Home › Diagnosis › VanMoof S3, X3, S5 and A5 reset: app reset, restart sequence, factory reset, transfer and life after the bankruptcy
VanMoof reset (S3/X3/S5/A5): what still works, and the one reset that can lock you out
ResetsVanMoof S3/X3/S5/A5
VanMoof bikes are app-controlled: unlock, assist and most settings live in the VanMoof app and the bike's own computer. Since the 2023 bankruptcy and the takeover by LAVOIE the app and servers are still running, but service capacity is thin. The safest order: app reconnect, bike restart, then only a factory reset if you are sure you can re-pair afterwards.
Warning: A VanMoof factory reset removes the pairing between the bike and your account. If the app cannot re-pair afterwards (server outage, account problem, bike registered to someone else), the bike stays in its locked state. Before any factory reset: make sure your VanMoof account works, install the Bikey app (third-party) and export the bike's keys as a backup, and never factory-reset a bike whose ownership was not transferred to you. Errors on the S3/X3 top-tube display (e.g. 21, 23, 44) are hardware or wiring; a reset does not fix them.
What you need
- VanMoof app logged in, bike listed under your account
- Bikey app (Moofers) installed with the bike's keys exported as a backup, for S3/X3
- Battery above 20% (the bike may not accept commands below 10%)
- Bike frame number and proof of purchase
Step by step
1. App reconnect (mildest)
Force-close the VanMoof app, switch Bluetooth off and on, open the app again and wait next to the bike with the top-tube display or matrix on. If it still shows 'searching', log out of the app and back in.
If OK: Bike connects, unlocks, settings load.
If not: Still no connection: restart the phone, then go to the bike restart.
Force-close the VanMoof app, switch Bluetooth off and on, open the app again and wait next to the bike with the top-tube display or matrix on. If it still shows 'searching', log out of the app and back in.
If OK: Bike connects, unlocks, settings load.
If not: Still no connection: restart the phone, then go to the bike restart.
2. Bike restart (S3/X3)
Press and hold the button on the handlebar (the one used to reset the trip / arm the alarm) until the top-tube display goes dark and comes back with the boot animation, roughly 10 seconds. The bike restarts its computer; the kick lock state and settings are kept.
If OK: Display reboots; app connects; error text gone.
If not: No restart, display dead: battery deeply discharged (charge 30 minutes) or the internal wiring. Continue to the power cycle.
Press and hold the button on the handlebar (the one used to reset the trip / arm the alarm) until the top-tube display goes dark and comes back with the boot animation, roughly 10 seconds. The bike restarts its computer; the kick lock state and settings are kept.
If OK: Display reboots; app connects; error text gone.
If not: No restart, display dead: battery deeply discharged (charge 30 minutes) or the internal wiring. Continue to the power cycle.
3. Bike restart (S5/A5)
Press and hold the power/bell button on the bar until the halo lights go out and the boot animation runs, or use the app: Settings › Bike › 'Restart bike'. On the S5/A5 you cannot remove the battery; a charger connect/disconnect is the nearest thing to a power cycle.
If OK: Halo boots, app connects.
If not: Halo dead or stuck: leave the charger on for an hour, try again. Then service.
Press and hold the power/bell button on the bar until the halo lights go out and the boot animation runs, or use the app: Settings › Bike › 'Restart bike'. On the S5/A5 you cannot remove the battery; a charger connect/disconnect is the nearest thing to a power cycle.
If OK: Halo boots, app connects.
If not: Halo dead or stuck: leave the charger on for an hour, try again. Then service.
4. Power cycle (S3/X3 only)
The S3/X3 battery is internal but can be disconnected by a workshop; for you, the practical option is: plug the charger in for 5 minutes, unplug, hold the handlebar button for the restart.
If OK: Clean boot.
If not: Same error: read the number on the top-tube display and use the VanMoof error page. Do not factory reset for a numbered error.
The S3/X3 battery is internal but can be disconnected by a workshop; for you, the practical option is: plug the charger in for 5 minutes, unplug, hold the handlebar button for the restart.
If OK: Clean boot.
If not: Same error: read the number on the top-tube display and use the VanMoof error page. Do not factory reset for a numbered error.
5. App reset of settings
VanMoof app › Settings › Bike › reset power level, sound, light and alarm settings to default (individually). Kick lock and auto-unlock can be toggled off and on to clear a stuck state.
If OK: Behaviour back to stock.
If not: Unchanged: not a setting.
VanMoof app › Settings › Bike › reset power level, sound, light and alarm settings to default (individually). Kick lock and auto-unlock can be toggled off and on to clear a stuck state.
If OK: Behaviour back to stock.
If not: Unchanged: not a setting.
