How to Reset an iPhone to Factory Settings – All devices and methods!

Want to know how to reset iPhone? There are several reasons you would choose to factory reset your iPhone and numerous ways to do so.

The process of resetting your iPhone is quite easy. Factory reset will erase your data, so take a backup first. To restore your iPhone to factory settings, go to Settings > General > Reset and tap All Content and Settings. In the Settings menu, select General and keep scrolling until you find the Reset option. Tap the option to reset your iPhone successfully. 

How to factory reset iPhone

Performing a factory reset is not something that you should do casually. It’s basically going to wipe all of the data that makes your iPhone yours. 

If you are not familiar with the process, you must know that a factory reset is simply a way to restore a device to its original state, which involves erasing all of its data and starting over with a blank slate. 

It is possible to completely wipe your iPhone so it can be sold or given away. Additionally, it might be helpful if you’re trying to fix a problem with your device. Read on to learn all about how to factory reset iPhone. 

Back Up Your iPhone First

Before you proceed with the steps on how to reset iPhone, you’ll want to save all of your data so that if you switch to a new iPhone or iPad and wish to restore the data from a backup. 

To get started, go into iCloud and go to Settings. After signing in, tap your name, choose iCloud, then click iCloud Backup. 

You may also use a computer or a Mac to back up your iPhone. Just plug it into the laptop and click on the little device icon in iTunes to begin using it. You may enable automatic backups or back up with the press of a button in the backup section of the app. You may also use this to restore an iPhone from a backup.

Reset Preparation

It’s important to remember that, when you’re working on resetting your iPhone, you’ll need to be hooked to a Wi-Fi or cellular network and to have your Apple ID password (the one you use for iCloud) on hand in case you’ve enabled Find My iPhone.  

Before you reset your iPhone, make sure you have a backup of your data or have your login information stored someplace else. Apple iOS should offer to create a backup for you during the factory reset procedure if you don’t have one already. 

Also, if you have an Apple Watch, remember to disconnect it from your device.

Below we show you how to factory reset iPhone on iOS 15 and iOS 14 (and earlier) versions. 

Factory reset in iOS 15

1. Open Settings > General
2. Scroll all the way down and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone option
3. Tap Erase All Content and Settings
4. Now, follow all the prompts to reset your iPhone successfully

Factory reset in iOS 14 and earlier

1. Open Settings > General
2. Scroll down and tap Reset
3. Now, select Erase All Content and Settings
4. Choose Erase Now, fill in your iPhone passcode if prompted
5. Tap Erase iPhone to confirm
6. Now, enter your Apple ID password if asked and then choose Erase

You’re good to go, and you should now be greeted by the iOS welcome screen that you saw when you first unboxed and set up your iPhone. After the phone completely restarts, you can restore the backup on your iPhone that you previously took before the factory reset. Or you can also set it up in a new way and use it as a fresh iPhone. 

Factory reset an iPhone without a password

To assist you in determining which technique is appropriate for your situation, we’ve outlined the many methods you may use to reset your iPhone if you have forgotten the password. 

You can choose from various options, including iTunes, a third-party app, or iCloud. 

Note: As with macOS Catalina and later, synchronizing on Mac will be performed through the Finder due to Apple’s discontinuation of iTunes for macOS. In the Devices or Locations section, you’ll find your iPhone linked. Because the interface looks quite similar to the iPhone tab in iTunes, the steps below should work well. 

Also Read: How Many Attempts To Unlock iPhone? (Find Out)

Using iTunes

If you have already synced your iPhone with iTunes, you will use iTunes to do a factory reset. Before doing a factory reset on your iPhone, make a backup copy of your iPhone on your computer using iTunes. 

1. The first step is to plug in your iPhone and open iTunes on your PC. Simply click on “Summary” to get a quick overview. 
2. The “Restore iPhone” option can be found on the “Summary” screen. Please do so by clicking the option. 
3. A confirmation box will pop up to ask if you want to restore the device. Confirm all the pop-ups to go through with the reset.  

After iTunes has completed restoring your iPhone, you’ll be able to open it without entering a password. Once you’ve regained access to the phone, you can use the steps above to factory reset. 

Using iCloud

iCloud is another option for resetting an iPhone without entering the password. You should have the Find iPhone feature activated in your device’s iCloud settings for this to succeed. To find your iPhone, you must be connected to a network. To reset your iPhone without a password, follow these instructions.

1. Open the iCloud website. 
2. Log in with your iCloud credentials.
3. Verify your account. Complete the two-factor authentication by entering the confirmation code sent to your email address.
4. Now, click on Find iPhone. 
5. You must enable Find My iPhone by going to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Find My > toggle it enabled
6. When prompted, sign in to your iCloud account
7. Click All Devices and find your iPhone from the list
8. Lastly, click on Erase iPhone from the menu to reset it

using Apple data recovery mode

You can use Recovery Mode as a last-ditch effort to factory reset an iPhone. In Recovery Mode, the iPhone can be connected to iTunes and a computer without the iOS actively running on the device. It’s not difficult to do, but only try it when all else fails.

