Restarting Airport Express: A Quick Guide To Rebooting

If you're having trouble with your AirPort Express, you may need to reset it. There are a few different ways to do this, including a soft reset and a hard reset. A soft reset involves plugging the AirPort Express into power and holding down the reset button for one second. A hard reset, on the other hand, requires you to hold down the reset button for 7-8 seconds. Once you release the button, the AirPort Express will restart and you'll see a slow, blinking amber light.

How to reset your AirPort Express

There are two ways to reset your AirPort Express: a soft reset and a hard reset.

Soft reset

• Make sure that the base station is connected to power.
• Press and hold the reset button for 1 second, then release the button.
• The status light on the base station will flash amber.
• From the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar, choose the Wi-Fi network created by your base station.

Hard reset

• Power up the Express and let it run for a minute or two.
• Hold in the reset button for 7-8 seconds and release.
• Allow a minute for the AirPort Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status about once a second.

You can also try the following method:

• With the AirPort Express plugged into power, press and hold the device’s reset button for 10 seconds.
• A green light will flash for a bit and then the device will reset itself — a process that takes about 45 seconds.

Once reset, you can configure it with the AirPort Express Assistant or the AirPort Admin Utility.

Soft reset

To soft reset your AirPort Express, make sure that the base station is connected to power. Press and hold the reset button for one second, then release the button. The status light on the base station will flash amber. From the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar, choose the Wi-Fi network created by your base station.

If this doesn't work, you could try a hard reset as a last resort. Power up the AirPort Express and let it run for a minute or two. Hold the reset button for seven to eight seconds, then release. Allow a minute for the AirPort Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status about once a second.

Hard reset

To hard reset your AirPort Express, first power up the device and let it run for a minute or two. Then, hold the reset button for 7-8 seconds and release. Allow a minute for the AirPort Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status about once a second. If the light is solid amber, this is a sign of a dead board. It means that the device is refusing to boot but does have power. Holding in the reset button will allow the boot loader to run, which is minimal and should work. However, during a full boot, the device tests various items on the board and if something major fails, it simply stops booting.

You can also try a different method. With the AirPort Express plugged into the power, press and hold the device's reset button for 10 seconds. A green light will flash for a bit and then the device will reset itself, which takes about 45 seconds.

How to configure your AirPort Express after a reset

To configure your AirPort Express after a reset, you can use the AirPort Express Assistant or the AirPort Admin Utility. To do this, follow these steps:

• Unplug the AirPort Express from the power outlet.
• Press and hold the reset button.
• While still holding down the reset button, plug the device into a power outlet.
• Hold down the reset button until you see the light flash green four times.
• Let go of the button and the device will reset itself.
• Wait 45 seconds and then configure it with the AirPort Express Assistant or AirPort Admin Utility.

If you are unable to reset your AirPort Express using the above method, you could try a hard reset as a last resort. Here are the steps:

• Power up the Express and let it run for a minute or two.
• Hold in the reset button for 7-8 seconds and release.
• Allow a minute for the AirPort Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status about once a second.

If your AirPort Express still won't reset, you may need to try a soft reset. To do this, make sure that the base station is connected to power, then press and hold the reset button for 1 second and release. The status light on the base station should flash amber. From the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar, choose the Wi-Fi network created by your base station.

What to do if your AirPort Express won't reset

If your AirPort Express won't reset, there are a few things you can try. First, make sure that the device is plugged into a power source. Then, press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds. A green light will flash, and the device will reset itself, which should take about 45 seconds.

If this doesn't work, you can try a hard reset. Power up the Express and let it run for a minute or two. Then, hold the reset button for 7-8 seconds and release. Allow a minute for the AirPort Express to restart; you'll know it's restarting when you see a slow, blinking amber light.

If your AirPort Express still won't reset, you may need to try a soft reset. Make sure the base station is connected to power, then press and hold the reset button for 1 second and release. The status light on the base station will flash amber. From the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar, choose the Wi-Fi network created by your base station.

Frequently asked questions