If you're a regular user of electronic devices, the term 'reset' is likely not unfamiliar to you. However, do you truly understand what reset means and its implications in technology? This article from Mytour will address all those questions and discuss the most common reset methods.
What is Reset?
Reset (pronounced as 'rizz-et' in Vietnamese) is simply the act of restarting or restoring to default state. In the realm of technology, reset carries the same meaning as the first definition, which is to reboot.
Reset can be applied to various devices and different scenarios, such as resetting phones, resetting computers, resetting wifi routers, etc.
Common Reset Terminology
Soft Reset
What is Soft Reset? Soft reset is the simplest way to reset a device. When performing a soft reset, users only need to reboot the device, without any other actions. This helps clear the cache memory and eliminate minor errors.
For smartphones, tablets, or computers, a soft reset is performed by turning off and then turning on the device. However, for wifi routers, simply unplugging and plugging back in completes the soft reset.
Hard Reset
What is Hard Reset? Hard reset (also known as factory reset) is a more powerful reset method compared to soft reset. When performing a hard reset, all personal information on the device is wiped clean, and the device returns to its original factory state.
Performing a hard reset can resolve issues such as freezing or crashing, failure to boot a computer, forgetting phone passwords, etc.

Factory Reset
What is Factory Reset? Factory reset (also known as master reset) is the process of erasing all data and settings on a device, returning it to its original state as when it was first purchased.
Performing a factory reset is often used to address serious issues such as software errors, viruses, or hacking incidents.
Specific Examples of Using Reset
Resetting a Phone (Smartphone)
When your phone is frozen or experiencing booting issues, you can use a hard reset to resolve it. Android devices typically use hardware buttons to perform a hard reset, while iPhones use iTunes.
Resetting a Computer
Resetting a computer can help resolve software errors, however, it's important to back up important data before resetting to avoid unexpected data loss. Moreover, if you're using Windows 10, you can perform a reset without losing data using the 'Reset this PC' feature in Settings.

Resetting a Wifi Router
When a wifi router encounters issues like slow network speed or disconnection, you can perform a soft reset by unplugging and plugging it back in. However, for more serious issues, you can perform a hard reset by pressing and holding the reset button on the device for a certain period.
Comparing Soft Reset, Hard Reset, and Factory Reset
- Soft reset vs hard reset: Both soft reset and hard reset help address software-related issues. However, hard reset is a more powerful solution than soft reset and can erase all personal information on the device.
- Hard reset vs factory reset: Both hard reset and factory reset wipe all data on the device, but factory reset returns the device to its original state, while hard reset only clears data without changing device settings.

Considerations When Resetting Devices
- Backup Important Data Before Resetting: When performing a device reset, make sure to back up all important data to other storage devices such as USB drives or external hard drives to avoid unwanted data loss.
- Check Device After Reset: After resetting, check the device to ensure it's functioning normally.
- Avoid Arbitrary Resets: To avoid damage to the device, only reset when necessary and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you perform a soft reset, no data is lost, but if you perform a hard reset or factory reset, all data on the device is wiped clean.
You can perform a soft reset by unplugging and plugging back in, or a hard reset by pressing and holding the reset button on the device for a certain period.
Resetting a computer can help address software errors, but not all resets improve computer speed.
If you perform a hard reset or factory reset, all data on your computer will be wiped clean.
When you perform a soft reset, the wifi password remains intact, but when you perform a hard reset or factory reset, the password is also erased.
Through this article from Mytour Blog, we now have a better understanding of what reset means and the most common types of resets. Knowing how to reset devices properly will help us troubleshoot issues and enhance device performance. However, it's important to note that arbitrary resets should be avoided, and important data should be backed up before resetting to prevent unwanted data loss.