Resetted or Reset: Correct Past Tense, Meaning & Examples

Resetted or reset? In standard English, reset is the correct form.

The verb reset stays the same in the base form, simple past, and past participle:

• Present: I reset the router every week.
• Past: I reset the router yesterday.
• Past participle: I have reset the router twice.
• Present participle: I am resetting the router now.

Resetted and reseted are common mistakes when someone tries to form the past tense by adding -ed.

Quick Answer: Resetted or Reset?

Use reset, not resetted.

Form	Correct?	Example
reset	Yes	I reset the password yesterday.
resetted	No in standard English	I resetted the password.
reseted	No	I reseted the password.
resetting	Yes	I am resetting the password.
has reset	Yes	She has reset the device.
was reset	Yes	The system was reset.

The easiest rule is:

set → set → set

so:

reset → reset → reset

What Does Reset Mean?

As a verb, reset means to set something again or return it to a previous, original, or starting condition.

Examples include:

Reset the timer to zero.

I reset my password yesterday.

The technician reset the router.

She reset her expectations after the meeting.

The system reset automatically.

The word is common in technology, business, everyday conversation, fitness, psychology, and many other contexts.

For more English usage guides, visit GrammarRead.

What Is the Past Tense of Reset?

The past tense of reset is:

reset

It does not become:

resetted

or:

reseted

Correct:

I reset my phone last night.

Incorrect:

I resetted my phone last night.

Incorrect:

I reseted my phone last night.

This pattern can feel unusual because many English verbs add -ed in the past tense.

For example:

• walk → walked
• call → called
• restart → restarted
• change → changed

But reset does not follow that regular pattern.

Why Is the Past Tense Reset and Not Resetted?

The simplest explanation is that reset is built from the verb set.

The verb set does not change in the past tense:

I set the alarm every night.

I set the alarm last night.

Its past participle is also:

I have set the alarm.

The same pattern carries over to reset:

I reset the alarm every night.

I reset the alarm last night.

I have reset the alarm already.

So there is no need to add -ted.

English has once again managed to make the shorter form the correct one, which is almost suspiciously convenient.

Reset Verb Forms

Here are the main forms:

Grammar Form	Correct Form
Base form	reset
Third-person singular	resets
Simple past	reset
Past participle	reset
Present participle	resetting

Examples:

Base Form

I need to reset the device.

Third-Person Singular

She resets the timer every morning.

Simple Past

She reset the timer yesterday.

Past Participle

She has reset the timer.

Present Participle

She is resetting the timer.

Is Resetted a Word?

Resetted is not the standard past-tense or past-participle form of reset.

You may see it online or hear it in informal speech, but standard edited English uses:

reset

Example:

The computer was reset.

Not:

The computer was resetted.

If you’re writing an email, assignment, report, support ticket, article, or formal document, use reset.

Resetted Meaning

When someone writes resetted, they almost always mean:

reset something in the past

Example:

I resetted the router.

The intended standard sentence is:

I reset the router.

So the meaning is usually understandable even though the form is nonstandard.

Resetted Definition

If you are looking for a formal resetted definition, the practical answer is that standard dictionaries use reset as the past tense and past participle.

Merriam-Webster lists reset as a verb meaning to set again or anew and shows the standard inflected forms under the same entry: Merriam-Webster’s definition of reset.

That is the article’s only external reference because, apparently, one reputable dictionary is more useful than twelve websites copying each other’s typo explanations.

Is Reseted a Word?

Reseted is also incorrect in standard English.

Wrong:

I reseted my phone.

Correct:

I reset my phone.

The mistake makes sense because a writer may think:

reset + ed = reseted

But if that regular rule applied, English spelling would also normally require doubling the final consonant in certain patterns.

The problem is that reset does not form its past tense with -ed at all.

So neither version is needed.

Reseted or Resetted?

Neither is the standard past tense.

Use:

reset

Not:

• reseted
• resetted

Correct:

I reset the settings.

Incorrect:

I reseted the settings.

Incorrect:

I resetted the settings.

Is Resetted Correct Grammar?

No, not when it is being used as the ordinary past tense or past participle of reset.

Correct:

He reset the machine.

Correct:

The machine has been reset.

Nonstandard:

He resetted the machine.

Nonstandard:

The machine has been resetted.

How Do You Say Reset in the Past?

You still say:

reset

Example:

Present:

I reset my alarm every evening.

Past:

I reset my alarm yesterday.

The time expression tells you that the second sentence refers to the past even though the verb looks identical.

Reset Past Tense Examples

Here are practical examples from different contexts.

Technology

I reset the router last night.

She reset her password after the security alert.

We reset the server after the update failed.

The technician reset the modem.

Phones and Computers

I reset my phone to factory settings.

