How to Factory Reset a Firestick (With or Without a Remote)
To factory reset a Firestick, open Settings, select My Fire TV, then select Reset to Factory Defaults and confirm. If the menus will not open, hold the Back button and the right side of the navigation circle together for 10 seconds. A reset prompt appears on the TV, and if you do nothing it goes ahead on its own after a few seconds.
Treat a factory reset as a last resort. It wipes your apps, your sign-ins and your Amazon account from the stick, and you will have to set everything up again afterwards. Most problems have a gentler fix, so check the table below before you wipe anything.
Do you actually need a factory reset?
People search for "reset" when they mean three different things. A restart turns the stick off and on and deletes nothing. Clearing an app's cache or data fixes one misbehaving app. A factory reset puts the whole device back the way it was in the box. Most problems go away with one of the first two.
| What is wrong | Try this first |
|---|---|
| The stick is slow or frozen | Restart it |
| One app crashes or will not load | Clear that app's cache |
| The remote does nothing | Reset or re-pair the remote |
| Apps or menus act up after months without updates | Update the Firestick |
| Streams keep pausing to load | Fix the network first |
| You are selling it, giving it away or nothing else worked | Factory reset |
A reset will not fix a slow internet connection, a weak Wi-Fi signal or a problem on the provider's side. If video stutters but the menus are quick, the stick is probably fine.
Before you reset: three things to check
- Make sure you have a working remote. When the reset finishes, the stick asks you to pair a remote before anything else. It has also forgotten your Wi-Fi network, so the Fire TV phone app cannot reach it yet. If your remote is broken or lost, sort that out before you start.
- Have your Wi-Fi password and Amazon login to hand. Setup asks for both.
- Note the login details for the apps you use, including your IPTV player and whatever username, password or playlist URL your provider gave you. Every app comes back signed out.
How to factory reset a Firestick from Settings
This is the method to use when the stick turns on and the menus respond.
- Press Home on the remote and go to Settings.
- Select My Fire TV. On some newer models and software versions this is called Device & Software.
- Scroll down and select Reset to Factory Defaults.
- Choose Reset on the screen that appears.
Amazon notes that if you do not choose either option, the reset starts automatically after several more seconds. The stick then restarts, shows the logo for a while and comes back to the first-time setup screen. Leave it plugged in the whole time.
How to factory reset a Firestick with the remote buttons
Use this when the stick is stuck on a screen, the menus will not open, or you cannot get into Settings.
- Press and hold Back (the curved arrow button) and the right side of the navigation circle at the same time.
- Keep holding for 10 seconds, until a factory reset message appears on the TV.
- Let go. Choose Reset, or wait and it will start by itself.
If nothing appears, the remote probably is not talking to the stick. Hold the buttons again a little longer, check the batteries, then try re-pairing the remote before you assume the stick is the problem. Amazon also says to safely eject any expandable storage first, which matters if you have a USB drive attached to a Fire TV model that supports one.
How to reset a Firestick without the remote
There is no reset button on the stick itself, so you need some way to send it commands.
The Fire TV phone app
Amazon's free Fire TV app for iPhone and Android works as a remote. Your phone has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the stick. Open the app, sign in, tap the remote icon, pick your Fire TV and follow the prompts. Then go through Settings, My Fire TV, Reset to Factory Defaults as above.
The catch: once the reset finishes, the stick is off Wi-Fi and the app cannot reach it. You will need a physical remote to get through setup. A replacement Fire TV remote works, and our remote guide shows how to pair one.
Your TV's own remote
Many TVs support HDMI-CEC, which lets the TV remote move around the Fire TV menus. Manufacturers call it different names, such as Anynet+ or SimpLink, and it is usually under the TV's input or HDMI settings. If it works on your TV, you can reach Reset to Factory Defaults with the TV remote. Not every TV supports it, and the reset button shortcut only works on a Fire TV remote.
What happens after a factory reset
The stick boots to a welcome screen and asks you to pair your remote. Then it walks you through Wi-Fi, signing in to your Amazon account, and a few preference screens. The stick may also download a software update during setup. Let it finish.
Everything you downloaded is gone. Amazon's wording is that a reset removes all downloaded content, including in-app purchases. Appstore apps stay linked to your Amazon account, so you can download them again. Apps you installed from outside the Appstore have to be installed again the same way you did the first time. For an IPTV player, our Firestick install guide and the Fire TV setup tutorial cover it.
Selling or giving it away? Deregister it too
A factory reset clears the stick. It does not remove the device from your Amazon account. Amazon's own advice is to do both: first deregister the device from your account (sign in, go to your Devices list, choose the stick, select Deregister), then factory reset it. The new owner can then set it up with their own account, and your account and payment details are not left on it.
If the reset gets stuck
A stick that sits on the logo or a progress screen for a long time usually needs more patience or more power. Give it time first, because setup can include a software download. If it truly has not moved, unplug the power, wait at least 30 seconds and plug it back in. Use the cable and power adapter that came in the box, plugged into a wall socket rather than the TV's USB port. Amazon's own advice for a Fire TV that keeps restarting starts with the original cable and adapter, and the same goes for one that stalls during a reset.
If it still will not get past setup, Amazon's factory reset help page links to their Fire TV forum and support.
Frequently asked questions
Does a factory reset delete everything on a Firestick?
It removes everything stored on the stick: apps, downloads, sign-ins, settings and your Amazon account. It does not delete anything from your Amazon account itself, so anything you bought can be downloaded again.
Is there a reset button on a Firestick?
No. The stick has no buttons at all. You reset it from Settings, with the Back and right button shortcut on the remote, or through the Fire TV phone app.
How do I factory reset a Firestick that is stuck on a black screen?
If the TV shows the stick's input but nothing responds, hold Back and the right side of the navigation circle for 10 seconds. If no reset message appears, check the TV is on the right HDMI input, then unplug the stick's power for 30 seconds and try again.
How long does a Firestick factory reset take?
The reset itself usually takes a few minutes. Setup afterwards takes longer, especially if the stick downloads an update, so allow some extra time before you want to watch anything.
Will a factory reset cancel my IPTV subscription?
No. The subscription lives with your provider, not on the stick. You do need to reinstall your player app and enter your login or playlist details again. A few players link activation to a device key that can change when the app is reinstalled. If yours does, the player's help pages or your provider can tell you how to activate it again.
Should I factory reset a Firestick to fix buffering?
Usually not. Buffering is almost always the connection, not the stick. Restart the stick and router and check your Wi-Fi first. Reset only if the stick is slow everywhere, not just in video.
If you are a HoxyTV customer and need help getting your player set up again after a reset, our support page is the place to start.
