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How to Reset a Synology NAS

How to Reset a Synology NAS

In some cases, resetting a Synology NAS is crucial, especially if all other troubleshooting efforts have failed when trying to fix an issue. Or if you are worried about your passwords. This will reset some of your settings, but it will also secure your NAS account,

Keep reading to learn how to reset your Synology NAS account.

Will resetting Synology NAS wipe data?

Resetting the Synology NAS does not impact its data. However, you should launch the Hyper Backup to back up data and system configurations before the reset.

How to Reset Synology NAS without losing data

Follow these steps to reset Synology NAS without losing data. Use this mode if you want to re-install DSM2.

Environment

Check that the status of your Synology NAS is Ready via either of the following tools:

  1. Web Assistant: Enter find.synology.com in the search bar of your web browser.
  2. Synology Assistant: Open the desktop utility, available in Download Center.

How to Reset Synology NAS and re-install DSM

  • This mode wipes out all system configurations and carries out all the reset functions.
  • Locate the RESET button on your Synology NAS.2
  • Press and hold down the RESET button for about 4 seconds until you hear a beep. Release the button immediately.
  • Within 10 seconds, press and hold down the RESET button again for 4 seconds until you hear three more beeps.
  • Wait for about 2 minutes until the STATUS light on your Synology NAS blinks orange or green.4 You have successfully reset your Synology NAS and wiped the system configurations.
  • Enter find.synology.com in the search bar of your web browser and locate your Synology NAS. The status of your Synology NAS should be Configuration lost.
  • Double-click on your Synology NAS. Follow the wizard to complete the re-installation process.

Notes:

Once your Synology NAS is reset, the following settings take place:

  1. The admin account is restored to default.
  2. The UI management port is reset to 5000/5001.
  3. IP, DNS, gateway, and other net interfaces are reset to DHCP.
  4. PPPoE is disabled.
  5. Auto Block is disabled.
  6. Firewall rules are disabled.
  7. High-availability cluster is removed.
  8. The Virtual Machine Manager cluster is removed.
  9. Encrypted folders are unmounted, and the feature Mount automatically on startup is disabled. For security reasons, if the cypher is a machine key, it is deleted from Key Manager.

Refer to the Hardware Installation Guide if you need assistance locating the Synology reset button.

How do I reset Synology username and password?

Use this mode if you have forgotten your password, want to move your Synology NAS to another network environment, or need to assign a new IP address.1

To reset the Synology NAS administrator password without resetting the Synology NAS, go to DSM > Personal > Account.

Follow these steps to reset administrator login credentials and network settings to default1; Locate the RESET button on your Synology NAS.2

  • Press and hold down the RESET button for about 4 seconds until you hear a beep. Release the button immediately.
  • Launch Web Assistant—double-click on your Synology NAS. Enter the system default username admin on the login page, leave the password field blank, and click Sign In.
  • Reset the password for your account and click Submit.
  • If only one administrator account is named admin, the system automatically fills in the name admin in the username field.
  • Select an administrator account from the drop-down menu to change its password if there are multiple administrators accounts.3
  • Once you have successfully reset the password, click Sign In Now.
  • Sign in to DSM using the password you have just created.
  • The settings will revert to Synology default IP after the reset.

Note: The admin account is not shown in the drop-down menu for multiple administrator accounts. For security reasons, when you reset the password of another administrator account, the admin account is deactivated. Please use a name other than “admin” to set up an administrator account.

The color of the blinking light depends on the DSM version, or the availability of the ALERT LED on your Synology NAS.

Why can’t I login into my Synology account?

Below are the reasons why you cannot log in and how you can resolve each issue as per the cause;

The account or password is invalid

You may have entered your username or password incorrectly. However, if you forgot your username or password, try the following:

You can have an administrator reset your password by going to Control Panel > User & Group (for DSM 7.0 and above) or User (for DSM 6.2 and earlier).

If you are the only administrator, reset the administrator login credentials.

This IP address has been blocked because it has reached the maximum number of failed login attempts allowed within a specific period

You can still sign in to your DSM account from a device with a different IP address. Once you are signed in, follow the below steps to remove the blocked IP address:

  1. Tick Enable autoblock at the following locations:
  2. For DSM 7.0 and above: Control Panel > Security > Protection > Auto Block.
  3. For DSM 6.2 and earlier: Control Panel > Security > Account > Auto Block.
  4. Click the Allow/Block List button.
  5. Go to the Block List tab.
  6. Select the blocked IP address and click Remove.
  7. Click Delete in the pop-up window.
  8. If you forgot your username/password or did not have a different IP address, reset the administrator login credentials.

Wrong verification code

If your verification code is incorrect, or you have changed or lost your mobile phone, you will not be able to log in. Therefore, it would be best if you also disabled multi-factor authentication as soon as possible.

The disk space is full

Your Synology NAS’s system partition (not the actual storage pool or volume) may be full. Follow the below steps to reboot the system:

  • Manually shut down Synology NAS by pressing and holding down the Power button until the device beeps.
  • Wait until the LED ceases flashing to restart your Synology NAS.
  • If the message continues to display, go to Contact Us > Technical Support > Technical Support and create a support ticket. This requires signing in to Synology Account.

The system is getting ready. Please log in later

When the system is getting ready, you can see the login page but will receive this error message when you attempt to sign in. The time it takes for DSM to boot up varies depending on how many services are running on it. The more services running, the longer it takes to boot up.

Please sign in again when the system is ready. The LED indicators will indicate this on the front panel of your device.

The connection is expired

Your Internet connection may be unstable. Check if the Ethernet cable is properly connected, or try to access your account from a different network.

You can follow the below steps to decrease the likelihood of encountering this situation. However, please note that enabling this option lowers your system’s security level.

  • Go to Control Panel > Security > Security.
  • Tick Enhance browser compatibility by skipping IP checking.
  • Click Apply.

You are not authorized to sign in to use this service

Your access to DSM might have been set to deny. Please have an administrator check your account privileges at the following locations:

  • For DSM 7.0 and above: Control Panel > Application Privileges > DSM > Edit.
  • For DSM 6.2 and earlier: Control Panel > Privileges > DSM > Edit.

The page stopped responding and is stuck at “Processing. Please wait…”

Check this too: Synology QuickConnect Not Working? Here’s the Fix

Possible causes include a poor Internet connection, the system being extremely busy1, or a change in IP address. You may also encounter a message regarding an invalid encryption key. Try the following solutions:

  • Refresh the login page.
  • Sign in with a different DSM account.
  • Use a different web browser.
  • Clear your web browser’s cache data and disable all extensions.

Notes: If the system is busy, the login process will be delayed, or the login page will not respond.

If you are still unable to sign in after trying the above methods, record your attempts, go to Contact Us > Technical Support > Technical Support, and create a support ticket. This requires signing in to your Synology Account.