How to properly format an Honor phone: 3 proven methods

⚠️ Attention: On some models Honor (for example, Honor 50 or Honor Magic 4) after resetting, confirmation is required via the SIM card that was inserted during the first activation. If you are selling a phone, remove this SIM card from the tray in advance.

If you are formatting the device due to slowdown, try alternative methods first:

• 🧹 Clear the cache manually via Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
• 🔄 Update the firmware to the latest version in Settings → System → Software update.
• 🚫 Delete unused applications, especially those running in the background.

2. Method 1: Formatting through the settings menu (the simplest method)

This method is suitable if the phone turns on and responds to touches. It is the safest and does not require additional tools. The instructions are relevant for all modern models Honor on Magic UI (for example, Honor 70, Honor X9) and old devices on EMUI (for example, Honor 10, Honor 8X).

Step-by-step guide:

1. Open Settings (gear icon on the main screen or in the application menu).
2. Go to section System and updates (on some models - simply System).
3. Select Reset or Reset settings.
4. Click Reset all settings or Reset to factory settings.
5. If necessary, enter PIN code, pattern key or password.
6. Confirm the action by pressing Reset phone or Delete everything.

The process will take from 5 to 15 minutes. The phone will reboot several times - this is normal. When completed, you will be prompted to set up the device as new.

⚠️ Attention: If the reset menu has an option Clear the internal memory or Format the memory card, disable it if you do not want to delete files from the SD card. By default, the reset affects only the built-in memory.

Battery charge is more than 50%|Contacts and photos are synchronized|I know the password for Huawei ID|Important messages have been deleted from SMS|Two-factor authentication has been disabled in banking applications-->

3. Method 2: Formatting via Recovery Mode (if the phone does not turn on)

If the smartphone is stuck on the logo, does not respond to touches or locked, use recovery mode (Recovery Mode). damaged firmware, but requires care - incorrect actions can lead to complete loss of data without the possibility of recovery.

To log in Recovery on phones Honor:

1. Turn off the device (press and hold the power button for 10-15 seconds).
2. Hold down the key combination:
   • For most models: Volume up + Power.
   • For Honor 8/9/10: Volume up + Volume down + Power.
   • For Honor View 20/Magic 2: Volume up + Power (hold for 10 seconds).

In the menu Recovery the volume buttons are controlled (up/down for navigation, power to selectNext:

4. Select Wipe data/factory reset (on some models - Clear Data).
5. Confirm the action by selecting Yes or Factory data reset.
6. After completion, select Reboot system now to reboot.

If there is no item Recovery no item Wipe data, then the phone has custom firmware installed. In this case, it is better to use the third method (via HiSuite) or contact service.

What to do if Recovery Mode does not open?

If the key combination does not work, try:

1. Connect the phone to charge for 10-15 minutes, then try again.

2 Use. another combination (for example, for Honor 20 sometimes it works Volume down + Power).

3. If the screen is broken, but the phone responds to connecting to a PC, use the method with HiSuite (see the next section).

4. Method 3: Formatting via HiSuite (official utility from Huawei)

Proprietary app HiSuite allows you to reset settings Honor via a computer This method is useful if:

• 🔌 The phone does not work. turns on, but is detected by the PC.
• 🔒 The pattern key or password is forgotten.
• 🛠️ You need to restore the firmware after an unsuccessful update.

Instructions:

1. Download and install HiSuite from Huawei official website (select version for Windows or macOS).
2. Connect your phone to your computer original USB cable (using uncertified cables may lead to errors).
3. Run HiSuite and wait until the app detects the device. If the phone is turned off, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force a reboot.
4. In the main app menu, select System Restore or Reset settings (the name may vary depending on the version HiSuite).
5. Follow the prompts on the screen. The app will ask you to choose between soft reset (saving data) and full formatting.
6. Confirm the action and wait for the process to complete (may take up to 30 minutes).

If HiSuite does not see the phone:

• 🔌 Try another USB port (preferably USB 2.0 on the back panel of the PC).
• 🔄 Reinstall the drivers Huawei via Device Manager.
• 🔒 Disable your antivirus - it may block the connection.
• 📱 On your phone, turn on USB debugging (if the device turns on): Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times), then Settings → System → For developers → USB debugging.

