How to reset iPhone to factory settings?

If you decide to sell, donate, send for repairs, or let your iPad be used for a while, you should reset the settings to factory settings. This will erase not only settings and passwords, but also photos, films, programs, music and other content. This is very convenient to prevent personal data and files that are not intended for prying eyes from falling into the wrong hands.

In addition, formatting an iPad tablet solves software problems, eliminates freezes, glitches, and sometimes returns the equipment to working condition from the “brick”. So, here are the step-by-step instructions, relevant for all models and versions (1,2,3,4, Air, Mini, Pro).

Back up your device

Important reminder: Before resetting your iPhone or iPad to factory settings, make sure you back up everything you want to keep in iCloud or iTunes.

Apple devices are encrypted out of the box. This means that erased files are not just hidden and shown as free space, they are completely deleted - no software can recover deleted files.

Apple has support pages that explain methods you can use to back up your iOS device, including via iCloud or via iTunes.

To back up to iCloud, connect to your Wi-Fi network and go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Once you click Back Up Now, your files will be stored in your iCloud account and linked to your Apple ID.
You can verify that this backup was successful by going to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Storage > Manage Storage. This will show the time and size of your last backup. You can now factory reset your iPhone or iPad.
Alternatively, open iTunes, connect your device to your computer (enter your password or tell it "Trust this computer") and follow the onscreen instructions. In the list of devices that appears, select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod and click “Back up.”

The easiest way to back up your media files is to connect your iPhone or iPad to your laptop.

Recommendations

Based on the list of possible problems, we can highlight the following recommendations in the process of returning the iPad to factory settings:

Only the original cable must be used.
You can use these methods with a guarantee of their operation only if you have a truly original iPad from Apple. Chinese fake iPads cannot be reset using the above methods, since they do not have iPadOS installed, but something like Android.
Before returning to factory settings, we recommend charging the battery to at least 80% to avoid shutdown due to lack of energy.
If you are not sure of your capabilities, you should contact the service center. Moreover, if, after completing any steps to return to factory settings, problems arise that you are not able to solve. If you neglect this recommendation, you can turn your tablet into a useless piece of metal made of microcircuits.

How to Factory Reset Your iPhone and iPad

Cleaning up your iOS device is easy, the only thing you'll need is your device's passcode, Apple ID, and Apple password.

Sign out of iCloud

One of the first steps to cleaning up your phone is signing out of iCloud. This will delete your iCloud account and disable Apple Activation Lock. Once the recipient receives the iPhone or iPad, they can sign in to their iCloud account.

You don't need to do this if you're trying to fix a problem with your device or just want to start over. If you know your Apple ID and password, you can recover your data after a factory reset.

Tap your name in Settings, then tap Sign Out.

In Settings on your phone, sign out of iCloud.

How to log out of iCloud remotely:

You can also do this by logging into icloud.com and removing the device from the list. Click on the “Find my iPhone” login and select “Remove from account” after selecting the device.

Doing this before selling your Apple device is vital because if it is not done first, the new user will not be able to sign into their iCloud account. If your device is missing and you want to track it, don't follow these steps.

Preparing the device

Before you do a full reset of your iPhone, you must first prepare your smartphone for this. It is recommended to do the following before resetting:

Check IMEI code. Before you manually reset all device settings, you need to find out its IMEI code and make sure that the device is not locked.
Make a backup. When you reset your iPhone, you will have to erase all the data stored on it. Users who do not want them to be deleted and lost forever will have to make a backup.
Log out of all services. It is recommended to log out of social networking and instant messenger accounts in advance. You also need to log out of the profiles of Apple branded services that are installed on your smartphone - AppStore, iCloud, iTunes.

After the settings are reset, all important files can be restored from the previously made backup.

How to reset your iPhone/iPad

If you have the device on hand, it's easy to erase it in the settings of your phone or tablet. To do this, open settings and follow these steps:

Tap General.
Then tap Reset at the bottom of the screen.
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Now click “Erase all content and settings.”
Then select "Backup then erase" or "Erase now."

If you have administrator rights

Many users of Apple gadgets actively use jailbreak. This is an unofficial way to gain administrator rights and access to system folders. The developers warn that after such a voluntary hack, data security is at risk.

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The following procedure will not delete the profile information, but will create a new one with factory settings:

Open the file manager (if it doesn’t exist, download and install it first).
Enter the Library directory.
Rename the Preferences folder to the name of the new profile (use Latin letters).

If desired, you can restore the data by returning the folder to its previous name.

