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A soft reset is the restarting or rebooting of a device like a computer, smartphone or tablet. It closes all applications and clears any data in random access memory. This is different from a hard reset, which could potentially cause loss of settings, saved applications and user data. Soft resetting is usually performed to repair malfunctioning applications.
A soft reset is also known as a soft reboot.
Techopedia Explains Soft Reset
A soft reset is often required for new software installations. A soft reset causes closure of applications and clears any information in the random access memory of the device related to the applications. Like a hard reset, it affects unsaved data which is currently in use. However, it does not impact any stored data, settings or applications on the hard drive of the device. A soft reset is normally accomplished by selecting a “restart” option in the device’s software, as opposed to a hard reset, which is performed by pushing a physical button on the device.
A soft reset can help in fixing malfunctioning applications, solve problems of slowness in the device, fix incorrect settings or help in resolving minor application or software-related problems. It can often help in cases where the device appears frozen or is running inefficiently.
