How To Soft Reset Your Campus Chromebook

For Students | Step-by-Step Guide

If your Campus Chromebook is acting strange (like freezing, running slowly, or glitching), a soft reset might help. This is a simple restart that won’t erase any of your files or settings.

⚠️ Don’t worry! This is safe to do. A soft reset is just like restarting your Chromebook, but a bit more powerful.

What You’ll Need:

• Your Chromebook (make sure it’s plugged in or has at least 30% battery).

• A few quiet minutes (this takes about 5–10 minutes max).

• Your school login info (just in case you need to log in again).

What a Soft Reset Does:

• Clears temporary memory (RAM).

• Fixes common glitches (like freezing or apps not loading).

• Restarts the hardware without deleting your files.

What a Soft Reset Does NOT Do:

• It does NOT erase your school account or work.

• It does NOT remove the device from your school's management system.

• It does NOT delete your files or extensions.

 Steps to Perform a Soft Reset

Option 1: Basic Restart (Recommended First Try)

1. Hold down the Power Button

   • It’s usually on the top-right of your keyboard (or side of the device).

   • Hold it down until the screen turns off. This may take 3–5 seconds.

2. Wait for the Chromebook to shut down

   • You should see the screen go black.

   • If the screen stays on, continue to the next step.

3. Press the Power Button again to turn it back on

4. Sign back in with your school account

   Tip: This is the same as restarting a computer. If this doesn't fix your issue, try Option 2 below.

Option 2: Keyboard Soft Reset (For tougher issues)

Only use this if the basic restart didn’t help — especially useful if the screen froze or your Chromebook won’t respond.

1. Make sure your Chromebook is turned off

   • If it's frozen, hold the Power Button until the screen goes black.

2. Press and hold these two keys at the same time:

   • Refresh key (⟳ – Clockwise Open Circle Arrow, top row on the left)

   • Power button

3. Hold both for about 3–5 seconds

4. Let go of both keys when you see the screen turn on

5. Wait for the Chromebook to restart

   • It should take you to the login screen.

6. Sign in with your Campus account information

   Tip: This is the official soft reset method — it clears the system memory and can solve more stubborn issues.

When Should You Use a Soft Reset?

Use this if:

• Your screen freezes

• Apps won't open

• The Chromebook is unusually slow

• Wi-Fi won’t connect even though it should

• The trackpad or keyboard stops responding

What to Try After a Soft Reset (If the issue continues)

• Check your Wi-Fi connection

• Close extra tabs or apps

• Make sure ChromeOS is up to date 

Need Help?

If you run into any problems, Student Technology Support (STS) is here for you:

Email: it@campus.edu

Phone: (877) 257-2834

Support Portal: campuswire.com > Tech Help