If you are having problems with your Nexus 7 tablet from Google, or if you purchased it used, you’ll probably want to do a hard reset to restore it to factory default settings.
Note that this will wipe the hard drive, so make sure to back up any documents and such you intend to keep. Google backs up certain data automatically, but not everything, so better safe than sorry.
This first method can be used if the device still functions enough to get through the menus.
1. Open up your apps list and go to Settings > Backup & Reset which is under the Personal section
2. Press Factory Data Reset
3. Press Reset Tablet
4. If the device is password protected, it will prompt you to enter your password, pin, or pattern, etc. Press Erase Everything to finish
This method must be used if the device is no longer functioning at all.
1. Turn off the device if it is turned on, and connect it via USB cable to your computer
2. Press and hold the Volume Up, Volume Down, and the Power Button at the same time for about three to four seconds to turn the device on, if done correctly you’ll see an Android lying on its back. This may prompt a driver installation on your computer, so let that driver install before you proceed if so. If you need the driver, download my zipped copy here. Go to file and download the entire zip file, unzip it to a folder, and point the installer to that folder.
3. Use the volume buttons to navigate to the Recovery Mode option, and press the Power Button to confirm your choice
4. The device will restart, and after a few minutes the device should boot to a screen showing an Android with a red triangle, press and hold the Power Button and Volume Up on this screen for about two seconds and let go to make the menu options appear
5. Use the volume buttons to navigate to Wipe Data / Factory Reset and press the Power Button to confirm your choice
6. Use the volume buttons to navigate to Yes and press the Power Button to confirm your choice
olga April 24, 2013 at 7:46 pm
I am trying to unlock my Nexus 7 and nothing is happening!! I get to the point where I am trying to enter my email or get to the icon lying on his back and nothing it goes dead. What should I do??? This is a new tablet.
Donny (admin) April 25, 2013 at 12:47 pm
I’d contact support or return it to where you purchased it if it’s brand new.
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Rhino April 16, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Thank you so much guys this was freaking me out i was bootlooping in cynogenmod ten on my brand new nexus i bought an hour ago my mom was going to freak
B April 2, 2013 at 3:16 pm
On Step #4. Once I got the screen showing an Android with a red triangle, pressing two buttons never worked. However, I pressed and held all three buttons (Power , Volume Up and Volume Down) for about two seconds and let go and the “Wipe Data / Factory Reset” option appeared.
noodles March 14, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for the advice saved me sending a bricked nexus 7 I bought in the USA, for repair from europe.
John February 20, 2013 at 7:55 am
This worked for me.
http://support.google.com/nexus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2668187
Heather January 29, 2013 at 7:01 am
followed instructions and have got to the android on its back with red triangle. When I hold the power and volume up button I get a message under the android which says “no command”. HELP
upset February 2, 2013 at 3:47 pm
thank you♥♥♥
its connecting my tablet to the computer that made it work!!!!!. when i did the powder and and volume button than to recovery mode action, the android would appear with the red triangle exclamation mark thing, but when i hold the power and the up bottom no menu would appear. i tried this for three days the menu would never appear. ive search google and youtube, most users had the problem with the menu for the factory reset never showed up. BUT BY ME CONNECTING TO THE COMPUTER IT WORKED!!!!!! thank you so much♥♥♥
i hope everyone could get theirs to work:)
Cole December 23, 2012 at 2:08 am
I will soon need this procedure.
Thanks!
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DaLanik November 27, 2012 at 2:45 am
Thanx mate, you saved me! Since 4.2 update, my Nexus has started misbehaving and it eventualy got stuck in a bootloop, this helped me reset… even though, I still don’t know what to do with it, since I’m sure it will do it again… wish I never updated from 4.1.2 wich was fast, stable and w/o problems…. 4.2 is total crap. Lost my data, can’t use it… terrible…
Austin November 26, 2012 at 8:46 pm
IF your tablet does not turn on, Hold power button for up to 2 min. IT WILL BOOT!!!! sometimes it just takes a bit to power up. Had the same problem and now everythings working great! THANKS!!!!
HB November 18, 2012 at 7:56 am
None of these methods work for me. I have it connected to my computer via usb. No android on his back, no triangle, no google, no x. I installed the drivers on my computer and although it no longer tells me usb device not recognized, my computer does give an alert sound that something is plugged in and then another alert warning sound, but no messages appear to tell me what the sound means. I have held the buttons for at least three minutes because I timed it. Is there a way to connect it to a website to return it to factory settings, similar to what itunes provides for ipod and iphone?
TheDizle (site admin) November 19, 2012 at 8:57 am
I need more info of what exact steps you’re trying and what you are getting, not what you’re not getting. Are you getting anything on your screen at all?
HB November 23, 2012 at 7:38 pm
There is nothing but blackness on the screen; it will not turn on at all. No lights, no sound, nothing.
