The Nexus 5x is a popular Android smartphone developed by LG and released in 2015. Like all gadgets, the Nexus 5x may occasionally freeze, run slow, or display error messages. When this happens, a simple reboot is enough to get your phone working properly again. Rebooting clears out memory, closes all open apps, and restarts the operating system. A reboot refreshes your Nexus 5X and can fix many common problems. Let me explain how to reboot the Nexus 5X step-by-step.

Key Takeaways

  • Rebooting the Nexus 5X can fix many standard performance issues and software glitches.
  • There are two main reboot methods: a soft reboot that restarts the operating system and a hard reboot that fully powers down the device.
  • Try to reboot first if the phone is still partially responding. Use a hard reboot for a frozen phone.
  • Avoid rebooting during a system update or backup to prevent further problems.
  • Contact Google support if issues persist after rebooting or for physical/hardware damage to the device.

When to Reboot Your Nexus 5x?

Several signs may indicate your Nexus 5x needs a reboot. If you notice prolonged performance, apps freezing or crashing, an unresponsive touchscreen, strange error messages, or the device not powering on, these could point to software issues that a reboot may resolve. Symptoms like unusual battery drain, overheating, and glitches like missing icons can also be fixed with a simple restart.

Soft Reboot vs Hard Reboot:

If you’re wondering how to reboot a Nexus 5X, you have two options. A soft reboot is when you restart the phone’s operating system without completely powering down the phone. This is the safer method as it does not fully cut power to the device.

A hard reboot is when you completely power down the device and boot it back up. This method cuts all power to the phone before restarting it.

Hard Reboot vs Soft Reboot
Hard Reboot vs Soft Reboot

Either reboot method can be effective when your phone is acting up. If your phone is still responding, try a soft reboot first. You may need a hard reboot for your phone if it’s frozen and unresponsive.

How to Soft Reboot Your Nexus 5X?

  • Press and hold the Power button on your phone’s right side.
  • In the menu that pops up, tap “Restart”.
  • The phone will power down and automatically boot back up after about 30 seconds.
  • Once you see the lock screen, your phone has successfully rebooted. Unlock it and start using your Nexus 5X as usual.

The soft reboot is simple and quick. It can fix minor software glitches and freezes without cutting power to the entire device.

How to Hard Reboot Your Nexus 5X?

Just press down the Power button for a good 10 seconds or so until the phone turns off. Don’t stop after it shuts down, though – keep holding that Power button a few extra seconds to ensure it’s powered entirely off.

With the phone now dark and lifeless, press and hold the Power button again to boot it back up. Give it 30 seconds or so to work through restarting; soon enough, you’ll see the familiar lock screen again. Type in your passcode, and the Nexus should be ready to work normally once more. 

This hard reboot cuts power completely before bringing it back on, like control-alt-delete for your phone. Knowing when your device acts up and freezes on you out of nowhere is a handy trick.

Rebooting Your Nexus 5X Using Recovery Mode

An alternative way to reboot your frozen Nexus 5X is to use Android Recovery Mode. Here is how:

  • Press and keep holding the Power button and the Volume Down button simultaneously.
  • Keep holding both buttons until you see the boot logo appear. Then release.
  • Use the Volume buttons to scroll to “Restart” and press the Power button to select it.
  • Your phone will reboot just like a normal restart.

The Recovery Mode menu provides a few other options, like wiping the cache partition. But to reboot your Nexus, using the “Restart” option works like a normal reboot.

Recovering via this method can help if the Nexus is frozen during the normal boot process. Holding the hardware buttons gets you into Recovery Mode to reboot it.

When to Avoid Rebooting Nexus 5X?

While rebooting can solve many issues, there are a couple of situations where you shouldn’t reboot:

If your phone gets stuck part way through a system update, resist rebooting it. Interrupting the update like that could cause further issues. Also, avoid rebooting if you’re in the middle of backing up essential data from the phone. 

A reboot could interfere with the backup process and corrupt or lose your files. Aside from those two scenarios, don’t hesitate to reboot your Nexus 5X if you notice it acting sluggish or buggy.

 A reboot will solve most general performance issues. Just make sure the phone isn’t updating or backing up, and then feel free to power it off and on again to give it a fresh start when needed.

When to Contact Google Support

While rebooting your Nexus 5X will fix most minor software glitches, there are some instances where you may need to contact Google support:

  • If your phone won’t turn on at all, even after a hard reboot
  • In case you drop your phone in water or physically damage it
  • If you continuously experience freeze-ups and crashes, even after rebooting
  • For any other major hardware or software malfunctions
  • If you have questions or issues related to your Nexus warranty

The Nexus 5X support page has contact info for reaching a Google support representative by phone or chat. They can troubleshoot more significant issues and arrange a warranty repair or replacement.

Crazy Facts

  • Nexus 5x was the first device to ship with Google’s new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS already installed.
  • The “X” in the product name Nexus 5X signifies a “crossover” – this phone aimed to bridge the gap between premium, expensive smartphones and more affordable pricing.
  • Nexus 5X was one of the first phones to have a fingerprint sensor on the back laser autofocus system on the camera.

Conclusion

Rebooting your Nexus 5X proves simple and effectively troubleshoots everyday performance problems. Try a soft reboot to restart the operating system if the phone is still responding. A hard reboot fully powers a completely frozen phone down and back on.

Avoid rebooting during a system update or backup. Contact Google support if problems persist after restarting or for hardware damage. With a quick reboot, you can often get your sluggish Nexus 5X working again.

FAQs about How to Reboot Nexus 5X

Will I lose any data if I reboot my Nexus 5X?

No, just rebooting will not cause any data loss. However, interrupting a backup or system update by rebooting could result in data corruption.

Can rebooting damage my Nexus 5X?

Rebooting your device is completely safe. It’s designed to resolve issues and not cause any harm to your hardware.

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