Я сбросил настройки ещё раз, и, похоже, проблема была в приложении.

Breakdown of Я сбросил настройки ещё раз, и, похоже, проблема была в приложении.

я
I
в
in
быть
to be
и
and
проблема
the problem
приложение
the app
ещё раз
once again
настройка
the setting
похоже
it seems
сбросить
to reset
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Questions & Answers about Я сбросил настройки ещё раз, и, похоже, проблема была в приложении.

Why is сбросил in the past tense masculine form?

Because Russian past tense verbs agree in gender and number with the subject. Here the implied subject is я (a single person).

  • я сбросил = “I (male speaker) reset”
  • я сбросила = “I (female speaker) reset”
    If the subject were plural: мы сбросили.
What is the aspect of сбросил, and why is that aspect used here?

Сбросил is perfective (completed action). It presents the reset as a finished, one-time result: I reset (and it’s done).
If you used imperfective (сбрасывал), it would sound like repeated/ongoing attempts or background action (e.g., “I was resetting / used to reset”), not a single completed reset.

What case is настройки in, and why?

настройки is in the accusative plural, because it’s the direct object of the verb сбросить (to reset).
Nominative plural: настройки
Accusative plural (inanimate): настройки (same form)

Is сбросить настройки the most natural way to say “reset settings”?

Yes, сбросить настройки is very common and natural in tech contexts. You’ll also see:

  • сделать сброс настроек (more “noun-y,” like “perform a reset of settings”)
  • сбросить всё к заводским настройкам / сбросить до заводских настроек (factory reset idea)
What does ещё раз mean here, and can it move around?

ещё раз means once again / one more time. It’s flexible in position, but the most natural spots are:

  • Я сбросил настройки ещё раз (as in the sentence)
  • Я ещё раз сбросил настройки (emphasizes “again”)
    Both are fine; the difference is mostly emphasis.
Why are there commas around похоже: и, похоже, проблема…?

Here похоже functions like a parenthetical/inserted comment meaning apparently / it seems. Parenthetical words are often set off by commas:

  • и, похоже, ... = “and, apparently, ...”
    Without commas (и похоже проблема...) it can look like похоже is directly modifying проблема, which is less natural in this structure.
What exactly is похоже grammatically? Is it an adverb?

In this use, похоже is an impersonal predicative / discourse word meaning it seems / apparently. It’s related to the adjective похожий (similar), but in this fixed form it behaves like “seems.”
A close alternative is похоже, что ... (explicit that-clause): Похоже, что проблема была в приложении.

Why does it say проблема была в приложении and not проблема была с приложением?

They mean different things:

  • проблема была в приложении = “the problem was in the app” (the app contained the issue; the cause was inside it)
  • проблема была с приложением = “there was a problem with the app” (more general; could be installation, compatibility, your device, etc.)

So в points to the source/cause being internal to the app.

What case is в приложении, and why приложении not приложение?

After в meaning “in/inside,” Russian typically uses the prepositional case (also called locative in many textbooks):

  • в приложении = in the app
    Singular prepositional of приложение is приложении.
Why is была used (past tense of “to be”)? In the present tense it’s usually omitted, right?

Correct: in the present tense Russian usually omits to be: Проблема в приложении (“The problem is in the app”).
But in the past (and future) you normally use быть:

  • Past: проблема была в приложении (“was”)
  • Future: проблема будет в приложении (“will be”)