HB November 23, 2012 at 7:43 pm
I have tried pressing and holding the power button alone for a couple of minutes. I have tried pressing and holding the power button and the volume-up button for a couple of minutes, as well as pressing and holding the power button and the volume-down button for a couple of minutes. I have even pressed and held the power button and alternated the volume-up/down button. I have done these steps with tablet connected to wall outlet and then connected to computer. And still my tablet does not respond.
TheDizle (site admin) November 26, 2012 at 9:13 am
These instructions assume that your tablet can at least get power, and it sounds like yours might not be. You’ll probably want to send it in for warranty work.
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sriharsha October 29, 2012 at 1:05 am
Initially when windows did not download the usb drivers automatically, the device was struck at android icon with red triangle. After downloading and installing the usb drives from the link it did not work for the first time. I powered off the device and started the same steps again.
It worked.
Thanks a lot.
HP October 11, 2012 at 10:17 am
How do you point installer to a folder? Help???
Pam October 8, 2012 at 3:45 pm
I got the blue options to come up, but am not able to use volume up/down button to toggle to choose wipe data/factor reset. Help please!
TheDizle (site admin) October 8, 2012 at 3:51 pm
That happened to me once in my tests, but I started over and tried again and it worked.
Carlos October 5, 2012 at 10:28 pm
If I connect it to my computer, the N7 freezes. The drivers were installed correctly, so I don’t know what to do anymore.
Senthil Kumar September 29, 2012 at 12:36 am
It works like charm.Thank you for posting the drivers along with the post it helps.
Gracie September 25, 2012 at 7:59 am
My nexus 7 won’t except my password. I was able to get the andrid on its back but the vol. button does nothing. Screen is frozen. HELP
DJ September 18, 2012 at 11:03 am
My N7 gets stuck on the bootloader screen when I plug it in to my PC. The volume rocker or power button doesnt work. But when I restart it by holding the power and vol up/down rocker while not plugged into my PC i can get the buttons to work and choose recovery….then it just stays at the Google logo and does nothing. Need help. My screen is cracked and broken and I want to erase everything on my N7 and sell for parts on ebay.
sam November 11, 2012 at 8:58 pm
I have the same problem..Did you ever find the solution?
TheDizle (site admin) November 12, 2012 at 8:53 am
I believe I had that issue before I had the driver installed on the PC. Have you tried the driver I have listed above?
mohamed ibrahim September 18, 2012 at 10:44 am
what to do if my device is not usb debugging enabled??
Ella September 15, 2012 at 2:59 pm
After several tries, I succeeded and went through all 6 steps to do the wipe data/factory reset. But when rebooting, I’m still stuck in the “X” screen.
Ryan September 12, 2012 at 5:39 pm
When i have mine plugged into a computer it freezes on the android on its back screen. My computer says it failed to install the driver. Does anyone have the driver or a link to it?
TheDizle (site admin) September 13, 2012 at 8:22 am
Try this one, it’s a zip of the usb driver from the Android SDK that I use
jxson September 27, 2012 at 1:21 am
I had the same problem. I had mine connected to windows and it froze, but found that it would work if connected to my mac. I guess it is simply a missing android driver for usb on windows. Either install the driver (from the sdk) although I haven’t done this so I don’t know if it’ll work or not, or pc with either mac or linux…
TheDizle (site admin) September 27, 2012 at 7:38 am
I got it to work with the SDK driver, which is actually linked in the article now for anyone to download directly without having to mess with the entire SDK
ln October 1, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Which driver? There are many drivers/files when I clicked the link.
Thanks
TheDizle (site admin) October 1, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Go to file and download the entire file, unzip it to a folder, and point the installer to that folder.
Rob September 12, 2012 at 6:39 am
I got stuck on step 4. I was holding power and vol up and the tablet just restarts. If you hold power and press (and release) vol up it works.
TheDizle (site admin) September 12, 2012 at 9:32 am
Sorry, you need to just hold Power and Volume Up for a few seconds and then let go. Once you let go, you’ll see the menu options.
DBKnight October 26, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Thank you, Rob!!!
After an hour of trying almost every steps suggested, yours worked!
Phewwwww!!! LOL!
The Jellybean September 1, 2012 at 5:51 am
Its working for me! You have to plug it in to a computer. When i did not plug it in, it would stay on the google screen.
Frank August 23, 2012 at 1:52 am
Same here, no red triangle.. it just says “Google” on the screen and sits there indefinitely.
TheDizle (site admin) September 11, 2012 at 9:37 am
I have revised the instructions. You have to plug it into your computer via USB to get it to work for some reason.
sabrina July 31, 2012 at 1:24 pm
trying to reboot nexus 7 just received google screen stuck have not seen android with rede tringle yet, it has been 20 min.
sean August 23, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Same here.
TheDizle (site admin) September 11, 2012 at 9:37 am
I’ve updated the article, you need to plug it into your computer via USB before you try this.