Has your shiny new Samsung Galaxy S21 started lagging and freezing on you already? Don‘t panic! Restarting your phone is a quick and easy way to get it back up to speed. This guide will talk you through multiple simple methods to reboot your S21 in just a few minutes.
Why Should You Restart Your Phone?
Before we dig into the how, let‘s look at the why – what does restarting your phone actually do?
- Restarts completely clear out and refresh your phone‘s memory
- Closes any frozen or unresponsive apps and processes
- Reboots the operating system and device drivers
- Helps apply pending app and software updates
Research shows that over 50% of common smartphone performance issues can be fixed by a simple restart. Rebooting gives your S21 a fresh start, keeping it running fast and smooth.
Samsung actually recommends restarting your phone as the first step when troubleshooting any problems. So don‘t wait until it‘s completely frozen – periodic restarts keep problems at bay!
Step-By-Step: How To Restart Your Samsung Galaxy S21
Unlike Galaxy phones of old, holding down the power button doesn‘t open the restart menu on the new S21. But have no fear – you can still easily reboot your device using one of these methods:
Method 1 – Quick Settings Restart
The fastest way to restart is through the Quick Settings panel:
- Swipe down twice from the top to open Quick Settings
- Tap the Power icon in the upper right corner
- Select "Restart" to reboot your phone
This offers the fastest path to restarting without having to memorize any specialized key combinations.
Method 2 – Hold Side + Volume Down Keys
To restart the classic way, hold these keys together:
- Side Key + Volume Down Key
- Hold down both keys for 3+ seconds
- Tap "Restart" when the power menu appears
You‘ll feel a vibration when the menu is ready. Keep holding the keys if you don‘t see it right away.
Method 3 – Force Restart
If your phone is totally frozen and the buttons don‘t work, you can force a manual reboot:
- Hold Side Key + Volume Down for 7-10 seconds
- Your S21 will turn off and automatically back on
Also known as a "hard reset", this forces your phone to power cycle. Wait patiently for the Samsung logo to return after the screen goes black.
Give this a try for unresponsive apps before calling the pros!
Special Restart Modes
Beyond a normal restart, your Galaxy S21 offers two special reboot modes for specific situations:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode only launches the bare essential system apps and services. Use it to:
- Safely uninstall troublesome 3rd party apps
- Restart your phone cleared of all open apps and processes
To enable Safe Mode:
- Press & hold Side + Volume Down
- Hold Power Off > Tap OK to confirm
Once you‘ve removed any problematic apps, exit Safe Mode by restarting normally.
Recovery Mode
Recovery Mode starts your phone in a special maintenance environment:
- Lets you wipe system and app cache partitions
- Run diagnostics tools
- Factory reset if absolutely needed
To enter Recovery Mode:
- Power off your phone & connect the charger
- Hold Side + Volume Up keys
- Select "Reboot system now"
Use this when basic restarts aren‘t resolving your issues before considering a full reset.
| Restart Method | When To Use | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Settings | Phone is responsive | Fast reboot from any screen |
| Side + Volume Down | Standard restart | Exits stuck apps |
| Force Restart | Phone frozen unresponsive | Power cycles phone |
| Safe Mode | Suspect 3rd party app issues | Isolates system apps |
| Recovery Mode | Advanced troubleshooting | Diagnostics & resets |
Set Your S21 to Auto Restart
Rather than manually rebooting, you can schedule automatic restarts:
- Open Settings > Battery and device care
- Select Auto optimization
- Toggle on "Restart when needed"
This makes your phone restart overnight whenever you aren‘t actively using it, keeping performance in tip-top shape 24/7!
Remap That Side Button!
Having Bixby launch instead of the trusty power menu whenever you press the Side key isn‘t very convenient.
Luckily, reassigning this shortcut is easy:
- Open Quick Settings & tap the Power icon
- Select Side key settings
- Change "Press and hold" to "Power off menu"
Now you can hold the Side key to quickly access Restart, Power off and Emergency Mode.
So don‘t let anything slow down your speedy S21. Keep this restart guide handy to refresh, reboot and keep your new phone running like new! Have more questions? Let me know in the comments.
