Whether you’re getting ready to sell your device or experiencing performance issues, a factory reset is the best way to give your iPhone a fresh start. This will completely wipe your phone of all memory and data, restoring it to its factory settings. If you’re not quite sure how to do this - don’t worry - we’ll walk you through it step-by-step.
How to factory reset your iPhone
Resetting your iPhone is super quick and easy. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Back Up Your iPhone
This is essential! A factory reset will erase everything on your iPhone, including photos, contacts, messages, and apps. Backing up your phone first will ensure that data is saved to the cloud, so that you can restore it on another phone or device.
2. Erase All Content and Settings
Now that you’re backed up, you’re ready to reset. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Confirm That You Want to Erase Everything
You will be shown everything that will be erased with the factory reset. Press Continue to confirm that you wish to go ahead with this.
4. Enter Your Passcode or Apple ID Password
You may be prompted to enter your passcode or your Apple ID and Password. Enter these to continue.
5. Wait For The Reset
The device will now begin the factory reset. It may take several minutes.
6. Factory Reset Complete
The reset is complete. Check to ensure the phone has been restored to its original factory settings.
How to factory reset your iPhone without a passcode
If you've forgotten your iPhone's passcode, don't panic. There are a couple methods you can try to reset it. You will need to know your Apple ID and password, however, or have access to a computer with iTunes. Please note that these methods will wipe all data from your phone, so make sure you have a recent backup before proceeding!
Method 1: Using iCloud
1. Sign Into iCloud Using a Web Browser
Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID and password.
2. Use Find My iPhone to Reset Your Device
Click on ‘Find My iPhone’ and choose the device you want to reset. Click “Erase iPhone”. This will erase all content and settings on your device, including the passcode.
Method 2: Using iTunes
1. Connect Your iPhone to Your Computer
Make sure iTunes is installed on your computer. Connect your iPhone using a USB cable.
2. Put Your iPhone into Recovery Mode
The exact steps for entering recovery mode will depend on your iPhone model. If you have an iPhone 8 or later, follow these steps:
- Press and quickly release the volume up button.
- Press and quickly release the volume-down button.
- Then press and hold the side button until you see the Connect to computer screen.
3. Restore Your iPhone
iTunes will detect your iPhone in recovery mode and offer to restore it. Click on "Restore."
Need more help?
If the reason for factory resetting your phone was to resolve performance issues and you're still experiencing them, get in touch with our team of experts who can inspect, troubleshoot, and in many cases, repair your phone for you. Learn more about our Mobile Repair Service here.
