WARNING! Master resetting your smartphone will return all settings to factory values, and will remove all personal data stored on the phone's internal memory. This includes ringtones, images, downloaded apps and content, contacts and so on. However, data stored on the SD and SIM cards will not be removed

NOTE: Before master resetting your smartphone, you can visit this thread to learn how to back up data on the Sony Xperia E3. You can also learn how to restore data by visiting this thread.

Master Resetting via Settings Menu:

  1. From the home screen, tap "Apps"
  2. Go to "Settings" and scroll to "Personal"
  3. Tap "Back up & reset" and clear the check box next to "Automatic restore"
  4. Swipe to "Personal data" and then tap "Factory data reset"
  5. Tap "Reset phone". In case your smartphone is protected by a lock screen, enter the PIN / pattern / password etc. and tap "Continue"
  6. Tap "Erase everything" to confirm the reset

Master Resetting via Recovery (Using Hardware Buttons):

NOTE: This is another method of factory resetting your smartphone, which can be useful if the method above is not applicable. If your smartphone crashes, freezes or is otherwise preventing you from resetting it from the settings menu, you can reset it via Recovery by first pressing a combination of keys. To do so:

  1. Press and hold the "Volume Up" and "Power" buttons simultaneously
  2. Once the phone vibrates third times (it should take about 10 second for that to happen), release all hardware keys
  3. Press and hold "Power" and "Volume Down"
  4. When the "Sony" splash screen appears, release the "Power" key but continue pressing "Volume Down"
  5. At the "System Recovery" screen, release all hardware buttons
  6. From the recovery menu, navigate to "Factory reset" using the "Volume" buttons
  7. With "Factory reset" highlighted, press "Power" to select the option
  8. Use the "Volume" keys to navigate to and highlight "Yes", then press "Power"
  9. Wait for your smartphone to apply the reset, and reboot

Update the Android OS:

NOTE: Once you factory reset your smartphone, certain previously applied updates may be removed too. It's recommended that you check for updates shortly after applying the master reset. To check for updates:

  1. While on the home screen, tap "Apps"
  2. Tap "Settings" > "About phone"
  3. If a software update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to download and apply it



See More: Sony Xperia E3: Master Reset and Update the OS