If you are planning to upgrade to a new iPhone or are selling your current iPhone, it is essential to learn how to reset your iPhone. Additionally, if your iPhone is experiencing performance issues and encountering unexpected errors, a factory reset may be the solution. It is important to note that resetting your iPhone requires you to log out of your Apple ID and ensure that all your data is deleted and your future data is deleted. There are some important steps before starting the reset. In this detailed guide, We'll cover everything you need to know about resetting your iPhone to factory settings. Let's dive right in!
Precautions before resetting your iPhone
- Make it a priority to backup your iPhone to ensure that you can restore your valuable personal data later. Backup options include iCloud storage, Mac, or third-party cloud storage services.
- If you have connected an Apple Watch to your iPhone, remember to unpair it before starting the reset.
- If you are planning to sell or donate your iPhone, it is important to disable the Find My feature. This feature enables you to locate, play a sound or remotely wipe your lost iPhone using the My App. To ensure that new users don't face any issues, make sure to remove your iPhone from your Apple ID as well. This prevents them from disabling Find My without your Apple ID password, which you shouldn't share with anyone.
- If you want to switch to a non-Apple device, don't forget to cancel iMessage. To complete this step simply go to Settings > Messages and toggle off iMessage.
Five Simple Steps to Factory Reset Your iPhone:
- Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone and access the General section. Scroll down to find the Transfer or Reset iPhone option.
- Select the Erase All Content and Settings option, and a list of items to remove from your iPhone will be displayed. Confirm your decision by tapping Continue.
- After receiving the prompt, input your iPhone's passcode or Apple ID password. Afterwards, your iPhone will proceed with any pending backups. You also have the option to skip the backup process if desired.
- Next, provide your Apple ID password and select "Turn off" to disable Find My and Activation Lock features. If you can't remember your password, you can refer to the steps on how to reset your Apple ID password.
- Finally, tap on "Erase iPhone" to initiate the factory reset process. If you use an eSIM, you can delete it or keep it. If you decide to delete the eSIM, you will need to contact your network provider to reactivate the cellular plan.
How to Factory Reset an iPhone without Password
If you have forgotten your iPhone passcode, you can reset your device using recovery mode. To do this, you need a Mac or PC with iTunes installed. Recovery mode allows you to erase all data on your iPhone, giving you the opportunity to set it up like brand new. After the reset, you have the option to restore your iPhone data from a backup or set it up as a completely new device. Follow the steps below to reset your iPhone without password:
1. Start by turning off your iPhone completely.
2. Next, enter recovery mode on your iPhone. Follow these steps based on your iPhone model:
2. Next, enter recovery mode on your iPhone. Follow these steps based on your iPhone model:
- For iPhone 8 or later and iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd gen: Press the Side button.
- For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press the Volume Down button.
- For iPhone SE (1st gen), iPhone 6s, and earlier: Press and hold the Home button.
4. Keep pressing the button until the Recovery Mode screen appears, showing the Lightning cable icon pointing towards the Mac icon on the screen. Once this screen appears, you can release the button. If you encounter the passcode screen instead of the recovery mode screen, you should power off your iPhone and try again.
5. If you're using a Mac device running MacOS Catalina or a later version, launch Finder and locate your iPhone in the sidebar. For older Macs or Windows PCs, open the iTunes app and click the iPhone icon on the interface.
6. When you see the option to restore or update your iPhone, select the Restore option.
7. A dialog box will appear, requesting confirmation of your action. Click on "Restore and Update" to proceed.
8. Then, follow the on-screen instructions, and your computer or Mac will initiate the download of the latest software update for your iPhone and start the restoration process. Please be patient as this process may take up to 15 minutes to complete.
9. Once the restore process is finished, your iPhone will restart automatically, and you will be greeted with the setup screen. At this point, you can disconnect your iPhone from the computer, as it is now ready to be set up as a new device.
How to Perform a Hard Reset on iPhone Using Buttons:
If you want to fix common software problems without losing any data on your iPhone, you can do a force restart, usually called a hard reset, using the device's buttons. This method is especially useful when you are facing issues like frozen or unresponsive display on your iPhone 11. The process is as follows:
1. Start by quickly pressing and releasing the Volume Up button.
2. Press and release the volume down button without delay.
3. Then, press and hold the Power button. You may encounter a "slide to power off" screen during this process, but ignore it and continue to hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Once you see the Apple logo, release the button. Your iPhone will now restart and boot up normally completing the hard reset process.
Congratulations, you have now completed the iPhone reset process without deleting any of your data.
Important Note: This method is especially valuable when your iPhone is unresponsive to touch gestures. Doing a hard reset on your iPhone essentially clears the apps stored in the device's memory but doesn't delete any of your data.
Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
What separates soft reset, hard reset, and factory reset?
A soft reset involves restarting your iPhone to address minor software issues, abnormal behavior, and connectivity issues without losing any data. On the other hand, a hard reset accomplishes the same task when your iPhone's display is unresponsive. For a factory reset, it erases all data from your iPhone, restoring it to its original default settings.
Is hard reset the same as factory reset iPhone?
You are absolutely right. Hard reset and factory reset on iPhone are different processes.
A hard reset, also known as a force restart, is used to restart the phone using hardware keys when the screen is unresponsive or apps are malfunctioning. This method does not delete any data from your iPhone and is mainly used to address software-related issues.
In contrast, a factory reset is a completely different process. This involves erasing all settings and data from your iPhone, essentially restoring it to its original state as if it came out of the box. This process erases all personal data and settings, and should be approached with caution because data cannot be recovered once a factory reset is complete.
Does a factory reset delete everything on an iPhone?
In fact, a factory reset will remove all custom settings and downloaded data from your iOS device, including media files, downloaded apps, email accounts, text messages, and other user-generated content. Essentially, it restores your iPhone to its default settings, leaving only the pre-installed apps like Camera, FaceTime, Calendar, and others. Therefore, it is essential to create a backup of your important data before doing a factory reset to avoid permanent data loss.