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

To manufacturing plant-reset an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Full general > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

But there are some steps you should take starting time, as we'll outline in this article. Nosotros explain how to reset an iPhone or iPad, the steps and precautions to take first, and how to rescue the data on a phone or tablet you've wiped by mistake.

Why practise 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 you lot should start try restarting your iDevice (see the link above). A factory reset tin aid resolve issues with your phone if it's crashing or freezing, or suffering from problems you can't identify.

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

And if you're selling your iPhone (or passing it downward to a family member or friend) it's absolutely vital that you delete all the sensitive information stored on it. If not, an unscrupulous buyer could gain admission to your social media profiles, your financial information and even your personal photos and videos, enabling them to scan through your private moments or steal your identity.

How to mill-reset your iPhone

If you want to erase your device completely and return to manufacturing plant settings, there are a few steps to have.

Back up your iPhone

Nosotros take a divide article explaining how to back up an iPhone, but here's the shortened version:

  1. Yous tin use either iCloud or iTunes (or the Finder) to support your iOS device.
  2. For iCloud, become to Settings > iCloud > Fill-in and ensure that the feature is enabled. To run into when the last backup was run, look under the Back Up Now pick where the engagement and time should exist displayed. If you haven't washed a backup earlier, yous can tap the Dorsum Up Now button and follow the instructions.

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

  3. To utilise iTunes/The Finder to back up your iPhone or iPad, you'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

One time you're confident that you've backed upward 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 important.

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

  1. To reset your iPhone or iPad, become to Settings > General > Reset and and then select Erase All Content and Settings.
  2. If you lot've got an iCloud backup set up, iOS will ask if you'd like to update information technology, so you don't lose unsaved data. We advise you to follow this advice, and tap Back up And so Erase.
  3. After typing in your passcode (if you've prepare ane), you'll get a warning box, with the option to Erase iPhone (or iPad) in red. Tap this.
  4. Yous'll need to enter your Apple ID countersign to confirm the action. The device will be wiped and go back to the initial setup screen you lot saw when you first used the device.
  5. You can as well 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 see a 'Restore iPhone' push button, which will fully reset the device.

Your iPhone or iPad is now ready to sell.

Did yous forget to back upwards your iPhone before you wiped it?

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

To detect out if you're backing upwards to iCloud (you get free 5GB of infinite) become to Settings > iCloud and tap on Storage. Await a few seconds for Manage Storage to show upward and tap on that. Here you will see your diverse backups for your iOS devices (in that location might even exist 1 for an old iPhone that you could delete if you demand more space).

One of the backups should say that it is This iPhone or This iPad. Tap on that and y'all can run across what is, and isn't being backed up. You tin basically plough things on and off so that they don't take up your total 5GB, or you tin can pay a few pounds/dollars a month for more storage.

Yous may think that some of those apps don't need to be backed up; after all, yous volition be able to download them again from the App Store equally yous already own them. Only note that the data may include saved data for games, and other settings and preferences yous would adopt not to lose.

To bank check when your iPhone final backed up, get to Settings and tap your ID card at the top of the principal screen (it'll have your proper name and/or a film of your face). Now hit iCloud > iCloud Fill-in and wait at the date and time of the final backup. Information technology volition have happened the terminal time y'all plugged your iPhone into charge and had Wi-Fi admission available. It happens automatically.

If you're non currently using this method, we recommend that you do so. Go to Settings > [your ID card] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and prepare iCloud Backup to on (the light-green toggle). This is the simplest fashion to dorsum up and means that you can always recover the data on your phone no matter where yous are - all you need is a connection to the web.

How to rescue data from a wiped iPhone or iPad

On the other hand, if you can't find a fill-in, it'southward likely that you won't be able to retrieve data in one case you lot accept 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 get annihilation dorsum when it's been fully erased and reset without access to a backup.

In an emergency you could try speaking to someone at an Apple Genius Bar, but it's a long shot to say the to the lowest degree. (This applies to a total erase/reset, mind y'all - in other circumstances, such as information corruption, a malfunctioning device and so on, the experts may be able to help.) This also reinforces our frequent advice to back up regularly.

How to restore an iPhone

If having erased the content of the telephone y'all intend to go on using it, you can restore the content to your phone from your fill-in. Here'due south how:

...via iCloud backup

With the manufacturing plant reset completed you'll need to go through the setup of your iPhone again from the beginning:

  1. Start upward the iPhone and enter your details when prompted, including WiFi password, until you reach the page where you're asked how you want to 'Set Up iPhone'.
  2. You now take three options: Set up as a New iPhone, Restore from iCloud Backup or Restore from iTunes backup - so select the iCloud option and you'll be prompted to enter your iCloud account details.
  3. Once you've done this, and agreed to the terms and conditions, your iPhone will begin restoring all your data.

Manifestly this could accept a while if yous take large backups or a slow cyberspace connectedness, so don't attempt this if you're in a hurry. When the backup is completed your iPhone will reboot, so it will showtime the larger job of downloading all of your apps.

...via iTunes or Finder backup

  1. As with the iCloud instructions we've already outlined, follow the steps up to the 'Set Up iPhone' screen, so select Restore from iTunes.
  2. You'll be prompted to Connect to iTunes, and then plug in your iPhone and y'all'll run across a screen on iTunes that gives you the choice to restore a backup. Click continue and your iPhone will be set upwards automatically, with the apps beingness restored from the iTunes backup.
  3. When information technology's finished, you lot'll accept a freshly cleaned organisation. Hopefully any problems that you were encountering earlier will exist a thing of the past.
  4. If you're installed macOS Catalina, iTunes will no longer exist on your system - but the functions above will be performed past Finder. Follow the same instructions in that awarding.

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