How to Soft Reset or Force Restart Galaxy S20 + Some FAQs

The soft reset or forced restart is a very important procedure because even high-end devices like the Galaxy S20 may encounter issues every now and then. This is one of the most effective solutions you can use to fix minor problems with the firmware or even with the hardware. As an owner, you should know how to force restart Galaxy S20 because there are times when your device just stops responding. 

In this post, I will show you how to do the soft reset or forced restart on your Galaxy S20. It’s just a very easy procedure to do but it’s also very effective. If you’re an owner of any Android device, continue reading as you may find this tutorial helpful.

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How To Force Restart Galaxy S20

The forced restart is actually a simulated battery removal that refreshes the memory and reloads all apps and services. Here’s how it’s done on your Galaxy S20:

  1. Press the Volume Down button and the Power key at the same time.

    If you can, try to press them simultaneously and just hold them together.
    force restart galaxy s20

  2. Keep holding both keys for 15 seconds or until the Galaxy S20 logo shows on the screen.

    Most of the time, the phone will turn off after 7 seconds and the logo appears about 3 seconds after the screen has turned off.

  3. When the logo shows, release both keys.

    You may then wait for your phone to finish booting up.

Once the phone reaches the lock screen or the home screen, it means it’s already active and you may continue using it.

Some Soft Reset / Forced Restart FAQs

Will soft reset delete my files and apps?

No. Some users may refer to it as a ‘reset’ but it’s not actually like the factory reset. What it does best is refresh your phone’s memory and reload all services.

How long will it take for my device to finish doing the forced restart?

Most of the time it only takes 20 to 25 seconds for your Galaxy S20 to finish the forced restart. But in some cases, it may take up to a minute, especially if your phone has some software-related issues.

Will soft reset delete my photos?

No. None of your files will be deleted. It will simply reboot your phone.

Does a forced restart have bad effects on my phone?

No. On the contrary, we recommend you force restart Galaxy S20, or any smartphone for that matter, every now and then.

That’s all for now guys.

I hope that this tutorial has been able to help you understand and learn how to force restart Galaxy S20 or answer some of your questions.

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Harold Hisona

Harold has been in the tech industry since 2008 when he started out as a tech support for companies like Time Warner, Comcast and Tracfone. He’s been troubleshooting phones when the smartphone industry started booming. During his tenure as a tech support, he’s already been writing for various tech blogs and doing some freelance SEO. In 2012, he joined a small team of bloggers to write for The Droid Guy, and he has been with the company ever since. Today, he doesn’t only write tutorials and troubleshooting pieces but also shoots and edits videos for The Droid Guy channel while trading stocks on the side. Contact me at Email

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