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

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

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

Why do I demand to reset my iPhone?

If your iPhone or iPad is misbehaving and initial solutions are not working, a total reset may be necessary - although yous should start attempt restarting your iDevice (see the link above). A factory reset can aid resolve bug with your phone if it'due south crashing or freezing, or suffering from problems you tin't identify.

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

And if you're selling your iPhone (or passing information technology down to a family unit member or friend) it's absolutely vital that you lot delete all the sensitive data stored on it. If not, 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 render to factory settings, in that location are a few steps to accept.

Back up your iPhone

We have a separate article explaining how to support an iPhone, but here's the shortened version:

  1. You can utilize 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 see when the last fill-in was run, look under the Back Upwardly At present selection where the date and fourth dimension should be displayed. If you lot haven't done a backup before, you can tap the Back Up Now button and follow the instructions.

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

  3. To use iTunes/The Finder to support your iPhone or iPad, you lot'll need to plug your device into your PC or Mac using the charging cable. Click on the iPhone or iPad icon.

Factory-reset your iPhone

Once y'all're confident that you've backed up your iPad or iPhone, you're ready to perform a factory reset. This will completely wipe your device, which is why having a backup beforehand is so of import.

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 so select Erase All Content and Settings.
  2. If you've got an iCloud fill-in set up, iOS will ask if you'd similar to update information technology, so y'all don't lose unsaved data. We advise yous to follow this communication, and tap Back Upwards Then Erase.
  3. Afterwards typing in your passcode (if you lot've set one), y'all'll get a warning box, with the selection to Erase iPhone (or iPad) in red. Tap this.
  4. You'll need to enter your Apple ID countersign to ostend the activeness. The device volition be wiped and go back to the initial setup screen you saw when you lot first used the device.
  5. You can likewise fully reset your iPhone or iPad through iTunes or Finder (depending on whether you lot've updated to macOS Catalina or not). When yous plug in your iOS device, yous should run into a 'Restore iPhone' button, which volition fully reset the device.

Your iPhone or iPad is now set up to sell.

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

If you're worried that your iPhone or iPad wasn't backed up, don't despair: there's a good take a chance that there's a backup yous're unaware of.

To find out if yous're backing up to iCloud (you get gratuitous 5GB of space) go to Settings > iCloud and tap on Storage. Look a few seconds for Manage Storage to show upward and tap on that. Here you will encounter your diverse backups for your iOS devices (there might fifty-fifty be i 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 you can encounter what is, and isn't being backed up. You can basically turn things on and off so that they don't take up your full 5GB, or y'all tin pay a few pounds/dollars a month for more storage.

You may recall that some of those apps don't demand to be backed upwards; after all, you will be able to download them again from the App Store every bit you already ain them. Simply note that the information may include saved data for games, and other settings and preferences you lot would prefer not to lose.

To check when your iPhone last backed up, get to Settings and tap your ID carte at the top of the master screen (it'll have your name and/or a movie of your face). Now hitting iCloud > iCloud Backup and look at the date and time of the last fill-in. It will have happened the last time y'all plugged your iPhone into charge and had Wi-Fi admission available. Information technology happens automatically.

If you're not currently using this method, we recommend that yous do then. Go to Settings > [your ID carte du jour] > iCloud > iCloud Fill-in and prepare iCloud Fill-in to on (the light-green toggle). This is the simplest way to dorsum up and means that you tin always recover the data on your phone no thing where you lot are - all you need is a connectedness to the web.

How to rescue information from a wiped iPhone or iPad

On the other manus, if you can't find a fill-in, it'due south likely that y'all won't exist able to recall 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 or less impossible to go annihilation back when it'due south 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, but it's 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 so on, the experts may be able to assistance.) This likewise reinforces our frequent communication to back up regularly.

How to restore an iPhone

If having erased the content of the phone you intend to keep using it, you can restore the content to your telephone from your fill-in. Here's how:

...via iCloud backup

With the factory reset completed you lot'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 yous reach the page where yous're asked how you lot want to 'Prepare Upwardly iPhone'.
  2. You now take three options: Set as a New iPhone, Restore from iCloud Backup or Restore from iTunes fill-in - so select the iCloud choice and you'll be prompted to enter your iCloud account details.
  3. Once you lot've washed this, and agreed to the terms and conditions, your iPhone will brainstorm restoring all your data.

Obviously this could take a while if you accept large backups or a dull internet connection, so don't try this if you're in a hurry. When the fill-in is completed your iPhone will reboot, then it 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 up to the 'Ready iPhone' screen, then select Restore from iTunes.
  2. You'll exist prompted to Connect to iTunes, so plug in your iPhone and yous'll run across a screen on iTunes that gives you lot the pick to restore a backup. Click keep and your iPhone will be set upward automatically, with the apps existence restored from the iTunes backup.
  3. When it'southward finished, y'all'll accept a freshly cleaned system. Hopefully any problems that you were encountering earlier volition be a thing of the past.
  4. If you're installed macOS Catalina, iTunes will no longer be on your arrangement - but the functions in a higher place volition exist performed past Finder. Follow the same instructions in that awarding.

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