He reset the laptop before selling it.

They reset the computer after the software froze.

The administrator reset my login credentials.

Everyday Life

She reset the kitchen timer.

I reset my alarm before going to bed.

He reset the clock after the power outage.

We reset the thermostat yesterday.

Business

The company reset its annual targets.

Management reset the budget after the forecast changed.

The team reset its priorities.

We reset the deadline after reviewing the project.

Figurative Use

I reset my mindset after a difficult week.

She reset her expectations.

They reset their approach to the problem.

The break helped him reset mentally.

Past Participle of Reset

The past participle is also:

reset

Examples:

I have reset the password.

She has reset the timer.

The device has been reset.

All settings were reset.

Do not write:

I have resetted the password.

or:

The device has been resetted.

Present Perfect With Reset

Use:

have/has + reset

Examples:

I have reset the router.

He has reset his password.

They have reset the system.

She has already reset the timer.

The word reset does not change after have or has.

Past Perfect With Reset

Use:

had + reset

Example:

She had reset the computer before the technician arrived.

Another:

I had already reset the password.

Not:

I had resetted the password.

Passive Voice With Reset

The correct passive form is:

be + reset

Examples:

The password was reset.

The system has been reset.

The device will be reset.

The settings were reset.

This construction is especially common in technology and customer-support writing.

Reset or Re Set?

Normally write:

reset

as one word.

Correct:

reset

Usually incorrect:

re set

The prefix re- and set have become established as the single word reset in ordinary modern English.

Example:

Please reset your password.

Not:

Please re set your password.

Is Reset One Word or Two?

Reset is normally one word.

This applies whether it is used as:

A Verb

Reset the device.

A Noun

The phone needs a reset.

An Adjective-Like Modifier

Press the reset button.

How to Spell Resetting

The correct spelling is:

resetting

with two t’s in the middle.

Break it down:

reset + ing → resetting

Correct:

resetting

Incorrect:

reseting

This is one place where the spelling really does change.

Resetting or Reseting?

Use:

resetting

Correct:

The computer is resetting.

Incorrect:

The computer is reseting.

The final consonant is doubled before adding -ing.

What Does Resetting Mean?

Resetting means performing the action of reset right now or treating the action as an ongoing process.

Example:

I am resetting the router.

Another:

Resetting the phone may erase some settings.

It can also be used figuratively:

Resetting your priorities can help you focus.

Reset vs Resetting

Reset

Can be the base form, simple past, or past participle.

I reset it yesterday.

Resetting

The -ing form.

I am resetting it now.

The time and sentence structure determine which form you need.

I Reset or I Resetted?

Use:

I reset

Example:

I reset my password yesterday.

Not:

I resetted my password yesterday.

This applies even though the action happened in the past.

I Reseted or I Reset?

Use:

I reset

Correct:

I reset the device this morning.

Incorrect:

I reseted the device this morning.

I Have Reset or I Have Resetted?

Correct:

I have reset the device.

Incorrect:

I have resetted the device.

After have, use the past participle reset.

Was Reset or Was Resetted?

Use:

was reset

Example:

The password was reset yesterday.

Not:

The password was resetted yesterday.

Has Been Reset or Has Been Resetted?

Correct:

The account has been reset.

Incorrect:

The account has been resetted.

This construction appears constantly in support emails and automated messages.

Reset It or Resetted It?

Present command:

Reset it.

Past statement:

I reset it.

Do not write:

I resetted it.

The same word handles both present and past contexts.

Examples of Reset in Different Tenses

Tense	Example
Simple present	I reset the timer every morning.
Simple past	I reset the timer yesterday.
Present perfect	I have reset the timer.
Past perfect	I had reset the timer already.
Future	I will reset the timer.
Present continuous	I am resetting the timer.
Past continuous	I was resetting the timer.
Future continuous	I will be resetting the timer.
Passive	The timer was reset.

Why Do People Write Resetted?

There are several reasons.

Most English Verbs Add -ed

Writers learn patterns such as:

• play → played
• work → worked
• restart → restarted

So it feels logical to create:

reset → resetted

But reset is irregular.

Restart Uses Restarted

This is particularly confusing:

restart → restarted

but:

reset → reset

Both words can describe similar actions, yet their past-tense forms behave differently.

English saw an opportunity for consistency and politely declined.

The Extra Syllable Sounds Plausible

“Resetted” can sound understandable in casual speech.

Understandable does not necessarily mean standard.

Reset vs Restart

These words are related but not identical.

Reset

Return something to a starting, default, or previous state.

I reset the router settings.

Restart

Stop and start something again.

I restarted the computer.

A device may be restarted without being reset to default settings.

This distinction is particularly important in technology.

