How to Factory Reset a Huawei Phone Safely | The Big Phone Store

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How to Factory Reset a Huawei Phone Safely

Selling your Huawei, passing it on or trying to fix a persistent problem? This guide explains how to back it up, remove your accounts and erase it properly—without leaving your personal data behind.

A factory reset permanently erases the phone.Photos, messages, downloaded files, apps, accounts and settings stored on the device will be removed. Back up anything you want to keep before continuing.

Before you reset your Huawei

A reset only takes a few minutes, but the preparation matters—especially if another person will use the phone afterwards.

Back up your data
Save photos, contacts, messages and important files to Huawei Cloud, Google, a computer or another trusted service.
Check your passwords
Make sure you know the passwords for any Huawei ID or Google Account connected to the phone.
Charge the phone
Aim for at least 50% battery or keep it connected to power while it resets.
Remove personal items
Take out your SIM and microSD card. If you use an eSIM, remove or transfer the plan as instructed by your network.

Resetting your Huawei before selling it?

Get an instant Huawei trade-in quote first. Once you have checked the phone and accepted your quote, follow this guide before sending it.

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Step 1: Back up what you want to keep

Depending on your model and software version, you may be able to use Huawei Cloud, Huawei HiSuite, Google services or a direct transfer to another phone. Open your photos, contacts and files after backing them up to confirm they are actually there.

Don’t assume everything syncs automatically.Downloads, authenticator apps, WhatsApp history and files saved inside individual apps may need separate attention. Move two-factor authentication and banking access before erasing your old phone.

Step 2: Remove your accounts and device locks

If you are selling, trading in or giving away the phone, sign out of your accounts before resetting it. This helps prevent the next user being asked for your login details.

Turn off Find Device

Open your Huawei ID from the top of Settings, select Find Device and switch it off. Enter your Huawei ID password if requested.

Sign out of your Huawei ID

Go to your Huawei ID page in Settings, scroll down and tap Sign out. Menu wording can differ between EMUI and HarmonyOS versions.

Remove your Google Account, if present

Go to Settings › Users & accounts › Google, select the account and choose Remove account.

Remove the screen lock

If available, go to Settings › Biometrics & password › Lock screen password and disable the PIN, password or pattern.

Signing out is not the same as deleting your Huawei ID.You normally only need to remove the account from this phone. Do not permanently delete the entire Huawei ID unless you genuinely want to close the account and understand what cloud data or services may be lost.

Method 1: Factory reset through Settings

Use this method when the phone switches on and you can access Settings. On most recent Huawei phones, the route is:

Settings › System & updates › Reset › Reset phone

Open the reset menu

Open Settings, choose System & updates, then tap Reset.

Choose “Reset phone”

Do not confuse this with Reset all settings or Reset network settings. Those options do not completely erase the phone.

Review what will be erased

Read the warning carefully. If an option relating to an eSIM or memory card appears, only select it if you intend to erase that information too.

Confirm the reset

Tap Reset phone and enter your current PIN, password or pattern. The phone will restart and erase its internal storage.

Button names can vary slightly by model, region and software version. If you cannot find the option, search for reset phone inside Settings.

Method 2: Reset using Recovery Mode

Recovery Mode can help when Android or EMUI will not load properly. The exact buttons and menus can differ, but the common Huawei process is:

Switch the phone off

Wait until it has fully powered down.

Open Recovery Mode

Press and hold Volume Up + Power. Release the Power button when the Huawei logo appears, but keep holding Volume Up until the recovery menu loads.

Select “Clear data”

Choose Clear data and then Factory reset or Wipe data/factory reset. Some models use the touchscreen; others use the volume and power buttons.

Confirm and restart

Complete the on-screen confirmation, wait for the erase to finish and select Restart or Reboot system now.

Recovery Mode does not bypass anti-theft protection.If Find Device or device protection was active, the phone may still request the previously linked Huawei ID or Google Account during setup. A reset cannot legitimately remove this security check.

Forgotten your password?

If you have forgotten the lock-screen password, you may need to erase the phone to regain access, which means local data that was not backed up cannot be recovered. You may also need the Huawei ID password associated with Find Device after the reset.

Recover your account through Huawei’s official account-recovery process before resetting where possible. If the phone is second-hand and remains linked to somebody else, ask the previous owner to remove it from their account. Avoid services claiming they can bypass activation or account locks.

The Big Phone Store promise

We Pay What We Say

Phone trade-ins should not feel like a negotiation. Give us an honest description of your Huawei and, when it arrives as described, we pay the price we quoted.

Your quote is locked for 14 days.
Post your phone to us free of charge.
If anything does not match, we explain why and provide evidence.
Decline a revised price and we return your phone free.
Devices received before 12pm are normally processed the same day.

Turn your old Huawei into cash

Tell us the model, storage and condition to get your quote. We accept a wide range of working and broken Huawei phones.

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Final checks before selling or posting it

The phone displays the initial welcome or language-selection screen.
Your Huawei ID and Google Account have been removed from the device.
The SIM, microSD card and any case have been removed.
You have recorded the IMEI for your own records before packing it.

Do not complete the setup again after the reset. Leave the phone on its welcome screen so the next owner—or our trade-in team—can confirm it is ready to use.

Factory reset FAQs

Does a factory reset delete everything?

It removes accounts, apps, settings and personal files stored in the phone’s internal storage. It does not automatically delete copies already synced to Huawei Cloud, Google or another cloud service. A removable memory card may need to be erased separately.

Does “Reset all settings” erase my photos?

No. Resetting settings is different from selecting Reset phone or Factory reset. If you are selling the device, use the full factory-reset option after backing up and removing your accounts.

Can I factory reset a Huawei without the PIN?

Recovery Mode may allow the device to be erased, but it does not remove account protection. You can still be asked for the Huawei ID or Google Account previously linked to the phone.

Can data be recovered after a factory reset?

You should treat the reset as permanent. Restore personal files from a backup rather than relying on recovery after the phone has been erased.

Do I need to reset my Huawei before trading it in?

Yes. Back up your data, sign out of linked accounts, disable Find Device and perform a factory reset before posting it. This protects your privacy and prevents account locks from delaying inspection.

Need a replacement phone?

Shop tested, SIM-free Huawei phones for less, with warranty protection included.

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Huawei menu names can vary between models and software versions. For model-specific guidance, consult Huawei’s official reset instructions.