Industry coverage, news, original feature articles, how to guides, videos, podcasts and reviews of BlackBerry service providers, software, accessories, hosted exchange providers and more
The BlackBerry device is a wonderful thing. RIM’s magical SmartPhone allows us to keep up speed with all of our business correspondence while on the move, as well as keep in touch with all our important contacts. We load our BlackBerries with various softwares and applications to increase our productivity and customize them with interesting themes and ringtones. We watch movies and play games and track day to day activities. All of these things require passwords and usually involve storing data on our devices that is sensitive in nature.
So what if you want to wipe your BlackBerry clean?
No I am not talking about cleaning your screen folks, I am talking about erasing all of the data that is stored and bringing the BlackBerry back to it’s factory default state.
There are a number of reasons why you might want to wipe out your Blackberry. Perhaps you have switched jobs and need to submit your BlackBerry into your new IT department so they can set it up for their network. You wouldn’t want them to have access to your previous employers data would you?
Perhaps you have purchased a new model of BlackBerry and would like to gift your previous model to a friend or sell it on ebay. The same rule applies, you do not want them to see what you were using your Blackberry for prior to handing it over.
If you fall into either of the above categories, or another with the same goal of wiping out your BlackBerry, you are in luck. The process is actually extremely easy and accomplished in one of two ways:
- Incorrect password entry: If you enter an incorrect password into your BlackBerry 10 consecutive times, the BlackBerry is programmed to wipe itself out as a security precaution. You will be prompted to type the word “blackberry” (no quotes) in order to confirm the wipe.
- Manual Wipe: In order to perform a manual wipe of your entire BlackBerry, you will need to do the following: Options > Security Options > General Settings > Click the trackwheel/trackball on the Password field > Select “Wipe Handheld“. As with the above method you be prompted to enter “blackberry” (no quotes) in order confirm the system wipe.
I hope this guide has been helpful to you folks looking to wipe out your BlackBerry. Please do remember to perform a complete system backup before you proceed with the wipe. You never know when you will need to recover some of that data in the future.
Subscribe to the BBGeeks RSS Feed
Add to De.licio.us | 
Digg This! | 
Technorati
Filed under : BlackBerry Guides 45 Comments
Top Selling BlackBerry Cases:
Related Posts:
When you know it’s time to wipe your BlackBerryBBGeekcast: December 12, 2008 – Episode 42
How to set a password on your BlackBerry
Replacing your BlackBerry trackball
You think you can play BrickBreaker?
45 Comments ↓
i use a program call JL_Cmder to wipe
Everything on wiping your blackberry is accurate except on the Curve – rather than “Click the trackwheel/trackball on the Password field” you need to press the Menu button and the Wipe option will appear.
[...] Users not wiping BlackBerry devices before selling If you were going to sell a BlackBerry, especially one you use for work, you’d probably want to get all traces of you off it, right? While that makes sense intuitively, it doesn’t seem that people are taking this precaution. In fact, a recent study suggests that 44 percent of second-hand BlackBerrys still contain data from the original owner. That’s not a stat you brag about at a board meeting. This isn’t just any old personal data, either. According to the study, these devices “contained information which could pose a significant risk to organisations if expose.” Just a friendly reminder: Wipe your BlackBerry. [...]
[...] Today, 09:28 AM I would suggest two things. First, download and install the latest desktop software. There have been numerous updates since those pre-loaded discs were created I am sure. Once you have downloaded and installed the latest desktop software from RIM site give it a shot again and see if your device connects. Was this phone previously owned by someone? A BES is a form of email called BlackBerry Enterprise Server and is usually only used by corporate BB owners. Casual email does not require a BES connection. If this persists, you may have to do a system wipe and bring your device back to it’s default configuration. Guide to wiping your BlackBerry | BB Geeks [...]
[...] So the John McCain campaign decided to sell off some of their office supplies, including about 10 BlackBerry devices. They were only $20 each, which is pretty crazy. I might have swooped in and bought all 10 had I been around. The crazier part, though is that they forgot to wipe the damn things before they sold them — and it ended up they sold them to FOX 5. Geeze. Looks like they don’t read BBGeeks, where they would have learned how to wipe your BlackBerry. [...]
I would like to ask what will happen and steps i need to follow when i confirmed wipe.Because my father really forgotten his password for keylock and he has tried 6 times wrong.Thanks lot for help.
Will I lose the unlock code in my phone when wiping my Bold? I want it to remain unlocked when selling it.
@Ian Wong – check out this post for how to reinstall your BlackBerry OS once the phone has been wiped.
http://www.bbgeeks.com/blackberry-guides/step-by-step-guide-to-upgrading-your-blackberry-os-88196/
@JimmS Unfortunately your phone will be returned to a locked status once you wipe it and reinstall the OS
[...] this enough, so I will put it in italic font: If you exceed the Number of Password Attempts, your Blackberry will wipe itself. So be [...]
cannot get slacker to work on my blackberry curve. I can get streaming radio and i have the unlimited data package but it will not let me set up an account on my phone
I have a Blackberry Curve and have a problem accessing my Home screen. I locked my device after setting a password in the application list, re-entered this same password a few minutes later and was able to unlock device. However, about 15 minutes on I tried accessing the menu on Home screen again but this time could not unlock device using the very same password. I can receive calls and texts/e-mails but cannot make calls or read/reply messages, everytime I enter password the message “Incorrect Password” appears along with the number of “tries” I have left. Is there a way I can over-ride this problem or reset the whole darn thing????? Thanking you in advance!!!!!!
I have wiped my Bold, and after restoring, I couldn’t access to wireless internet connection (mobile network works), so please advice! thanks!