6. Factory reset via the app (last resort)
Only with a working account and a Bikey backup. VanMoof app › Settings › Bike › 'Reset bike' / 'Factory reset' › confirm. The bike unpairs, wipes settings and waits for a new pairing. Then in the app: add bike › follow the pairing flow with the bike unlocked and next to you.
If OK: Re-pairing succeeds; corrupt settings or a stuck pairing are gone.
If not: Re-pairing fails: the bike is now waiting for a pairing it cannot get. Use the Bikey backup to keep unlocking; contact VanMoof support (expect delays) or a VanMoof-certified independent workshop.
Only with a working account and a Bikey backup. VanMoof app › Settings › Bike › 'Reset bike' / 'Factory reset' › confirm. The bike unpairs, wipes settings and waits for a new pairing. Then in the app: add bike › follow the pairing flow with the bike unlocked and next to you.
If OK: Re-pairing succeeds; corrupt settings or a stuck pairing are gone.
If not: Re-pairing fails: the bike is now waiting for a pairing it cannot get. Use the Bikey backup to keep unlocking; contact VanMoof support (expect delays) or a VanMoof-certified independent workshop.
7. Transfer of ownership (selling or buying)
The seller does it in their VanMoof app: Settings › Bike › 'Transfer bike' › enter the buyer's VanMoof account email. The buyer accepts in their app. Do not accept a bike that is 'not registered' or still in the seller's account: without the transfer you cannot pair it, and support cannot force it without proof of purchase.
If OK: Bike shows under the buyer's account and pairs.
If not: Seller unreachable, bike still registered to them: VanMoof support with the frame number and a purchase receipt; this can take weeks. In the meantime the bike unlocks only if the seller's phone or a Bikey backup is available.
The seller does it in their VanMoof app: Settings › Bike › 'Transfer bike' › enter the buyer's VanMoof account email. The buyer accepts in their app. Do not accept a bike that is 'not registered' or still in the seller's account: without the transfer you cannot pair it, and support cannot force it without proof of purchase.
If OK: Bike shows under the buyer's account and pairs.
If not: Seller unreachable, bike still registered to them: VanMoof support with the frame number and a purchase receipt; this can take weeks. In the meantime the bike unlocks only if the seller's phone or a Bikey backup is available.
8. Post-bankruptcy reality
The app, servers and unlocking still work under the new owner LAVOIE. Parts and repairs go through VanMoof service points and certified independent workshops, with limited capacity. Firmware updates are rare. Keep a Bikey backup of the keys, keep the app installed, and do not factory reset unless you must.
If OK: You understand the risk and keep a backup.
If not: Servers unreachable at the moment you need to pair: wait; the bike keeps its last state. Bikey lets you unlock with the exported keys.
The app, servers and unlocking still work under the new owner LAVOIE. Parts and repairs go through VanMoof service points and certified independent workshops, with limited capacity. Firmware updates are rare. Keep a Bikey backup of the keys, keep the app installed, and do not factory reset unless you must.
If OK: You understand the risk and keep a backup.
If not: Servers unreachable at the moment you need to pair: wait; the bike keeps its last state. Bikey lets you unlock with the exported keys.
What you now know for sure
- App / phone: Bike fine, app not connecting. → Reconnect, relogin, restart phone.
- Bike computer hang: Cured by the handlebar restart. → Nothing more; note if it repeats.
- Settings: Cured by app settings reset. → Done.
- Ownership: Bike still on someone else's account. → Seller transfers; otherwise VanMoof support with proof.
- Hardware error: Numbered error survives everything. → VanMoof error page, then a certified workshop.
Manuals and video
Videos found on YouTube and checked automatically; they are other people's work, not ours.
- Hard reset Vanmoof S3/X3 Razspareparts
- Vanmoof S3: How to Hard Reset (TUTORIAL) Razspareparts
- VanMoof S3 & X3 | How to reset VanMoof
Frequently asked
Is it safe to factory reset a VanMoof now that the company went bankrupt?
Only if your account works and you have a Bikey backup. The servers are running under LAVOIE, but if pairing fails you have little recourse. Factory reset is the last step, not the first.
How do I restart a VanMoof S3 without the app?
Hold the handlebar button for around 10 seconds until the top-tube display restarts. That reboots the bike's computer without changing settings.
Can I use a second-hand VanMoof without the previous owner?
Only if they transferred it to your account. Otherwise you are stuck with a bike that cannot be paired; VanMoof support may help with a receipt and frame number, but expect a long wait.
Still stuck? Take a photo of the display and show it to a local e-bike workshop. Bring the bike's system name (e.g. Bosch Performance Line CX) and the exact code; that saves diagnostic time and money.