal Storage” to open files saved in your phone’s own storage.

• Select all the items you want to “move” or save on your SD card or memory card.

• After selecting all items, scroll down and tap the “Move” option at the bottom of the screen.

• And then from the Local Storage section, go to “Memory Card” and tap the “Move Here” option.

If you want to save them to your computer, you can hook it to the computer via USB cable.  Allow USB debugging (option will pop up) and then just copy and paste all the file on your selected folder from your phone to your computer.

Internet-based apps like Netflix and Spotify most often save your data using their own secure server.

Samsung Smart Switch

For Samsung users, it’s more convenient to use Smart Switch. Samsung Galaxy S7 and later has this pre-installed, but if you don’t have it, you can download it on the Google App Store and the Galaxy Store. It allows you to transfer files Galaxy to Galaxy using a USB connector. According to their website, these are the ways on how to use the Smart Switch:

• Galaxy to Galaxy via a USB cable and connector.
• Android to Galaxy via WiFi Direct.
• iOS to Galaxy using a USB connector.
• iOS to Galaxy through iCloud.

Samsung Smart Switch offers a hassle-free file transfer between Galaxy phones, Android, and iOS.

(3) Cloud Account Backup.

What kind of data can you save on your phone manufacturer’s cloud account?

It will save many phone-based apps such as mentioned earlier. Most Android phone manufacturers have their own complimentary secure cloud-based storage service for free.

If you had signed up for it, you will be able to save your phone’s information through it but you will need a stable internet connection to do this successfully.

There are of course storage limitations, for example, Samsung Cloud only allows up to 1GB of data to be saved and specific file types. It is accessible through the Settings app on your phone and can save contacts, calendars, documents, Home Screen, Apps, Settings, Messages, Music, etc.

If you are selling your phone, log out of your phone’s cloud account and remove that phone from your account’s device list to prevent the new owner from accessing it without your knowledge.

Are you ready to reset your Android phone?

If you have already backed up your data, you are now ready to reset your phone. If you have plans on restoring the data back on the same phone, there are two things you need to remember:

• Your Google Account’s login information.
• Your phone’s unlock pin/password/pattern.

Make sure you have both information correctly. To confirm your Google account’s password, try logging in with your email and password on another device. If you can’t log in, you might need to request changing your password. Simply click on ‘Forgot Password?’ option and just follow the instructions after.

NOTE: If you just changed your password, you have to wait 24 hours before doing a factory reset.

So, are you ready to reset? Here’s how to do it:

• Go to Settings
• Click ‘Advanced’, in other phones ‘More Settings’
• Backup and Reset
• Erase All Data
• Tap on “Clear now” and wait for it to process the reset.

After the reset, you may restart your phone and restore your backed up files or just let it be if you have plans on selling it. You may still use it, but without logging in to your Google account you may not be able to fully utilize all Android apps and features.

Hard Reset: What Is It And How To Do It

There’s soft reset and then there’s hard reset. Soft reset means a factory reset via the Settings app. If you can’t do that because your phone’s software is malfunctioning, your screen is unresponsive, or for any other reasons, you can still do a factory reset using its power and volume buttons. This type of reset is called the “hard reset.”

The process may be different for each type of Android make and model, but with most here’s how to do it:

• Make sure you have enough battery power.
• Turn off your phone.
• Simultaneously press Power and Volume Up button. If the Android System Recovery screen is not up, you have to simultaneously press Power + Volume Up + Home Key button until the screen appears.
• From the options, tap on wipe data/factory reset.
• Tap on Yes (delete user data)
• Tap Reboot System Now.

Your phone will boot up on its own and you can proceed from there. 

Summary

If you’re selling your phone, it is imperative to perform a factory reset to erase all your data because you run the risk of being hacked. There are a lot of horror stories over the years about people who sold their phones only to become the target of others who take advantage of their now compromised personal information.

Even if you’re just giving it to a family member, there will still be important information that could be stored somewhere you might have unchecked; like your saved passwords, bank information, messages, etc. A factory reset does not only delete photos, files, etc. it deletes synced account data that is stored in cloud-based servers either with Google or with your phone’s maker and only a factory reset can delete all of your secure login information successfully.

Before performing an unlock via the USB cable, USB Debugging (also known as Android Debug Bridge, or ADB) needs to be turned on first, in order for the computer to be able to communicate with the phone. This how-to will guide you on how to turn it on.

There is a YouTube video below that supplements this guide:

Downloading and Installing USB Drivers.

1. Download the Driver Pack from the UnlockBase website. (https://www.unlockbase.com/cable-unlock/change-log-software-download/)

   

2. Open the ZIP archive once the download is completed.
3. Double Click on the “Samsung” folder.

   

4. Drag the installer (SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones.exe) to the desktop.

   

5. Click on the installer.
6. Click “Next” two times, and then click “Install”.
7. Wait for the drivers to install. Once done, Click “Finish”.

Enabling USB Debugging

1. Go to “Settings”.
2. Scroll down, and go to “About Phone”.
3. Scroll down, and go to “Software Information”.
4. Tap the “Build number” seven times.
5. When prompted, enter your PIN number. Then press “Done”.
6. At this point, it should say “Developer mode has been turned on”.
7. Press the back button, two times.
8. Scroll down, and go to “Developer Options”.
9. Scroll down, and turn on “USB Debugging”.
10. Press “OK”.

Connecting the phone to the computer.

1. Connect the USB cable to the computer’s USB port, and the other end to the phone.
2. NOTE: To avoid connectivity problems, connect it directly to the computer’s USB port. Do not use USB hub, USB extension, and if using a desktop computer, use the USB ports on the back.
3. When prompted, check the checkbox beside “Always allow from this computer”, then tap “OK”.
4. When prompted, tap “Allow”.