Resetting your iPhone or iPad completely wipes the data on the device and returns it to factory settings. (This is distinct from the less drastic processes of restarting and strength-restarting, both of which retain your data and settings and should generally be tried first.)

To factory-reset an iPhone or iPad, get to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

But there are some steps you lot should take first, every bit we'll outline in this article. We explain how to reset an iPhone or iPad, the steps and precautions to have outset, and how to rescue the data on a phone or tablet y'all've wiped by mistake.

Why do I demand to reset my iPhone?

If your iPhone or iPad is misbehaving and initial solutions are not working, a full reset may be necessary - although y'all should first try restarting your iDevice (meet the link above). A factory reset can aid resolve issues with your phone if it's crashing or freezing, or suffering from problems y'all can't identify.

Modern electronic devices can be very complicated, and can get themselves into a chip of a confused state from time to fourth dimension. Resetting and wiping a device tin clear out issues that cause it to get stuck in a loop, announced sluggish or otherwise impair performance.

And if y'all're selling your iPhone (or passing information technology downwards to a family member or friend) it's absolutely vital that you delete all the sensitive data stored on it. If non, an unscrupulous heir-apparent could gain access to your social media profiles, your financial information and even your personal photos and videos, enabling them to browse through your private moments or steal your identity.

How to factory-reset your iPhone

If you want to erase your device completely and return to factory settings, there are a few steps to take.

Back up your iPhone

We accept a split article explaining how to back up an iPhone, only hither'southward the shortened version:

  1. You tin use either iCloud or iTunes (or the Finder) to back up your iOS device.
  2. For iCloud, go to Settings > iCloud > Backup and ensure that the feature is enabled. To meet when the last backup was run, wait under the Support At present choice where the engagement and time should be displayed. If you oasis't done a backup before, you can tap the Back up Now push button and follow the instructions.

    How to factory-reset an iPhone or iPad: Back up

  3. To utilise iTunes/The Finder to back upwardly your iPhone or iPad, you'll demand to plug your device into your PC or Mac using the charging cablevision. Click on the iPhone or iPad icon.

Factory-reset your iPhone

One time you're confident that you lot've backed upward your iPad or iPhone, you're prepare to perform a factory reset. This will completely wipe your device, which is why having a fill-in beforehand is so important.

How to factory-reset an iPhone or iPad: Perform the reset

  1. To reset your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Reset and and then select Erase All Content and Settings.
  2. If you've got an iCloud backup ready, iOS volition inquire if you lot'd like to update it, so y'all don't lose unsaved data. Nosotros advise you to follow this advice, and tap Back up Then Erase.
  3. After typing in your passcode (if you've gear up 1), yous'll get a warning box, with the choice to Erase iPhone (or iPad) in ruddy. Tap this.
  4. You'll need to enter your Apple ID password to confirm the action. The device will be wiped and go back to the initial setup screen yous saw when y'all first used the device.
  5. You can also fully reset your iPhone or iPad through iTunes or Finder (depending on whether you've updated to macOS Catalina or not). When you plug in your iOS device, you should come across a 'Restore iPhone' button, which will fully reset the device.

Your iPhone or iPad is now ready to sell.

Did you forget to back up your iPhone earlier you wiped information technology?

If you're worried that your iPhone or iPad wasn't backed upwardly, don't despair: in that location'south a adept chance that there's a backup y'all're unaware of.

To find out if yous're backing up to iCloud (y'all get free 5GB of space) become to Settings > iCloud and tap on Storage. Wait a few seconds for Manage Storage to evidence upwards and tap on that. Here yous will encounter your diverse backups for your iOS devices (there might even be one for an old iPhone that you could delete if you need more space).

One of the backups should say that it is This iPhone or This iPad. Tap on that and yous can encounter what is, and isn't beingness backed up. Y'all can basically turn things on and off so that they don't take upwards your total 5GB, or you can pay a few pounds/dollars a calendar month for more storage.

You may think that some of those apps don't demand to be backed up; subsequently all, you will be able to download them again from the App Store every bit you already own them. But notation that the data may include saved information for games, and other settings and preferences yous would adopt not to lose.

To check when your iPhone terminal backed up, go to Settings and tap your ID card at the top of the main screen (it'll take your proper noun and/or a picture of your face up). Now striking iCloud > iCloud Backup and look at the date and fourth dimension of the last backup. It will have happened the last time you lot plugged your iPhone into charge and had Wi-Fi access available. Information technology happens automatically.

If you're non currently using this method, we recommend that y'all exercise then. Go to Settings > [your ID card] > iCloud > iCloud Fill-in and set iCloud Backup to on (the green toggle). This is the simplest way to back up and ways that you can e'er recover the data on your phone no matter where you lot are - all you lot need is a connection to the spider web.

How to rescue data from a wiped iPhone or iPad

On the other hand, if you can't find a fill-in, it's probable that you won't be able to retrieve data once you have deleted it.

The data on an iOS device is automatically encrypted, and wiping the device destroys the encryption key, making it more than or less impossible to go anything dorsum when information technology's been fully erased and reset without access to a backup.

In an emergency y'all could try speaking to someone at an Apple Genius Bar, only information technology'south a long shot to say the least. (This applies to a full erase/reset, mind yous - in other circumstances, such as information corruption, a malfunctioning device and and so on, the experts may be able to assist.) This also reinforces our frequent advice to back up regularly.

How to restore an iPhone

If having erased the content of the phone you intend to keep using it, y'all can restore the content to your phone from your backup. Hither'south how:

...via iCloud backup

With the factory reset completed you'll need to become through the setup of your iPhone again from the beginning:

  1. Start up the iPhone and enter your details when prompted, including WiFi password, until you reach the page where you're asked how you lot want to 'Ready iPhone'.
  2. You now have three options: Set Up every bit a New iPhone, Restore from iCloud Fill-in or Restore from iTunes backup - so select the iCloud selection and you'll be prompted to enter your iCloud business relationship details.
  3. Once you lot've washed this, and agreed to the terms and conditions, your iPhone will begin restoring all your data.

Plainly this could take a while if you have big backups or a slow internet connection, and so don't attempt this if you're in a hurry. When the backup is completed your iPhone will reboot, and then information technology will start the larger job of downloading all of your apps.

...via iTunes or Finder backup

  1. Equally with the iCloud instructions we've already outlined, follow the steps upwardly to the 'Set Upward iPhone' screen, then select Restore from iTunes.
  2. Yous'll be prompted to Connect to iTunes, so plug in your iPhone and you'll see a screen on iTunes that gives yous the choice to restore a backup. Click continue and your iPhone will be fix up automatically, with the apps being restored from the iTunes backup.
  3. When it'due south finished, you'll have a freshly cleaned system. Hopefully whatever bug that you were encountering before will be a thing of the past.
  4. If yous're installed macOS Catalina, iTunes will no longer exist on your system - but the functions above will be performed by Finder. Follow the same instructions in that application.

How to factory-reset an iPhone or iPad: Set up in iTunes