(http://i.imgur.com/s0swf.jpg)
Sometimes you just want to start over. There's several different scenarios I can imagine where doing a 'Factory Reset' on my Google Nexus 7 Tablet could be useful. First most would be if I wanted to give a previously used Nexus 7 to someone else as a gift and want it to be 'factory fresh' with all the original apps and settings it came with 'out of the box' and with all of my data, downloads and files erased. Another scenario could be if I was about to 'Root' my Nexus 7, perhaps with our Step-By-Step ROOT Guide. (http://nexus7forum.com/index.php?topic=367.0) and wanted to start with a 'clean' device. Yet another situation might be for those of us that like to 'start fresh', perhaps if our tablet is acting pokey or we've jammed so many downloads and fidgeted with so many settings that perhaps we're getting an error message doing certain tasks.
Whatever the reason it's good to know that performing a 'Factory Reset' on the Nexus 7 Tablet is a pretty easy process and one I'll walk you through right here but first a word of warning. Doing a 'Factory Reset' will erase EVERYTHING you've downloaded, saved or otherwise put on your tablet. Now if you've purchased apps or media from the cloud (re:Google Play) you'll be able to re-download those without being charged again of course...but if you've got pictures, phone numbers, files and/or other items that you haven't backed up...do it BEFORE you perform a Factory Reset...or say goodbye to them forever.
(http://i.imgur.com/FIWDz.png)
So you've double-checked to make sure every last picture of your dog, distant relative's phone #s and the 6 different drafts of that apology email to your significant other have been backed up to your desktop or laptop and you're ready to do a 'Factory Reset'. It's as easy as this...
1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap 'Settings'.
2. Select 'Backup & Reset' towards the lower half of the screen.
3. Tap the 'Factory Data Reset' button on the next screen.
4. Tap 'Reset Tablet' on the bottom of the following screen.
Your Nexus 7 will then restart, erase all data and then restart itself again. It will then walk you through the setup process just as if you had first taken it out of the box. That's it! Your Nexus 7 will be just as fresh and zippy as it did the first time you tore that plastic wrap off.
GottaBeMobile (http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/07/31/how-to-reset-the-google-nexus-7-tablet-and-return-to-factory-specs/)