How to factory reset your iPhone

Factory resetting your iPhone is a good idea whether you’re selling it, giving it away, or switching to a foldable phone. A factory reset restores your iPhone to its original factory settings, erasing all personal data and downloaded apps. It can also resolve software bugs that weren’t fixed through a software update.

There are several ways to factory reset an iPhone. You can use the Settings app on your iPhone, or connect it to a computer with a USB cable and use iTunes. The Settings method is the easiest. We show you how to perform a factory reset on your iPhone. We also walk you through the steps to remotely reset your iPhone.

Before you get started

Before you get started, prepare your iPhone for a factory reset. It’s also important that you know what happens when you factory reset your device.

• A factory reset returns your phone to the state it was in when you took it out of the box. It erases all your data, including contacts, photos, videos, music, passwords, files, accounts, and messages.
• To save your content and settings, back up your iPhone before erasing it or when you’re given the option during the erase process. A backup helps you restore your data on a new iPhone or iPad. Save your files over a secure Wi-Fi connection so that you don’t use up a lot of mobile data during the transfer.
• Before resetting your iPhone, have your iPhone passcode ready. You’ll enter your passcode to complete the factory reset. If you forgot the passcode on your iPhone, reset using the iTunes app on your PC.
• Make sure you know your Apple ID login information. That includes your Apple ID and password. This grants you access to your iCloud data across all your devices. You’ll find your Apple ID in your device’s Settings.
• If you received your iPhone from someone else, and it’s still associated with their Apple ID, you’ll need access to the login information, or you can’t erase it.
• Resetting your iPhone to factory settings turns off Find My. If you lose your iPhone before signing back in with your Apple ID, you can’t track it down.

How to factory reset an iPhone from Settings

The easiest way to factory reset your iPhone is to start with the Settings app. Follow these steps to learn how.

This method works on most iPhones, whether you have an iPhone 15, iPhone 7, or the older iPhone 6s.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Select General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

   

   

4. Tap Erase all content and settings.
5. Tap Continue and enter your passcode.
6. Your phone backs up to the cloud. When that’s done, you can continue. If not, tap Erase anyway.

How to factory reset an iPhone with iTunes

You can use iTunes to factory reset your iPhone. This method is useful if you don’t remember your passcode. However, it requires that you have synced your iPhone to iTunes before. Here’s how to do this.

1. Connect your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable.
2. Open the iTunes app on your PC
3. Click the Device button near the upper-left corner of the iTunes window.
4. Select Summary, then choose Restore.

   

5. iTunes asks you to confirm the factory reset. Click Restore to factory reset your iPhone.
6. Wait for the reset to finish, then sign in again.

How to factory reset iPhone with iCloud

iCloud lets you factory reset your iPhone remotely, even if you forget your passcode. However, you’ll need your Apple ID and password to pull it off. This method is handy as long as Find My iPhone is turned on.

1. Go to iCloud.com/find. Sign in using your Apple ID and password.
2. An All Devices drop-down menu displays a list of all your Apple devices that can be located. Select your iPhone.
3. Click Erase iPhone from the menu that appears.
4. Click Erase.
5. Enter your Apple ID and Password.
6. Verify your identity by entering a two-factor authentication code.
7. If you want to be contacted when someone finds your iPhone, enter your phone number and click Next.
8. Enter a Lost Phone Message. This message shows up on the screen if your iPhone is lost. You can skip this step, but adding a message might help someone who finds it return it to you.
9. Tap Done when you’re finished.

Reset your iPhone with ease

Follow the methods mentioned in this article to factory reset your iPhone. You can easily erase all the data from your iPhone if you remember your passcode and Apple ID login information. When you’re done, learn how to activate haptic feedback on your iPhone and use its hidden trackpad for a better experience.