Is there ANY way to get alll my information (texxts, contacts, etc) back if i accidentally wiped my phone and i ddidnt back it up anywhere?
i have the blackberrry tour byy the way.
thankks (:
Nope – unfortunately you will not be able to get those back =(
hello, i have a unlocked blackberry storm and recently the sms icon has disapeared and i cannot recieve txt. i can still send but no one can txt me. also my phone seems to be lagging and doing other wierd things. can i wipe it off all programs and info then reload the os somehow? and once i do is it still unlocked?
@Forrest Yes you should be able to completely wipe the device and reinstall a new os without relocking the device.
Hello. I wiped my Blackberry Curve 8330 clean and everything is gone of course. However, if I click phone log, it still says my phone number. Is there a way to get rid of that completely as if it came out of the box with no type of activation? My friend will be buying it from me but obviously my phone number should not be there. Any thoughts anyone?
Marl,
As far as I know, the phone number display is default. There’s no way to wipe that as far as I know (though someone else might know better). Once your friend changes it over to his or her number, the number will change.
ı have unlocked blckberry tour today i accedently did the wiping thing and now i cant use my phones functions i cant use browser or my bbm there ıs edge not EDGE i talked vodaphone and they told me that there is no regısteration about my phone wipimg my phone might delete my balckberry servıce what should i do please replay me i really need help
After wiping the device how do you put new software and data on the device?
BJ, the operating system and all basic apps will still be there after a wipe. So you’d just add new software and data as you normally would.
I purchased a joblot of blackberrys from a company closure. All are locked and password coded. As well as being in French. Is there anyway of resetting the phones or should I just sell them on in parts?
Is there any other alternative to wipe info??? I had to get a replacement phone because my BOLD became possessed and will no longer let me type the letter “a”. Instead it types “ou” therefore making it impossible to type “blackberry”. I think its a virus. Should I just send my phone back as is??
Excellent. Thanks for the tip. Worked great. Now I can enjopy my new Bold :)
my husband has forgoten the password he but into his phone please help what can he do
great! thanks so much!
what do you do if you do accidently enter the wrong password to unlock your bb 8830 i did and my screen reads jvm error 513 how do i get it off that and back to normal
Thanks so much. This helped me erase my personal data from my 8330 before selling it. I’m really happy that your information was posted online.
Hey guys, quick question. I have a BB Curve 8900 from TMobile. Unfortuntately TMobile won’t let me use my wifi without the data plan. I’ve unlocked my phone and can use the hotspot browser because it is slow. Also, TMobile won’t allow me to access the mobile versions of websites. I am thinking of wiping my phone and reinstalling the OS. My question is whether my phone will still work fine and if I’ll have the browser available. I read above about somebody whose browser disappeared after they reinstalled the OS. Thanks
Sorry meant to say I can use the hotspot browser but its very slow.
I have blackberry curve version 8310. All i REALLY want to do is delete all the contacts. But i dont think i can do that without wiping it out? If anybody knows any way to JUST erase all contacts let me know PLEASE!
Samantha-
If you have the Desktop Manager Software, you can go into the Backup and Restore section, go to advanced and under the column “Device databases” you can highlight the address book and hit clear at the bottom.
Enjoy-
Ok, I set a password then like 5 minutes later it said i had to unlock it so i put the password in and it said “wiping out”. Now screen says JVM, OR JUM 513( I CANT TELL IF ITS A “U” OR “V”) so how can i fix this?!. Please help
@Alliyah Unfortunately a problem happened inside your BlackBerry that corrupted your OS – you will have to reload the OS and start from scratch.
http://www.bbgeeks.com/blackberry-guides/step-by-step-guide-to-upgrading-your-blackberry-os-88196/
I recently returned a company blackberry to the folks I just resigned from. Before I did, I wiped the blackberry and gave it back. Can the next user still get into my facebook because i forgot to address this. I had it set up so I simply accessed facebook with my password already installed. The fact that I wiped it…should be enough. Correct?
@tony yes that should be enough – you should also go in and change the security settings inside your facebook account as well
I wiped my BB 8310 that I purchased from a friend. I put my SIM card into it and it does not seem to recgonize that I have a SIM card inserted. What is my next step in order to access phone book on my SIM card?
@Pam If the sim is not being recognized you may have to try the wipe again. If it still does not work you may have to find a work around.
Possibly – get a new sim card – insert the old one into another bluetooth capable phone and transfer the contacts through Bluetooth.
Hi, I did the wipe and sold my phone, I’m worried about BB messenger, I understand the PIN is phone specific, therefore if an old contact of mine messages me, will it go to the person who bought my phone?
Hello all i have wiped my blackberry what i bought from a market on sunday and its now not doing anything i want it too lol its not letting me ring out or ppl ring in it wont let me on net or nothing no texting but when i bought it it did well i bought it 4 my daugther and there was rude pics on so wwent to factory settigs etc then deleted them all now nothing everything works etc apart from calls net and messaging any help pls
What default applications will I be left with if I do a master reset on my BB?
@rach Phone, browser, email, BBM
@Cooper In an earlier post, you mentioned that it should be possible to wipe the device and reinstall the OS without relocking the device. I have an unlocked Verizon Blackberry Tour that I’m using for Tmobile. However, I can’t do much on it because of BES, and I’ve searched high and low for a way to remove this policy without “relocking” my device. Any help would be appreciated!
@Bianca Here is a post that details how to remove the IT policy that is on your phone.
http://www.blackberryfaq.com/index.php/Remove_IT_Policy
As far as that reversing the Unlock – I am not positive it will re-lock. Give it a shot – worst case scenario you have to pay a few bucks for an unlock code.
Leave a Reply