Quick Summary
- Resetting the Nikon D3400 to factory settings can be useful for troubleshooting, selling, or starting with a clean slate.
- The D3400 offers multiple reset options: “Reset all options” for a complete reset, and targeted resets for “setup options” and “shooting options.”
- “Reset all settings” is found at the end of the Setup menu and resets both shooting and setup settings.
- “Reset setup options” only affects the Setup Menu, while “Reset shooting menu” only affects the shooting menu.
- These reset options won’t roll back firmware updates or format the memory card.
Whether you’re troubleshooting an issue, selling or trading in your D3400, or just want to start again with a clean slate of settings, resetting a Nikon D3400 back to factory settings can be a useful step.
The Nikon D3400 has a few different types of reset. The Reset all options setting wipes all settings back to their factory defaults. There are also more targeted methods that focus only on one of two categories: setup options and shooting options.
Here’s a rundown of the options for resetting a D3400 and what the options do. I’ve also included tables with the defaults for individual settings in case you just want to reset specific settings.
Reset Nikon D3400 Back to Factory Settings
There is a nuclear option, which resets all the shooting and setup settings on a D3400. It’s functionally the same as using the “Reset setup options” and the “Reset shooting menu” at the same time.
You find it at the very end of the Setup menu options. Scroll down to the bottom–it’s the second-to-last setting, right above the firmware setting.
Setup Menu (wrench icon) > Reset all settingsReset Setup Options
This resets everything under the Setup Menu but leaves everything under the Shooting Menu untouched.
You can find this function under:
Setup Menu (wrench icon) > Reset setup optionsThese are the settings it affects. I’ve included the default options here in case you just want to change individual settings back to factory defaults.
| Menu Option | Default Setting |
|---|---|
| Date stamp | OFF |
| Time zone and date | UTC-1 |
| Language | English (regional variations) |
| Monitor brightness | 0 |
| Info display format | Graphic |
| Auto info display | ON |
| Auto off timers | NORM |
| Self-timer | 10s / 1 |
| Remote on duration (ML-L3) | 1m |
| Image comment | OFF |
| Copyright information | OFF |
| Beep | L |
| Flicker reduction | AUTO |
| Buttons | Fn (ISO) / AEL-AFL (AE/AF lock) / Shutter release AEL (OFF) / AF activation (ON) |
| Rangefinder | OFF |
| Manual focus ring in AF mode | ON |
| File number sequence | OFF |
| Storage folder | 100 |
| File naming | DSC |
| HDMI | Output resolution (AUTO) / Device control (ON) |
| Bluetooth | OFF |
| Airplane mode | OFF |
| Send to smart device (auto) | OFF |
| Slot empty release lock | LOCK |
Reset Shooting Menu
This resets everything under the Setup Menu but leaves everything under the shooting menu untouched.
You can find this option under:
Shooting Menu (camera icon) > Reset shooting menuThese are the settings it affects. I’ve included the default options here in case you just want to change individual settings back to factory defaults.
| Menu Option | Default Setting |
|---|---|
| Image quality | NORM |
| Image size | L |
| ISO sensitivity settings | (100) / Auto ISO (ON) / Max sensitivity (25600) / Minimum shutter speed (AUTO) |
| White balance | AUTO |
| Set Picture Control | SD |
| Color space | sRGB |
| Active D-Lighting | ON |
| Noise reduction | ON |
| Vignette control | N |
| Auto distortion control | OFF |
| Focus mode | Viewfinder (AF-A) / Live view-movie (AF-S) |
| AF-area mode | Viewfinder (Auto-area AF) / Live view-movie (Wide-area AF) |
| Built-in AF-assist illuminator | ON |
| Metering | Matrix metering |
| Flash cntrl for built-in flash | TTL |
| Optical VR | ON |
| Movie settings | Frame size-frame rate (1080p60) / Movie quality (NORM) / Microphone (A) / Wind noise reduction (OFF) / Manual movie settings (OFF) |
What These Reset Options Won’t Do
- None of these will roll back firmware to factory settings. If you’ve updated the firmware, the newer firmware will remain in place.
- They also do not format the memory card or delete photos or videos. (Of course, if you want to be super-safe, there’s no harm in downloading your photos and videos first or removing the SD card during the reset.
