How to Force Turn Off a Samsung Tablet and Perform a Factory Reset

If you're facing the frustrating issue of your Samsung tablet not turning off, and it insists on asking for a PIN, you might be in a tricky situation. This guide will walk you through the steps to force a shutdown and eventually perform a factory reset without losing your device's data.

1. Force Shutdown

If your tablet won't turn off and pressing and holding the volume down and power buttons just restarts it, you can try the following methods:

Force Restart: Press and hold the power button and the volume down button simultaneously for about 10-15 seconds. If the tablet restarts, hold the buttons longer. This should force a shutdown.

Press Volume Up and Power Button Simultaneously: If the above method doesn't work, you can try pressing the power button and the volume up button simultaneously to enter the recovery mode.

Note: If the tablet is still not turning off, you may need to wait until the battery drains completely. If this doesn't work, try the force restart method again to see if it finally shuts down.

2. Enter Recovery Mode to Perform a Factory Reset

If you're unable to get the tablet to shut down, you can still try entering recovery mode to perform a factory reset. Follow these steps:

Turn Off the Device: If the tablet is still not turning off, you may need to wait until the battery drains completely.

Boot into Recovery Mode: Once the device is off, press and hold the power button and the volume up button simultaneously. When the Samsung logo appears, release both buttons.

Navigate Recovery Menu: Use the volume up and volume down buttons to navigate the menu. Select 'Wipe data/factory reset' using the power button.

Confirm Factory Reset: Navigate to 'Yes' and confirm with the power button.

Reboot the Device: After the reset is complete, select 'Reboot system now'.

Important Note: Performing a factory reset will erase all data on the device, including apps, settings, and personal files. Make sure this is what you want to do before proceeding.

3. Alternative Methods

If the above methods do not work or if you encounter any issues, consider contacting Samsung support or visiting a service center for further assistance. Alternatively, if you are using the same Gmail account on your phone, you can contact your Samsung service center or log in to your Gmail account on a PC to remotely erase the device.

Contact Your Samsung Service Center: Reach out to the Samsung service center for professional assistance.

Remote Unlock: If you are using the same Gmail account, you can log in to your Gmail account on a PC. Search for your device, and you should be able to remotely erase the phone from your Gmail.

4. Additional Tips

For the Samsung A145F and similar models, if you're unable to unlock the screen and can't perform a factory reset using the volume and power buttons, you can try the following:

Force Shutdown First: Make sure the tablet is off first. If it is still not turning off, force it to restart as mentioned earlier.

Re-enter Recovery Mode: Once the tablet restarts, immediately press the volume up and power buttons simultaneously to enter recovery mode.

Check for PIN Entry: When in recovery mode, attempting to do a factory reset might require a PIN. If you encounter this, you might have triggered Factory Reset Protection (FRP).

Confirm Google Account Details: Before proceeding, ensure you have the correct Google account email address and password, as FRP will require them.

Alternatively, if you're unable to remember the PIN, it might be better to leave the phone for a few hours, not thinking about it, and see if you can remember the PIN without data loss.

Conclusion

Performing a factory reset is a serious action, and it can significantly impact your device's data. Always be sure this is the correct course of action before proceeding. If you encounter any issues, do not hesitate to contact professional support or visit a service center for assistance.