How to reset iPhone or iPad remotely

If you've lost your iPhone or iPad and want peace of mind knowing that no stored data will be accessed, you can also remotely wipe the device.

Open Find My iPhone in your web browser.
Visit iCloud.com and sign in. Then click the Find My iPhone icon.

You will need to send the verification code to the phone number on file or to another Apple device that has the same iCloud account. If you don't have either, contact Apple.
Select your device from the drop-down menu.
Then select "Erase (device)."

Please note that if you have lost your device, you can remotely play audio on your iPhone/iPad to help you find it.

Method 1: Settings iOS/iPadOS

The easiest way to return an iPad to its factory state is to access one of the sections of its settings. It is here that you can reset both the entire system and its individual components and modules. The procedure itself takes literally a few minutes.

Open the default Settings app.

Go to the "Basic" section.

Scroll through the list of subsections presented on the right and tap on the “Reset” item.

Select the appropriate option. The topic of our article today corresponds to the first one – “Reset all settings”. The second involves the complete deletion of not only the specified parameters, but also all content - installed applications, their data, as well as files stored in the device’s memory.
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Note: If you choose to Erase Content and Settings , you will be prompted to back up your data to iCloud before proceeding. We highly recommend doing this!

Restoring Factory Settings Using iTunes

You can use iTunes on your PC or Mac to reset your iPhone or iPad. Although this method is not as simple as performing a reset from the iPhone or iPad itself, it is an effective way to reset your device.

What you will need:

A computer with the latest version of iTunes.
Your charging cord
IPhone or iPad with the latest version of iOS.

First, make sure everything is up to date and running the latest version of Apple software.
Connect your device to your computer using the charging cable. Your device will ask for a screen unlock code. Enter the code and click Trust Device.
iTunes should open automatically, giving you the option to select your device on the left. After that, select Restore iPhone and confirm that you want to continue when the pop-up window appears.

If you are using a PC with iTunes to complete these steps, you will need to click the Summary tab to access the Restore iPhone option.

If you encounter errors or your device won't turn on, Apple Support has a great article here to help you troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Reasons to reset your iPhone

First, you need to understand why people have to do a forced reset. Most often this is done in the following cases:

Preparing a mobile phone for sale. You will have to restore your iPhone to its original settings before selling it to a new owner.
Losing a smartphone. In this case, you will have to not only restore, but also completely block your iPhone so that a stranger cannot use it. This is done through iCloud.
Problems appearing in the operation of mobile programs. Sometimes users are faced with the fact that applications on their smartphones begin to work worse. One way to solve this problem is to restore factory settings.

Another reason to delete settings is when your phone breaks down.

Checking IMEI is the first thing to do before resetting

How to Reboot (Soft Reset) iPhone or iPad

If your iOS device crashes or stops and you only want to reset (reboot) it, you can do so easily without deleting any data by pressing and holding the Home and Power buttons simultaneously for 5 to 10 seconds

On newer iPhone models, you won't have a Home button, so try this:

Press and release the Volume Up button.
Press and release the Volume Down button.
Hold the side button.

This will force restart your phone, close all unnecessary processes and fix a lot of your problems. This also works if your phone randomly turns off and won't turn on again. Make sure to connect your phone and perform a soft reset. It's best to use an iPad charger.

Recovery Mode

This utility built into the system will allow you to reset the settings even if the iPad itself does not turn on. Resuscitation of the device is carried out as follows:

Turn off the gadget and wait a few minutes.
Connect the iPad to the computer.
Open the Recovery Mode application: hold down the power button and after 3-4 seconds press the return key to the menu. After 10-15 seconds, release the last one, then the first one.
The iTunes logo and USB cable icon will appear on the tablet screen.
Click on “restore iPad.”
Then on “Check” and “Restore and Update” in two windows (they will appear one after the other).

Now the firmware will be downloaded from the Internet resource - this will take some time and the speed depends on the connection itself.

After rolling back to the previous version, you may wonder how to configure the iPad after resetting all settings. This is done in the same way as at the beginning of use: a profile is created, gradually “overgrown” with application data. If a backup was made, you need to make a backup - for example, through the iTunes application.

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FAQ

Here are the answers to a few more of your questions about resetting your iPhone or iPad.

Can I recover the information I lost after the reset?

No. After resetting your phone, the information will completely disappear. You can try checking the saved information in cloud services that you may have had on your phone.

iCloud, Google Photos, Google Drive, Dropbox, and your email account are all ways to get photos, documents, and contacts back.

