Reset App Preferences restores certain app-related settings to their defaults without deleting your personal files or uninstalling your apps.
It can be useful when several apps are behaving strangely because of disabled apps, broken default-app choices, notification restrictions, background restrictions, or other app-level settings.
It is not the same as clearing app data or factory-resetting the phone.
What Reset App Preferences Changes
The exact list varies by Android version and manufacturer, but resetting app preferences can restore settings such as:
- disabled apps;
- default app selections;
- notification restrictions;
- background-data restrictions;
- some permission restrictions;
- other app preferences controlled by the system.
Samsung specifically notes that resetting app preferences can reset app notifications, default apps, and permission restrictions while leaving existing app data intact.
That is why this reset can be useful when several apps stop behaving normally after settings have been changed.
What Reset App Preferences Does Not Delete
Reset App Preferences does not normally delete:
- photos;
- videos;
- contacts;
- messages;
- documents;
- downloads;
- installed apps;
- Google Accounts;
- app files stored normally on the device.
Your apps remain installed.
That makes this reset much less disruptive than a factory reset.
How to Reset App Preferences on Samsung Galaxy
On current Samsung Galaxy phones:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Tap Reset app preferences.
- Read the confirmation message.
- Tap Reset.
Samsung says this resets several app-related settings without affecting existing app data.
How to Reset App Preferences on Pixel and Other Android Phones
The exact path varies by manufacturer.
A common route is:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Open See all apps if needed.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Tap Reset app preferences.
- Confirm.
If you cannot find the option, use Settings search for:
Reset app preferences
Some manufacturers place it under a different Apps menu.
When Reset App Preferences Is Worth Trying
This reset makes the most sense when the problem affects several apps or when app-related settings have become inconsistent.
Examples include:
- multiple apps stopped showing notifications;
- default apps keep opening incorrectly;
- a system app was disabled accidentally;
- background restrictions are affecting several apps;
- several apps have unusual permission behavior;
- a troubleshooting guide specifically identifies app preferences as the likely cause.
It is more useful for broad app-setting problems than for one isolated app bug.
When You Should Not Use It
Reset App Preferences is not a general-purpose fix for every Android problem.
It is unlikely to fix:
- a broken display;
- water damage;
- battery wear;
- low storage;
- weak Wi-Fi;
- mobile data outages;
- overheating;
- hardware faults;
- malware;
- one app with corrupted local data.
For a single misbehaving app, start with that app instead of resetting preferences across the whole phone.
Reset App Preferences vs Clear Cache
These two actions solve different problems.
Reset App Preferences changes system-level app settings.
Clear cache removes temporary files for one app.
Use Reset App Preferences when several apps have problems with defaults, notifications, permissions, or restrictions.
Use Clear cache when one app is malfunctioning and temporary files may be involved.
For more detail, see How to Clear Cache on Android Without Losing Data.
Reset App Preferences vs Clear App Data
Clearing app data is much more aggressive.
Reset App Preferences:
- affects app-related system settings;
- keeps app data;
- keeps installed apps.
Clear app data or Clear storage:
- resets one app;
- removes that app’s local settings;
- may remove offline files;
- may sign you out;
- may erase unsynced local information.
If you only need to fix default-app behavior or app restrictions, do not clear app data unnecessarily.
Reset App Preferences vs Factory Reset
A factory reset is far more destructive.
Reset App Preferences:
- keeps personal files;
- keeps installed apps;
- resets selected app-related settings.
Factory reset:
- removes local personal data;
- removes installed apps;
- resets the whole device;
- requires setup again.
Do not factory-reset a phone simply because Reset App Preferences did not solve one app problem.
What You May Need to Set Up Again
After resetting app preferences, you may need to reconfigure some choices.
For example:
- default browser;
- default messaging app;
- default phone app;
- notification behavior;
- permissions;
- background restrictions.
That does not mean your app data was erased.
It means Android restored certain preferences to their defaults.
If One App Is the Problem
Do not reset app preferences first if only one app is affected.
Try:
- update the app;
- restart the phone;
- clear that app’s cache;
- check that app’s permissions;
- check notification settings if alerts are missing;
- reinstall the app only if simpler steps fail.
If several apps began crashing after an Android update, use Apps Keep Crashing After Android Update instead of assuming app preferences are the cause.
If Notifications Are the Problem
Reset App Preferences can restore notification-related settings on some Android devices, but it should not be the first step when only one app is silent.
Check:
Settings > Apps > [app] > Notifications
If notifications are failing across many apps, see Android Notifications Not Working for broader troubleshooting.
If the Problem Is Network-Related
Reset App Preferences is not a substitute for a network reset.
If the actual problem is:
- mobile data not working;
- Wi-Fi not connecting;
- Bluetooth pairing problems;
- Android Auto wireless failures;
use the network-specific troubleshooting instead.
For mobile data problems, see Mobile Data Not Working on Android.
For Wi-Fi connection problems, see Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet on Android.
Is Reset App Preferences Safe?
Yes, in the sense that it does not normally erase your personal files or uninstall apps.
But it is not completely consequence-free.
You may need to restore:
- default-app choices;
- notification preferences;
- permission decisions;
- background behavior.
That is why I would use it only when the symptoms point to app preferences rather than treating it as a routine maintenance step.
The Best Time to Use It
Use Reset App Preferences when several apps are affected and the problem looks like a settings conflict.
Do not use it just because one app crashes, the phone is slow, or the internet is not working.
The feature is most useful when Android’s shared app settings are the likely problem. When the issue is isolated to one app, one network feature, or hardware, a more targeted fix is usually better.
