How to Reboot or Factory Reset a Starlink Router

A reboot and a factory reset are not the same thing. A reboot restarts the equipment without deliberately erasing your Wi-Fi settings. A factory reset removes the router configuration, including the network name and password, so every device must be connected again.

Use the lightest fix that matches the problem. In most cases, begin with the Starlink app, a cable check and a normal power cycle. Save a factory reset for a forgotten Wi-Fi password, a router that will not expose its network, a bypass-mode recovery, or a connection fault that survives the basic checks.

Before you reset anything

Take two minutes to record the information you may need afterwards:

• Your preferred Wi-Fi network name and a new strong password.
• Any split 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network names.
• Which household devices will need reconnecting, including cameras, smart plugs and printers.
• Any third-party router, Ethernet adapter or mesh nodes in the network.
• Screenshots of alerts or statistics in the Starlink app if you are troubleshooting an intermittent fault.

If the app is reachable, check for an outage or account alert first. A reset cannot solve an area outage, an inactive service plan, an obstructed sky view or a damaged cable.

Reboot, power cycle or factory reset?

Reboot: Restarts the system while keeping its settings. If the app offers a reboot command and you can still reach the hardware, this is the cleanest first attempt.

Power cycle: Disconnects power and starts the equipment again. Starlink's sudden-offline guidance says to disconnect the power cable at both ends, remove power from the supply, leave everything disconnected for at least 10 seconds, then reconnect it.

Factory reset: Erases the router's Wi-Fi configuration. Afterward, the default open network named STARLINK should appear and must be configured again.

Do not use the Gen 2 six-cycle reset sequence when you only intend to reboot. Repeated rapid power cycling is the factory-reset command for that router.

Try these checks before a factory reset

1. Open the Starlink app and read any alert shown on the home screen.
2. Confirm your phone is connected to the Starlink Wi-Fi. If the app shows a cloud icon, select the network and choose the local connection where offered.
3. Turn off a VPN temporarily if it prevents the app from reaching the local router.
4. Inspect the router, power supply and dish cables with power disconnected. Look for loose plugs, bent contacts, sharp kinks, cuts or moisture.
5. Try a known-working wall outlet if the router shows no sign of power.
6. Reconnect everything firmly and perform one normal power cycle.
7. Allow several minutes for the dish and router to start, then test both the Starlink-to-internet and device-to-router results in the app.

If the dish is online but only one phone or computer fails, forget the Wi-Fi network on that device and join it again before resetting the entire router.

How to factory reset in the Starlink app

The app method is the recommended option when you can connect to your Starlink Wi-Fi:

1. Open the Starlink app while connected to the Starlink router.
2. Go to Settings > Router > Factory Reset.
3. Drag the confirmation slider.
4. Wait for the router to restart.
5. Open your phone or computer's Wi-Fi settings and join STARLINK.
6. Return to the app and set a new Wi-Fi name and password.

The exact labels can move as the app is updated. If you cannot find the option, use the current Starlink factory-reset instructions and confirm your hardware model before using a manual method.

The app reset is not available while the Starlink router is in bypass mode. A manual factory reset is normally required to return the Starlink router to routing and Wi-Fi duties.

Manual reset instructions by hardware

First identify the router or kit in the Starlink app, your account or the label on the hardware. Do not assume the procedure for one generation applies to another.

Router 3

1. Disconnect any unnecessary third-party network equipment.
2. Find the reset symbol and recessed button under the LAN port cover on the back.
3. Briefly press the button with a paper clip or similar narrow object.
4. Wait a few minutes for the restart.
5. Join STARLINK, then create the Wi-Fi name and password in the app.

Starlink Mini

1. Locate the reset symbol and button on the back of the Mini.
2. Press firmly until you feel or hear the click, then hold for about three seconds.
3. Release it when the LED begins flashing quickly and the unit resets.
4. Allow the Mini several minutes to restart.
5. Join STARLINK and complete the Wi-Fi setup in the app.

Gen 2 router

The Gen 2 router uses a deliberate rapid power-cycle sequence:

1. Unplug the router from power and plug it back in six times in succession.
2. Use roughly two to three seconds for each unplug-and-plug interval.
3. After the sixth cycle, leave the router powered and allow several minutes for it to reboot.
4. Join the STARLINK Wi-Fi network.
5. In the app, open the router settings and create a new Wi-Fi name and password.

Because six rapid cycles erase the configuration, use one ordinary power cycle for routine troubleshooting and reserve this sequence for an intentional reset.

Hardware changes over time. If your unit has a different reset button, port layout or LED behavior, stop and match it to the current instructions in Starlink Support rather than experimenting.

What to do after the reset

Once STARLINK appears in your device's network list:

1. Connect to it. The default network may initially be unsecured.
2. Open the Starlink app and choose a distinctive Wi-Fi name.
3. Set a strong, unique password and store it in a password manager.
4. Reconnect your phones and computers first.
5. Reconnect mesh nodes, smart-home devices and printers in small groups so a problem is easy to isolate.
6. Reapply any advanced network choices you deliberately used before the reset.
7. Run the app's advanced speed test to compare the internet link with the local Wi-Fi link.

If you reuse the previous network name and password exactly, many devices may reconnect automatically. Security cameras and other embedded devices sometimes still need to be restarted or re-added.

If you use Starlink mesh nodes, Starlink advises factory-resetting the nodes after the primary router has been reset. Add them back one at a time and wait for each to appear in the app.

If STARLINK does not appear

Wait several minutes after the reset, then work through this order:

• Confirm the router or Mini has power.
• Reseat the power and Starlink cables with power disconnected.
• Move your phone close to the router and refresh its Wi-Fi list.
• Restart Wi-Fi on the phone or test with a second device.
• Check the router light against the current hardware guide.
• Disconnect third-party routers and optional Ethernet equipment while testing.
• Avoid repeating factory resets in quick succession; allow the system to finish booting.

If the router remains unpowered, never broadcasts STARLINK, or returns to the same fault after a careful reset, open a Starlink support ticket. Include the time the fault began, app alerts, light behavior, the steps already tried, and clear photos of the hardware and cable connections.

A simple reset decision checklist

Use a normal reboot or single power cycle when:

• Service has become slow or briefly unresponsive.
• The app recommends a restart.
• You have just reseated a cable.
• You want to preserve the current Wi-Fi configuration.

Consider a factory reset when:

• You forgot the Wi-Fi password.
• The router is powered but its expected Wi-Fi network is missing.
• Setup cannot be completed after a normal restart.
• You need to leave bypass mode and restore the Starlink router.
• Starlink's troubleshooting flow specifically directs you to reset.

Do not reset merely because the app reports obstructions, bad weather, an account problem or a wider outage. Solve the reported cause instead.

A factory reset is a useful recovery tool, but it is also disruptive. Document the network first, verify the hardware generation, follow the matching procedure once, and give the system time to start before judging the result.