How to reset Time Capsule
Summary
If your Time Capsule stops responding, you may need to reconfigure it from a previously saved profile or reset it to the factory default settings via a hard reset.
Note: If you are troubleshooting an issue, try restarting your Time Capsule and accessing it via AirPort Utility 5.3 or later. You may not need to perform a hard reset to resolve the issue you are troubleshooting.
Products Affected
Time Capsule
Performing a hard reset
Push and hold the reset button for at least five seconds (until the amber light blinks rapidly). The Time Capsule resets once the button is released.
Important: A hard reset erases all Time Capsule settings, including Access Control and RADIUS (except the Time Capsule disk name and its contents). Contents of the Time Capsule hard drive are not erased by this process. The Time Capsule must be connected to power during this process.
Erasing profiles
If you perform a hard reset while the Time Capsule is already up-and-running, it will not erase profiles.
If you press the button for more than 5 seconds immediately at power on, profiles will be erased.
Additional Information
What happens during the reset?
The LEDs on the Time Capsule will flash repeatedly as it reloads the software and reinitializes. For a short time, the Time Capsule may not be visible from AirPort menu item or from the configuration utilities. This whole process takes approximately 30 seconds to complete. You may then use the Time Capsule in its default state, or reconfigure it using the AirPort Utility 5.3 or later. During reset, the Time Capsule loads the following default settings:
- Set to request IP address by DHCP.
- Time Capsule password is "public".
- Time Capsule name reverts to "Time Capsule XXXXXX", where XXXXXX is the last six digits of the wireless MAC address (see Note, below).
- Network name is "Apple Network XXXXXX", where XXXXXX is the last six digits of the wireless MAC address (see Note, below).
Again, the Time Capsule's hard disk name and contents are unaffected (not erased) by the hard reset process.