⚠️ Attention: After resetting via HiSuite on some models Honor (for example, Honor 30 or Honor V40) you may need to re-activate Huawei ID with confirmation via SMS or email. Make sure you have access to the linked number or email.

5. Table: Comparison of Honor formatting methods

For most users, the first three methods are sufficient. Fastboot should be used only if you are confident in your actions or follow the instructions from the official source.

6. Common formatting errors and how to avoid them

Even if you follow the instructions, problems may arise. Here are the most common errors and their solutions:

• ❌ "The reset does not complete" (the phone hangs on the boot screen)

  Reason: Damaged firmware or lack of memory. Solution: Repeat the reset via Recovery or HiSuite. If this does not help, try flashing the phone with the official firmware.

• ❌ "Requires the previous PIN code after reset"

  Cause: Activated function FRP Lock (reset protection). Solution: Enter the data from the last one you used Huawei ID. If you don’t remember, restore access through official website.

• ❌ "HiSuite does not see the phone"

  Cause: There are no drivers or the USB cable is damaged. Solution: Install the drivers manually via Device Manager or try another cable (preferably the original one).

• ❌ "No network after reset"

  Cause: The IMEI or communication module settings have gone wrong. Solution: Reboot the phone. If that doesn’t help, check if the module’s firmware has crashed (this can be solved by flashing it via HiSuite).

If after resetting the phone does not turn on at all (black screen, no response to charging), this may indicate a hardware failure. In this case case:

1. Try charging the device with another cable for 30 minutes.
2. Hold the power button for 30 seconds to force the capacitors to discharge.
3. If all else fails, contact a service center.

7. What to do after formatting: initial setup

After a successful reset of the phone Honor will offer to go through the initial setup. Here's what to pay attention to:

• 🔄 Restore data: At the setup stage, the system will offer to restore data from a backup copy. If you made a backup via Google or Huawei Cloud, select the appropriate account.
• 🔒 Security: Install a new PIN code or pattern key. Do not use simple combinations (for example, 1234 or 0000).
• 📱 Software update: Immediately after setting, check for updates in Settings → System → Software update. This will fix possible bugs after the reset.
• 🛡️ Virus protection: Install an antivirus (for example, Dr.Web or Kaspersky) and scan your device before restoring data.

If you are selling or transferring your phone, do not restore your data.Instead:

1. Go through the initial setup to the main screen.
2. Make sure that all accounts (Google, Huawei ID, social networks) are unlinked.
3. Turn off the phone and remove the SIM card and memory card (if there was one).

To speed up operation of the new owner, you can advance disable unnecessary functions:

• 📶 Settings → Wireless networks → Mobile network → Disable automatic downloading of updates.
• 🔋 Settings → Battery → Optimization → Disable adaptive brightness.
• 🛒 Settings → Applications → Delete unnecessary system applications (for example, Huawei AppGallery, if not used).

8. Alternatives to formatting: when a reset is not needed

Sometimes problems with the phone Honor can be solved without a full reset. Try these methods before formatting:

• 🧹 Clear cache: Go to Settings → Memory → Cleaning → Deep cleaning. This will delete temporary files without losing data.
• 🔄 Reboot in safe mode: Hold down the power button, then hold your finger on Turn off - an option will appear Safe Mode. Only system applications work in this mode, which will help identify a virus or conflicting software.
• 📦 Reset individual application settings: In Settings → Applications select the problematic application and click Reset settings.
• 🔧 Recovery via Smart Assistant: Some models (Honor 20, Honor View 30) have a built-in diagnostic utility. Run it via Settings → Support → Smart Assistant.

If the phone slows down due to lack of memory, instead of resetting, try:

1. Transfer files to a memory card or cloud.
2. Clear Dalvik cache via Recovery (item Wipe cache partition).
3. Disable animation in the developer settings (Settings → System → For developers → Animation scale → No animation).

For models Honor s Magic UI 7.0+ (for example, Honor 50, Honor Magic 4) there is a function System optimization:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Performance optimization.
2. Select Deep optimization and wait for the process to complete.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions