How to Reset Hatch Sound Machine: Steps for Every Model

Quick answer: How to reset Hatch sound machine models depends on which one you own. Start with a power cycle: unplug it for at least 5 minutes, then plug it into a different outlet. If it still won’t connect, play sound or turn on, do the model’s recovery reset. On a Rest 2nd gen or Hatch Baby, that means holding the two-arrow button while you plug it in. The original Rest+ uses a paperclip.

The annoying part is that every generation does it differently. Same brand, five different button tricks. When I lined up Hatch’s help articles for each model, almost no two sequences matched, down to how long you hold the button and which outlet you use.

So my first step isn’t pressing anything. It’s figuring out which Hatch you have.

Which Hatch Do You Have?

Hatch’s help center sorts its reset steps by model. Here’s how the main nursery models differ, based on Hatch’s own support articles:

Model	How it connects	Battery?	Reset tool
Rest (original)	Bluetooth only, never Wi-Fi	Not stated by Hatch	Paperclip plus power button
Rest+ (original)	Bluetooth for setup, then Wi-Fi	Yes	Paperclip in the “R” hole
Rest 2nd gen	Bluetooth for setup, then Wi-Fi	No, must be plugged in	Two-arrow button
Rest+ 2nd gen	Bluetooth for setup, then Wi-Fi	Yes, with a charging base	Power plus connect buttons
Hatch Baby	Bluetooth for setup, then Wi-Fi	Not stated by Hatch	Two-arrow button

Not sure? Hatch has a “Which Hatch device do I have?” page with photos of each one. I’d check it before you start, because the wrong sequence on the wrong model just wastes ten minutes.

Why a Hatch Needs a Reset

Owners usually hit one of these, and in my reading of Hatch’s support pages, the first one dominates:

1. It won’t connect to the app. The most common reason, by far.
2. No sound, or distorted sound. Hatch lists this as a reason for a recovery reset on the Rest 2nd gen.
3. It won’t turn on. Hatch covers this for the Rest+ and the Rest 2nd gen.
4. Wi-Fi setup fails partway. Hatch says its Wi-Fi models need a 2.4 GHz network to finish setup.
5. Another phone is hogging the connection. The original Rest pairs with only one device at a time.

When You Don’t Need a Full Reset

Before you dig out a paperclip, rule out the problems that only look like a broken device. I’d check these three:

• The clock is wrong after a trip or a time change. For the original Rest, Hatch’s fix is just to connect it to the app, which resets its internal clock so programs run on local time.
• Volume or light changes by itself on a Rest+ 2nd gen. Hatch suggests the recovery reset below, and if that doesn’t stop it, pressing the volume and brightness buttons gently to see if one is stuck.
• Silence at bedtime. Check the app’s volume and that a sound is picked. Don’t skip this one.

If none of those fit, carry on. My guess is you’re dealing with a connection problem, which the steps below handle well.

How to Reset Hatch Sound Machine Models, Step by Step

Try the easy fixes in order. In practice, most people never need the paperclip.

Step 1: Rule Out the Simple Stuff

If there’s no sound, open the app first. Hatch’s “no sound” articles say to check the volume is turned up and a sound is actually selected. It sounds obvious, I know. It’s also the fix more often than you’d think.

Then check your phone. On an iPhone, Hatch says to go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Bluetooth, and make sure Hatch Sleep is switched on. On Android, turn on Location Services, which Android needs before apps can scan for Bluetooth devices. Stand in the same room, about 10 feet away, during setup.

Still nothing? Hatch’s Bluetooth checklist has a few phone-side moves worth trying before you touch the device:

• Toggle Bluetooth off, count to five, and flip it back on.
• Force-close Hatch Sleep. On a Face ID iPhone, swipe up from the bottom, pause, then flick the app card away. With a Home button, double-click it first. On Android, open recent apps and swipe the card off.
• Restart the phone and leave it off for 30 seconds.
• Shut the app on any partner’s or grandparent’s phone nearby, and carry that phone out of the room.

Range matters too. A lot. Hatch puts the comfortable limit at roughly 30 feet, and thick walls or doors can cut it short, so a nursery at the far end of the hall may simply be too far from where you’re sitting.

Step 2: Power Cycle It

For Hatch Baby products, Hatch’s power-cycle steps are simple. Unplug the device for at least 5 minutes. Plug it firmly into a different outlet, then wait a few minutes so it can rejoin your Wi-Fi.

For the original Rest, Hatch suggests unplugging for 30 seconds and plugging it back in.

Step 3: Do the Recovery Reset for Your Model

This is the deeper reset. Pick your model below, and don’t mix steps between models.

Rest 2nd gen

1. Stop anything playing by holding your palm on the device for about 3 seconds.
2. Unplug it for at least 5 minutes.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Find the Bluetooth button marked with two arrows and keep a finger on it.
5. Without letting go, plug the Rest into a different socket and wait about 10 seconds.
6. Wait about 5 minutes, then try connecting in the app.

Rest+ 2nd gen

1. Plug the power cord straight into the device, not the charging base, or charge it for at least 5 hours first.
2. Press and hold both the power button and the connect button for 10 seconds. Connect is the small round two-arrow button next to the power port.
3. Release power only. Connect stays pressed for another 10 seconds.
4. Release, connect in the app, and accept any firmware update.

Rest+ (original)

1. With the Rest+ plugged in, push a paperclip into the hole marked “R” to the left of the power cord. The clock turns off briefly.
2. Pull the plug.
3. Press the two outermost buttons on the base for 10 seconds to power it fully off.
4. Reconnect the cord securely and give it one minute.
5. Open the app, connect, and accept any firmware update.

Hatch adds a useful warning here. You should feel a button click inside the “R” hole. If you don’t, you may be pressing the microphone, which sits slightly above and to the right of the power port.

Rest (original)

1. Restart your phone, turn Bluetooth on and stand near the Rest.
2. Unplug it for 20 seconds, then plug it back in firmly.
3. Hold the power button, the center button on the base.
4. While holding it, insert and release a paperclip in the small reset hole on the base, near the words “contains FCC ID.”
5. After 5 seconds, release the power button.
6. Open the app and connect within 20 seconds, then accept any firmware update.

That 20-second window is the part I’d watch most closely. Hatch says connecting right away is what sends the update the device needs, so have the app open before you start.

Hatch Baby

1. If content is playing, press and hold the Big Button until it shuts off.
2. Unplug it for at least 5 minutes.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Press and hold the two-arrow Bluetooth button on the bottom.
5. Still pressing, plug it into another wall socket and count 10 seconds.
6. Wait about 5 minutes, then connect.

Step 4: Put It Back in Pairing Mode

If the app still can’t find it, Hatch’s pairing steps differ by model. On the original Rest+, press the two innermost buttons, volume up and brightness up, together for 2 seconds until the clock briefly shows “ON.” On the Rest 2nd gen and Rest+ 2nd gen, hold the two-arrow button on the bottom for 2 seconds.

When to Contact Hatch Support

If you’ve done the recovery reset for your exact model, restarted your phone, confirmed a 2.4 GHz network and closed the app on every other phone in the house, I’d stop there. Honestly, you’ve done everything a support agent would ask for in the first five minutes. Repeating the same reset ten times rarely changes the outcome. Hatch’s articles point you to the chat bubble on its help pages for the next step.

Where to Put It Once It Works

One safety point while you’re moving it around. The AAP’s safe sleep advice is a fitted sheet only, with nothing else in the crib with your baby. That includes the sound machine and its cord, so keep the Hatch on a dresser or shelf out of reach.

For more on setting up a safe sleep space, see is a bassinet a crib and our take on whether you need a baby swing and bouncer. The sleep and soothing section has the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a factory reset on a Hatch Rest?

Hatch’s help articles describe a power cycle and a deeper “recovery reset” for each model, rather than a separate factory reset. The recovery reset is the one to use when the device won’t connect, turn on or play sound.

Why won’t my Hatch connect to Wi-Fi?

Hatch says its Wi-Fi models need a 2.4 GHz network to finish setup. The original Rest never uses Wi-Fi at all, only Bluetooth.

Why does my Hatch Rest have no sound?

First check that the volume is up and a sound is selected in the app. If that doesn’t help, Hatch recommends the recovery reset for your model.

Can two phones control the same Hatch Rest?

The original Rest pairs with only one device at a time, according to Hatch. Close the app on any other phone nearby before you connect.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Hatch: recovery reset for Rest 2nd gen, Hatch: recovery reset for Rest+ 2nd gen, Hatch: recovery reset for Rest+ and Hatch: Bluetooth troubleshooting for Wi-Fi devices.