How to Reset a Nikon D3400 Back to Factory Settings

Whether you’re troubleshooting an issue, selling or trading-in your D3400, or just want to start again with a clean slate of settings, here’s how to reset a Nikon D3400 back to factory settings.

Text & Photos By David Coleman
Last Revised & Updated:
Filed Under: DSLRs

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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 settings

Reset 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 options

These 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 OptionDefault Setting
Date stampOFF
Time zone and dateUTC-1
LanguageEnglish (regional variations)
Monitor brightness0
Info display formatGraphic
Auto info displayON
Auto off timersNORM
Self-timer10s / 1
Remote on duration (ML-L3)1m
Image commentOFF
Copyright informationOFF
BeepL
Flicker reductionAUTO
ButtonsFn (ISO) / AEL-AFL (AE/AF lock) / Shutter release AEL (OFF) / AF activation (ON)
RangefinderOFF
Manual focus ring in AF modeON
File number sequenceOFF
Storage folder100
File namingDSC
HDMIOutput resolution (AUTO) / Device control (ON)
BluetoothOFF
Airplane modeOFF
Send to smart device (auto)OFF
Slot empty release lockLOCK

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 menu

These 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 OptionDefault Setting
Image qualityNORM
Image sizeL
ISO sensitivity settings(100) / Auto ISO (ON) / Max sensitivity (25600) / Minimum shutter speed (AUTO)
White balanceAUTO
Set Picture ControlSD
Color spacesRGB
Active D-LightingON
Noise reductionON
Vignette controlN
Auto distortion controlOFF
Focus modeViewfinder (AF-A) / Live view-movie (AF-S)
AF-area modeViewfinder (Auto-area AF) / Live view-movie (Wide-area AF)
Built-in AF-assist illuminatorON
MeteringMatrix metering
Flash cntrl for built-in flashTTL
Optical VRON
Movie settingsFrame 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.
Profile photo of David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel | Washington DC-based Professional Photographer

Text & Photos by David Coleman

I'm a professional photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. I've been shooting for 30+ years, and my my photos and time-lapse videos have appeared in a bunch of different publications from major newspapers to magazines and books, billboards, TV shows, professional sports stadiums, museums, and even massive architectural scrims covering world-famous buildings while they're being renovated. You can see some of my travel photography here and here.

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