How to Factory Reset a UniFi Access Point via SSH

Got a UniFi device that's stuck in a bad adoption state, been misconfigured, or needs wiping before it gets redeployed? You can factory reset it remotely via SSH without ever touching the physical reset button, handy when the device is ceiling-mounted, in a locked comms room, or at a remote site.

The whole thing comes down to one command.

The Command

# Run this after SSHing into the device
syswrapper.sh restore-default

# The device will wipe its config and reboot into factory defaults.
# Your SSH session will disconnect, this is normal.

Before You Reset

A factory reset wipes everything. Take a moment to check these before running the command:

• Note the device IP, after the reset it may get a new DHCP lease and be harder to find
• Know your controller address, you'll need it to re-adopt the device afterwards
• Check for active users, if it's an access point currently serving Wi-Fi, anyone connected will be dropped the moment it reboots
• Confirm it's the right device, double-check the IP or MAC address before wiping

What gets wiped vs what stays

Step 1, Connect via SSH

You'll need the device's current IP address and SSH credentials. Use Windows Terminal, PowerShell, macOS Terminal, or PuTTY.

SSH credentials

# Connect, replace the IP with your device's address
ssh ubnt@192.168.1.x

# Enter password when prompted
# You'll land at a prompt like:
# BusyBox v1.x.x  /  ubnt@UniFi:~#

Step 2, Run the Reset Command

Once you're in the SSH session, run the restore command:

syswrapper.sh restore-default

# The device will immediately begin wiping config.
# You'll see output similar to:
#   Performing factory default...
#   Rebooting...
# Your SSH session will disconnect, this is expected.

The SSH session will drop as the device reboots, that's completely normal. Give it 2–3 minutes to come back online.

What happens during the reset

Step 3, Re-Adopt the Device

After the reset, the device needs to be re-adopted into your controller. If it's on the same network as your UniFi Network Application, it should appear automatically under Devices → Pending Adoption, just click Adopt.

If it doesn't appear automatically, SSH back in (using the restored default ubnt/ubnt credentials) and manually point it at your controller:

# Replace CONTROLLER-IP with your Network Application's IP address
set-inform http://CONTROLLER-IP:8080/inform

# Example:
# set-inform http://192.168.1.10:8080/inform
#
# The device will reach out to the controller.
# It will then appear as Pending Adoption in the Network Application.

Physical Reset, Fallback Option

If you can't SSH in at all (wrong credentials, SSH disabled, device fully unresponsive), you'll need to use the physical reset button. The location and method varies by device type: