How to Reset a BlackBerry Curve When it Doesn't Turn On

Soft resets work only with BlackBerries that have keypads, such as the Curve.
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BlackBerry devices, including the BlackBerry Curve, don't contain pinholes that allow you to perform a reset at any time like those found on many other types of smartphones and personal electronic devices. Hitting a sequence of buttons on the Curve's keypad performs a soft reset -- useful when an application locks up -- but this works only when the device is turned on. Instead, you must remove the battery to reset your phone when it won't turn on.

Turn the phone over so you're looking at the back cover.

Press on the battery cover release lever located at the base of the battery cover.

Slide the battery cover off the back of the phone, pull it out and leave it out of the phone for at least 10 seconds.

Reinsert the battery, making sure the gold-colored connectors meet those inside the phone's battery compartment. Slide the battery cover on until it clicks into place. Press and hold the red power button until the phone turns on.

  • If the phone won't turn on after the hard reset, try charging it with a different cable; your existing cable could be bad. Or, replace the battery with a new one. The battery could be old or damaged and unable to hold a charge.
  • To perform a soft reset while the phone is turned on, press "Alt-Del-Shift," using the "Shift" button on the right side of the keypad.
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