An Android factory reset can take up to one hour; on iPhone, judge the wait by the reset stage and progress bar. Apple’s one-hour troubleshooting rule applies specifically to a stalled backup restoration or migration. Before interrupting your phone, check whether it is preparing a backup, erasing, restarting, or restoring content.
The short version
- Android timing: Google says to allow up to one hour for a factory reset.
- iPhone progress: Apple says the progress bar can move slowly, appear stationary, or finish and start again.
- Completion screens: The iPhone Hello screen or Galaxy initial setup screen means the reset has finished.
- Recovery threshold: On iOS 13 or later, a backup restoration or migration with no bar movement for more than one hour calls for computer recovery and Update.
| Situation | What to do | Timing or completion cue |
|---|---|---|
| Android reset underway | Allow time before consulting manufacturer troubleshooting | Google allows up to one hour |
| iPhone erase progress bar | Watch for changes over time | The bar may appear stationary or restart |
| iPhone backup restoration or migration stalled on iOS 13 or later | Use computer recovery and choose Update | No bar movement for more than one hour |
| Pixel Settings reset completed | Choose the restart option and continue setup | The erase has finished |
| Galaxy recovery wipe completed | Select Reboot system now with Power | Data wipe complete appears |
| iPhone content restoring after reset | Keep the required Wi-Fi, power, or computer connection | Duration depends on backup size and network speed |
| iPhone unresponsive | Use the force restart sequence for your model | A brief progress-bar pause alone is insufficient |
| Pixel screen on but frozen | Hold Power | About 60 seconds, releasing when it begins to reboot |
| Galaxy frozen | Hold Side key and Volume down | More than seven seconds, until it restarts |
| iPhone computer recovery download | Let the download finish and re-enter recovery if needed | Recovery mode may exit after a download exceeds 15 minutes |
| iPhone Recovery Assistant | Select Continue and use Wi-Fi | Allow several minutes for repair |
| iOS 27 recovery menu | Choose the recovery option appropriate to the issue | Available options depend on the problem |
| Pixel 4a or later needs software repair | Use Google’s repair tool with a computer and USB cable | The offered route may update software or erase the phone |
Check which stage your phone has reached
Start with what is on the screen, rather than the total time since you requested the reset. On iPhone, the erase workflow can include waiting for a backup before erasure finishes. Once the Hello screen appears, the reset is complete.
On a Galaxy phone, reaching the initial setup screen also means the reset has finished. A request to verify the previously registered Google account is Factory Reset Protection, not evidence that the phone is still erasing. If stored account credentials prevent you from completing setup, contact Samsung for assistance.
Restoring your content is a separate stage. During iPhone setup, choosing From iCloud Backup under Transfer Your Apps & Data starts a restoration whose duration depends on backup size and network speed. Photos, music, and apps can continue downloading after setup, so missing content alone does not mean the factory reset is unfinished.
Give an Android reset up to an hour
Google says an Android factory reset can take up to one hour, and its Pixel instructions give the same allowance. Passing one hour is a reason to consult your phone manufacturer’s troubleshooting instructions. It does not automatically mean the reset has failed.
Completion can require a final action on the phone. After a Pixel Settings reset finishes, choose the restart option and proceed with setup. On Galaxy phones reset through recovery, look for Data wipe complete, then select Reboot system now with Power.
Samsung says the subsequent reset and reboot may take a few minutes before setup appears. Treat that as an expectation, not a guaranteed maximum for every Galaxy model. Recovery entry buttons vary by model, so use your model’s instructions if you need to enter recovery.
Watch an iPhone progress bar over time
Apple says the progress bar shown after erasing, updating, or restoring can move slowly, seem stationary, or reach the end and start again. Watch for changes over time before deciding that the phone is unresponsive. A short pause alone is not enough to justify a force restart.
The specific one-hour rule applies to iPhones running iOS 13 or later while restoring a backup or migrating from another phone. Verify that the bar has not moved for at least one hour. If it remains unchanged for more than one hour, connect the phone to a computer, enter recovery mode, and choose Update using the recovery steps below.
During an iCloud restoration that is progressing, keep your iPhone connected to Wi-Fi and power. For a computer backup restoration, leave it connected through the restart and sync. This content restoration time is separate from the time needed to erase the phone.
