I expect it will depend on what make of phone, and what OS it's running, but I would imagine that a phone reset would operate in a similar manner to Windows, and be equally effective at removing infections. However, infecting firmware is extremely difficult to do, and usually requires hands-on access, so unless you have allowed someone to have unsupervised access to your machine, it is highly unlikely that you will ever contract one.įrom time to time you might read of some 'new' method to infect firmware remotely, but I've been helping people remove infections on this and other forums for 17 years now, and I've yet to see anyone with a real firmware infection.ĭon't use a 'smartphone' myself, so can't say what's possible with them, or what reset options are available. Now technically it is possible to infect the firmware on your computer, and since this boots before your OS, then it will survive a reset. When an infection infects your computer, it does so by installing malicious files and processes and registry settings, so if you reset your computer to how it was when your OS was first installed, you will by default remove any changes that an infection might have made.

The second is the safer (but less convenient) option. The first will re-install your operating system, but keep your personal files and settings, the second will both re-install your operating system and remove your personal files and settings. With W10 there are 2 basic restore options available.

Personal files not removed after reset