What is a soft reboot?

A soft reboot refers to restarting a device or system without cutting off the power, allowing it to refresh its operating state while retaining current settings and data. This process typically involves shutting down and restarting the operating system, which can resolve minor software issues without the need for a full power cycle. It contrasts with a hard reboot, which involves completely powering off the device. Soft reboots are commonly used in computers and smartphones to clear temporary glitches or refresh system resources.