Restart a frozen phone
Apple recommends a force restart when an update or restore never completes or the device is unresponsive. The Pixel and Galaxy restart combinations below also apply to frozen-device troubleshooting. They are not instructions to interrupt a normally progressing factory reset.
On iPhone 8 and later, including iPhone SE second generation and later, press and quickly release Volume up, then press and quickly release Volume down. Hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release it.
For a Pixel with its screen on but frozen, hold Power for about 60 seconds, releasing it when the phone begins to reboot. On a Galaxy with a Side key, hold the Side key and Volume down together for more than seven seconds until it restarts.
If your Galaxy is responsive, open the Quick panel from the top right, tap the Power off icon, then tap Restart. If its battery may be discharged, connect a Samsung-certified charger. Samsung says the charging indicator may initially remain absent.
Use iPhone recovery when progress has stopped
Computer recovery is the next step for the stalled backup restoration or migration described above. Apple also identifies an Apple logo without a progress bar for several minutes, a recovery screen, or repeated failed Recovery Assistant attempts as reasons to use computer recovery. Connect your iPhone by USB and open Finder on a Mac or Apple Devices on Windows.
If you need Apple Devices, open Apple’s Windows app download page and follow the Microsoft Store link for Apple Devices. Check the Store listing for your PC’s installation requirements. Subsequent app updates come through Microsoft Store.
On iPhone 8 and later, including iPhone SE second generation and later, quickly press Volume up, then quickly press Volume down. Hold the Side button until the Connect to computer screen appears. For recovery, keep holding until that screen appears instead of releasing at the Apple logo.
Choose Update first if you have not already tried it. If the software download takes more than 15 minutes and your phone exits recovery mode, let the download finish, then repeat the recovery button sequence. Leaving recovery mode during that download does not by itself mean the reset failed.
Restoring through the computer reinstalls iOS and erases your phone’s data. Choose Restore if restoration is necessary after trying Update. If updating or restoring fails, or a broken button prevents recovery, contact Apple service.
Complete a separate iPhone repair stage
When Recovery Assistant appears on a compatible iPhone, your phone is in a repair stage. Select Continue, use Wi-Fi, and allow several minutes for the repair download and processing, then restart. Sharing diagnostic data is optional.
On iOS 27, recovery may start automatically after an incomplete restore or a detected stability problem. To open its recovery menu manually, power off your iPhone and disconnect it from power. Hold the Side button through Continue holding for recovery until Loading recovery options appears.
The Restore Your iPhone screen offers options depending on the issue. Recovery Assistant needs your passcode and Wi-Fi, while Software Update uses another Apple device. Diagnostics Mode supports troubleshooting, and Recovery Mode uses a computer.
The menu may also offer Erase All Content and Settings, which requires your passcode and erases your phone’s data. Seeing this menu means you are choosing a recovery action, rather than watching an erase progress bar.
Try the Pixel repair tool when software recovery is needed
For a Pixel 4a or later, including Fold, Google offers a browser-based Update and Software Repair tool that requires a computer and USB cable. It may update software without erasing data, or reset your phone to the latest Android version.
The tool’s reset option erases your phone’s data. Connect your Pixel to the computer, open Google’s Update and Software Repair tool, and follow the device-specific instructions. Read the offered option before proceeding so you know whether it will update or reset your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should you charge an Android phone before a factory reset?
Google says to charge it to at least 70% before starting. After the reset, you will need an internet connection to sign in.
Why does a remotely erased iPhone say Erase Pending?
Erase Pending means your iPhone is offline and the remote erase has not started. The erase begins when the phone reconnects, so that waiting period is separate from time spent actively resetting.
Can Find Hub show your Android phone’s reset progress?
After a factory reset, your phone is no longer available in Find Hub, so it cannot serve as an ongoing percentage-progress monitor. A remote erase requires power, internet access, a signed-in Google Account, enabled Find Hub, and Google Play visibility.
Why does your iPhone still show a progress bar when the computer lets you sync?
Apple says that if your iPhone appears on the computer and permits configuring sync options and syncing content, the process is complete. Leave it connected while migration finishes.