How To Reset a Chromebook to Default Factory Settings (Updated)

Recently my friend, colleague, and owner of groovyPost, Steve Krause — aka Mr. Groove, sent me his Samsung Chromebook so I can start using it and write up tips and tricks. He had already set it up with his Google profile and I wanted to get rid of it and reset it to factory defaults.

While you can create separate accounts, and all Steve had to do is log out, his name and picture always showed up on the login screen.

This applies to the budget $249 Samsung Chromebook Series 303 (XE303C12-A01US). For an awesome comparison of the different models of Chromebooks out there, check out this comparison article.

Factory Reset Chromebook Method 1

1. Hold down the power button until the Chromebook completely powers off.
2. Hit the power button to boot it up – don’t log in. Alternatively, you can simply log out of your account.
3. At the login screen press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+R
4. You’ll see the following screen – select Reset.

The Chromebook will reboot and this time you’ll get the following screen. Click the Powerwash button then confirm the action. You can optionally check the “Update firmware for added security” box

Factory Reset Chromebook Method 2

First, log in to your Chromebook and click the Setting button and click Settings from the menu.

Then scroll down and click Show Advanced Settings. Continue to scroll down to the very bottom and click the Powerwash button.

Verify you want to do the factory reset by clicking the Restart button. Then follow the onscreen instructions to connect to a WiFi network and set up your Google account.

Whether you’re selling your Chromebook and want to get rid of your profile and data first, or are having technical issues with it, doing a factory reset is the way to go.