I can't get a verification code to sign in to iCloud again. What can I do?

If Apple is trying to send a verification code to another Apple device and you don't have one, select the option that indicates you didn't receive the code, then tap the option to send it to your phone number.

If your phone number is no longer valid, call Apple at 1-800-MyApple. The support team is usually very helpful and will try to get you back into your iCloud account.

This is a lengthy process and you may have to provide proof of purchase or wait a few days to receive a new code after updating your phone number. Apple Activation Lock is essentially an anti-theft device, making it very difficult to bypass without proper verification.

Should I reset my device to factory settings if it was stolen?

It really depends on several factors. Did you have a password? If your phone is locked with a passcode, the data on the device may be secure enough that you can use Find My iPhone to track it.

If you don't have a password, it's probably best to protect your personal information from whoever took it and simply reset it to factory settings.

If your Apple device is locked or stolen but the thief has disabled it, you can set an alert on icloud.com to notify you if the device is turned on and connected to the Internet.

Can I erase my iPhone without Apple ID or password?

Although you can wipe an iPhone without a password, no matter what you do, you'll need that Apple ID and password. Even if you connect your device to iTunes, the program will need this information.

Assuming you bought an iOS device from an individual retailer and they haven't signed out of their iCloud, your best bet is to contact them and ask them to remove Activation Lock by signing into iCloud and deleting your device.

If you can't contact the seller, you can contact Apple, but it's unlikely you'll get too much help without the seller's permission.

All this is to say that there are many third-party services that offer a factory reset without an Apple ID or password. If you decide to do this, do so with caution. Yes, you can put your iPhone into DFU mode, connect to iTunes, select Restore, and the phone will be completely rebooted. But there will still be a bypass activation lock that you can't do until you know the original Apple ID or password.

Will Apple help me restore someone else's device to factory settings if I provide a death certificate?

Assuming you're dealing with the unfortunate loss of a friend or loved one, you might want to continue using their iPhone or iPad. Unfortunately, even with a death certificate, Apple is not very helpful here.

For the privacy and protection of others' information, the Company continues to protect others' information even after it has been transferred. There are many online forums and third-party websites that promise to give you access, but many of them are scams (especially if you are using a newer version of iOS).

Unless the phone owner left you a screen unlock code or you have access to their iTunes account on their computer, there is no official way to access their phone.

Using Third Party Applications

Many people are interested in how else they can reset all settings on their iPhone and reconfigure the gadget. This is done using special programs for a personal computer.

Wondershare Dr.Fone

If you cannot do a Hard Reset using the methods described above, you can use Wondershare Dr.Fone.

This is a free program for PC that has quite extensive functionality.

Among the advantages of such software is its versatility. The fact is that the program supports not only iPhones, but also smartphones with the Android operating system.

Semi-Restore

People who want to restore iOS can use the third-party Semi-Restore program to do so. Unlike the previous application, this software can only work with Apple devices. Android is not supported.

iLEX RAT is an application with which you can restore your iPhone to factory settings

iLEX RAT

This is a multifunctional program with which you can reset not only the operating system, but also individual mobile applications. This is very convenient if you don’t want to delete all data from your smartphone.

To use iLEX RAT, you need to update iOS to the latest version.

Completely reset settings via Hard Reset

A reset via Hard Reset is needed in the following situation: the user has forgotten the security password and cannot deactivate Find My iPhone - the enabled function, in turn, prevents the settings from being restored via iTunes in a softer way.

It’s not for nothing that such an operation is called “hard” - a reset can lead to the fact that all personal data will be lost. Therefore, it is recommended to turn to Hard Reset only after other options have already been tried and were unsuccessful.

Restoring via Hard Reset is done as follows:

Step 1. Connect your gadget to your PC and launch iTunes as usual.

Step 2. Enter the smartphone into DFU mode in the following way: hold down the “Home” button and the power button at the same time and count to 10. Then release the “Power” button and continue to hold “Home” until the characteristic connection sound in iTunes . After entering the gadget into DFU mode, there is no point in looking at its screen - it will be just black, without icons and images.

Step 3. Turn to iTunes , and you will see that the window has changed and only one button remains available - “Restore iPhone...”. You need to press it.

You will have to wait quite a long time for the initial settings to be restored - about 10 minutes. When the reset is complete, the user will have to choose one of two options: reactivate the gadget or try to return the deleted data through a backup in iTunes . To implement the second option, you need to go to the “Browse” section of the device and click the “Restore from copy” button.

Next, in a special window, you need to select the copy that suits you best and click “Restore”.