Perform the following actions to put your iPhone into recovery mode:

1. You can skip this step if you have an iPhone 8 or newer. However, if you have an iPhone 7 or older, you first need to hold the side button and the volume down button until you see the slider and then swipe it to the right. If there is no response on your iPhone, hold the side button simultaneously with the home button (or volume down) until your iPhone’s screen goes black. 
2. Now, you need to connect your iPhone to the Mac or a PC. For a Mac booting macOS Catalina (10.15) or higher, open the Finder, or if your Mac runs an OS version earlier than macOS 10.15 or you have a Windows PC, you need to open iTunes.
3. Connect your iPhone to the computer using the connecting cable. 
4. Now follow the steps based on your iPhone model. For an iPhone 8 or above model, press and hold the volume up and down buttons simultaneously until the recovery mode screen shows up on the device. For iPhone 7 series, press and hold the side and volume down buttons simultaneously. For an iPhone 6S or older series, press and hold the side and home button until you see the recovery-mode screen. 
5. Wait for a pop-up in the Finder or iTunes asking you to Update or Restore your iPhone. You must click Restore.
6. After the restoration, your iPhone will restart as new. 

How to hard reset an iPhone

A hard reset is the most common way to reset an iPhone. However, it isn’t always necessary. If your iPhone is dormant or stalled on the Apple logo, a hard reset will force it to shut down and restart. 

But, a hard reset is rarely a comprehensive solution to any iPhone-related issue since there is usually an underlying software issue involved. Nevertheless, you must perform a hard reset to resolve minor issues. 

• On an iPhone 6 Plus or earlier, hold down the power button and the Home button together until you see an Apple logo show on your phone’s screen.
• On an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold power and volume down buttons all at the same for a few seconds, then release when the Apple logo displays on your iPhone’s screen.
• On an iPhone 8 or newer, you need to press and hold both the upper and downward button and the side button simultaneously. Once the Apple logo is displayed, release the buttons.

How to soft reset an iPhone

Powering your iPhone on and off and restarting is all it takes. Use this method to reboot your iPhone while still responding to your commands. 

There is no one-size-fits-all way to accomplish this. Press and hold power and volume buttons concurrently until the power-off slider displays if you have an iPhone X or newer. On earlier phones, pressing and holding the power button will do the trick. 

It’s also possible to go into the Settings app and hit General, then scroll down until you see “Shut Down” marked in blue. This time, you’ll see the power-off slider appearing on the screen. 

Your phone will shut off on its own if you move the slider to the right.  Make sure you let the phone take at least 30 seconds to shut down and restart completely. Simply press and hold the power button a second time to restart the phone. So there you have it, the simplest reset possible.

How to restore your iPhone 

If you have taken a backup of your iPhone and want to load that data and restore your iPhone after factory resetting it, then the steps below will guide you in the right direction. 

restore from a backup on your computer

These steps specifically apply to the existing backup:

1. Open the Finder on your Mac running macOS Catalina or a later version. On a Mac running macOS Mojave or an older version, launch iTunes on a PC. 
2. You’ll need a USB cord to do this, of course. Be sure to follow the directions on the screen if you see a message requesting your device’s password or asking you to “Trust This Computer.” If you’ve lost or forgotten your passcode, get assistance. 
3. Choose your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when shown in the Finder or iTunes. Find out what to do if your device isn’t showing up on the list. 
4. Choose Restore from a Previous Backup. 
5. Pick the most recent backup by looking at the backups’ dates. 
6. Wait for the restore process to complete after clicking Restore. Enter your encrypted backup password if prompted. 
7. Please wait for your device to sync with your computer when it has rebooted. After the sync is complete, you can unplug your device.

How to restore iPhone from iCloud backup

If you don’t have a backup on your Mac or PC, you can still restore your iPhone using the online iCloud backup of your iPhone to complete the process. 

1. Start your iPhone after factory reset. Hello screen should appear. Following these procedures will require that you wipe your device clean of all of its data if you’ve already installed and configured it. 
2. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup when you reach the Apps & Data screen after following the on-screen instructions. 
3. Apps & Data screen with Restore from an iCloud Backup option selected on an iPhone. 
4. Use your Apple ID to log in to iCloud. 
5. Make a backup decision. Each backup has a date and a size, and you should choose the one that best fits your needs. The transfer will begin as soon as you select a backup. It’s best to follow the on-screen instructions to upgrade to the latest version of your program when you see a warning notice. Do your own research if there are no on-screen instructions to assist you in upgrading. 
6. You’ll be prompted to use your Apple ID to recover your previously purchased applications and data. In this case, you’ll be prompted to sign in with each of your Apple IDs that you used to make the transaction. Skip this step if you can’t remember your password and sign in later. Signing in with your Apple ID is required to access the applications. 
7. Wait for a progress bar to show and complete loading before disconnecting from Wi-Fi. It might take a few minutes or longer for the progress meter to finish based on the backup scale and the network speed. If you disconnect from Wi-Fi too early, rejoin as soon as possible to avoid losing progress. 
8. A progress bar can be seen on the Restore from the iCloud screen. 
9. Your device is ready for use now that the setup process is complete. For the following several hours or days, your applications, images, music, and other content will be restored in the background based on the quantity of data. To ensure that the procedure is completed, try to connect to Wi-Fi and power frequently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that we have listed all the methods for how to reset iPhone or restore iPhone easily, we will answer other questions at hand. 

Conclusion

We hope that this guide has helped you better understand how to factory reset iPhone using several methods. Share this guide with your friends and family to provide them with handy methods to factory reset their iPhones. In the comments area below, feel free to ask any further questions you may have regarding iPhone resets.