Reset vs Reboot

Reset

Can mean restore settings, return a value to zero, or begin again.

Reboot

Usually means restart a computer, operating system, or electronic device.

Example:

I rebooted the computer.

versus:

I reset the computer to factory settings.

These actions can be very different.

Reset vs Restore

Reset

Returns something to a starting or defined state.

Restore

Returns something to a previous condition or recovers something.

Example:

Reset the phone.

versus:

Restore the phone from a backup.

Set, Reset, and Preset

These words share set but perform different jobs.

Set

I set the timer.

Reset

I reset the timer.

Preset

The manufacturer preset the timer.

The past tense of all three can remain unchanged:

I set it yesterday.

I reset it yesterday.

It was preset at the factory.

Other Verbs That Stay the Same in the Past

Reset is easier to remember when compared with similar verbs.

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle
set	set	set
reset	reset	reset
cut	cut	cut
put	put	put
hit	hit	hit
shut	shut	shut
let	let	let
hurt	hurt	hurt
cost	cost	cost

These are often called irregular verbs because they do not form the ordinary past tense by adding -ed.

Does Reset Ever Mean Start Again?

Yes.

Reset does not always mean restoring electronics.

Examples:

Let’s reset and approach the discussion calmly.

The team reset after halftime.

I needed a weekend to reset.

In these sentences, reset means something like:

• start fresh
• recover
• reorganize
• return to a better state

Can Reset Be a Noun?

Yes.

Example:

The system needs a reset.

Here, reset is a noun.

Other examples:

A factory reset will erase the phone.

We need a complete reset of the strategy.

The noun is also spelled as one word.

Factory Reset Meaning

A factory reset returns a device toward its original manufacturer configuration.

Example:

I performed a factory reset on the phone.

Because a factory reset may erase personal data, users should check device instructions and backups before performing one.

The grammar point remains the same:

I factory-reset the phone.

or more naturally:

I performed a factory reset.

Reset Button Meaning

A reset button returns a device, setting, system, counter, or process to a defined starting condition.

Examples:

Press the reset button.

The router has a reset button on the back.

Again, reset remains one word.

Common Mistakes With Reset

Resetted

Incorrect in standard use:

I resetted it.

Correct:

I reset it.

Reseted

Incorrect:

I reseted it.

Correct:

I reset it.

Reseting

Incorrect:

It is reseting.

Correct:

It is resetting.

Re Set

Normally incorrect:

Please re set the password.

Correct:

Please reset the password.

Memory Trick

Remember:

set → set → set

Then simply add re-:

reset → reset → reset

Only the continuous form changes:

resetting

That one pattern handles most of the confusion.

Related Grammar Guides

If you’re checking other confusing English forms, browse more English grammar and word-choice guides on GrammarRead.

You can also use GrammarRead’s internal search for past-tense grammar guides and commonly confused words.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct past tense of reset?

The correct past tense is reset.

I reset the router yesterday.

Not:

I resetted the router yesterday.

Is reset one word or two?

Reset is normally one word when used as a verb or noun.

Is there a word reseted?

Reseted is not the standard past-tense spelling. Use reset.

How do you say reset in the past?

You still say and write reset.

I reset my password yesterday.

Is resetted correct grammar?

Not as the standard past tense or past participle of reset. Use reset.

How do you say shut up in the past tense?

The past tense of shut is shut.

He shut the door.

Likewise:

He shut up when the teacher entered.

What is a rude way to say “shut up”?

“Shut up” itself can sound rude or aggressive depending on context. Stronger insults exist, but neutral alternatives such as “please be quiet” or “let me finish” are usually more appropriate.

How do British people say “shut up”?

British English also uses shut up, though phrases such as be quiet, quiet down, or context-specific informal expressions may also occur.

How do Mexicans say “shut up”?

There is no single Mexican Spanish equivalent for every context. A common neutral instruction is “cállate”, but tone determines whether it sounds playful, direct, or rude.

What is the past participle of reset?

The past participle is reset.

The password has been reset.

Is resetting spelled with one T or two?

It is spelled with two:

resetting

Is it reseted or resetted?

Neither. The standard past tense is:

reset

Is it “I reset” or “I resetted”?

Use:

I reset

Is “has been resetted” correct?

No. Use:

has been reset

Example:

Your password has been reset.

Final Answer: Resetted or Reset?

The standard answer to resetted or reset is:

reset

Use reset for:

• the base verb
• simple past
• past participle

Examples:

I reset my phone.

I reset it yesterday.

I have reset it already.

The phone was reset.

Use resetting for the -ing form:

The phone is resetting.

Avoid resetted, reseted, and reseting in standard English.

The simplest rule to remember is:

set → set → set
reset → reset → reset