Kids tablets lead a rough life. They get dropped, smeared with snack fingers, and loaded with apps you never approved. Sooner or later, most parents run into a moment when the tablet slows to a crawl, freezes on the logo, or gets locked behind a parental control PIN nobody remembers. When that happens, a factory reset is the fastest way to bring the device back to its out-of-the-box state. This guide walks you through every way to reset a kids tablet, what to do before you start, and how to set it up again afterward.
Why reset a kids tablet at all?
A factory reset erases everything on the device and restores the original system settings. Parents usually reach for it for one of these reasons:
- Sluggish performance. Years of cached data, half-finished app updates, and background processes can make a tablet feel like it is running through mud.
- Forgotten parental control PIN. If you cannot remember the password that locks the kids profile, a reset clears it so you can set up fresh controls.
- Persistent glitches. Apps that keep crashing, screens that freeze, or random restarts usually disappear after a clean wipe.
- Selling or handing down. You never want to pass along a device that still holds your family’s photos, logins, and browsing history.
- Unwanted apps or malware. A reset removes suspicious downloads that refuse to uninstall normally.
Whatever the reason, the goal is the same: a tablet that behaves like it just came out of the box.
What to do before you reset
A factory reset wipes everything, and there is no undo button. Take ten minutes to prepare so you do not lose anything you care about.
1. Back up the important stuff
Photos, videos, and app progress will be gone after the reset. If the tablet still turns on, upload photos to Google Photos or a cloud drive, and check that contacts and calendars are synced to the Google account. For a kids tablet, pay special attention to saved artwork and educational app progress, since those are the files children are most attached to.
2. Charge the battery to at least 50%
A reset can take anywhere from a few minutes to twenty. If the battery dies halfway through, the tablet can end up stuck in a boot loop that is much harder to fix. Plug it in and wait until the battery shows at least half full before you begin.
3. Keep your Google account details handy
Most modern Android tablets, including kids tablets, use Factory Reset Protection (FRP). After a reset, the device asks for the Google account that was previously signed in. If you do not have that email and password, you will be locked out. Write them down before you start, or remove the account from the tablet first if you are selling it.
Method 1: Reset from the Settings menu (tablet still turns on)
This is the easiest method and the one to use whenever the tablet boots normally and you can unlock it. Because Android removes the Google account before wiping the data, this method also avoids the FRP lock screen on the next boot.
- Open the Settings app on the tablet.
- Scroll to System, then tap Reset options (on some models it is under About tablet).
- Tap Erase all data (factory reset).
- Confirm the warning, enter your PIN or password if asked, and confirm again.
- Wait for the tablet to restart. It will boot to the welcome screen like a brand-new device.
Method 2: Reset from Recovery Mode (tablet will not boot or PIN is forgotten)
If the tablet is stuck on the logo, trapped in a restart loop, or locked behind a forgotten PIN, you cannot reach the Settings menu. Recovery Mode is the fallback that works even when the screen never fully loads.
- Turn the tablet completely off. If it is frozen, hold the power button for ten to fifteen seconds until the screen goes dark.
- Hold Power + Volume Up together until the recovery menu appears. On some models the combination is Power + Volume Down; if neither works, search online for your specific model’s recovery key combo.
- Use the volume buttons to scroll and the power button to select.
- Choose Wipe data/factory reset, then confirm with Yes.
- When the wipe finishes, select Reboot system now.
Note that a recovery-mode reset does not remove the Google account first, so the tablet will ask for the previous Google login on the next boot. That is the FRP protection doing its job, and it is expected.
Method 3: Reset from the parent’s phone
If the kids tablet is linked to Google Family Link, you can reset it remotely from your own phone without touching the tablet at all.
- Open the Family Link app on your phone.
- Select the child’s device from the list.
- Tap Reset device & delete data and follow the on-screen prompts.
- Confirm the reset. The tablet will wipe itself the next time it connects to Wi-Fi.
After the reset: setting the tablet up again
Once the tablet boots to the welcome screen, walk through the setup prompts: choose a language, connect to Wi-Fi, and sign in with the Google account. Then take a few minutes to rebuild the environment properly.
- Re-enable parental controls. Set screen time limits, app restrictions, and a new PIN that you will actually remember this time.
- Restore backups. During setup, choose the option to restore from the cloud backup so photos and app data come back automatically.
- Reinstall apps selectively. Add the educational apps and games your child actually uses, and skip the ones that were never opened.
- Protect the tablet. If the tablet does not already have one, add a shockproof case and a screen protector before it goes back into little hands.
Troubleshooting common problems
The tablet asks for a Google account I do not remember
This is FRP lock. If the tablet is yours, use Google’s account recovery to reset the password, then wait 24 to 72 hours before entering it on the tablet, since Google temporarily blocks new-device logins after a password change. If you bought the tablet used, contact the previous owner and ask them to remove the device from their Google account.
The tablet is stuck on the logo after resetting
Force a restart by holding Power + Volume Down for ten seconds, then try booting normally. If it still hangs, boot back into Recovery Mode and choose Wipe cache partition before resetting again.
The reset is taking a very long time
Most resets finish within twenty minutes. If it runs for over an hour, charge the tablet fully, force a restart, and try Recovery Mode again. If it still stalls, contact the manufacturer for support.
A fresh start is a good thing
A factory reset is not a sign that a kids tablet is broken. It is simply the fastest way to clear out the digital clutter and start over. If you are in the market for a new device, the 10-inch kids tablet from akimart runs Android 14 with built-in parental controls, a shockproof case, dual cameras, and pre-installed educational apps. You can see the full details on the kids tablet product page, so you can set up a safe, organized device from day one. And with the steps above, you will always know exactly how to bring it back to factory settings whenever it needs a fresh start.
