Factory Reset iPhone 11: Full Guide With or Without Password

To factory reset an iPhone 11, open Settings, select General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, and Erase All Content and Settings. If you do not know the passcode, put the iPhone 11 in recovery mode and restore it with Finder on a Mac or iTunes on a Windows PC.

A factory reset permanently removes personal data, apps, accounts, and settings from the iPhone. It does not remove Activation Lock unless Find My is turned off or the device is removed from the associated Apple Account.

What should you do before factory resetting an iPhone 11?

Complete these checks before erasing an iPhone 11:

• Back up anything you want to keep. Use iCloud Backup in Settings or create a backup with Finder or iTunes on a trusted computer.
• Make sure recent photos, messages, contacts, notes, and authenticator information are included in the backup or saved elsewhere.
• Write down the Apple Account email address and confirm that you know its password. Apple ID may still appear as the older name for an Apple Account on some screens.
• If you are handing the iPhone to someone else, sign out of the Apple Account and turn off Find My. In Settings, tap your name, select Find My, tap Find My iPhone, and turn it off. Then return to the account screen, scroll down, and select Sign Out.
• Keep the iPhone connected to power or charge it well before starting. Do not begin if the battery is nearly empty.
• If the phone uses an eSIM, decide whether to keep or erase it when that choice appears. Erasing an eSIM may mean contacting the carrier before cellular service can be used again.

How do you factory reset an iPhone 11 from Settings?

Use this method when the iPhone works normally and you know its device passcode.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Review the Erase This iPhone summary. It may list the Apple Account, Find My status, apps and data, and cellular plan information.
6. Select Continue.
7. Enter the iPhone passcode when prompted.
8. If requested, enter the Apple Account password to sign out and disable Activation Lock.
9. Choose whether to keep or erase an eSIM if the phone presents that option.
10. Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone.

The iPhone displays the Apple logo and a progress bar while it erases the data. When the process finishes, the Hello screen appears.

How do you factory reset an iPhone 11 without the passcode?

If the device passcode is unknown, the Settings method cannot be completed. A computer can erase the iPhone 11 by restoring it in recovery mode, which is a special startup state used to reinstall iOS.

On a Mac running a recent macOS version, use Finder. On a Windows PC or an older Mac that already has iTunes, use iTunes. Restoring removes the forgotten device passcode, but it does not remove Activation Lock.

An unknown Apple Account password is a separate problem. Recovery mode can erase the phone, but setup will still require the Apple Account previously associated with Find My. Use Apple’s account-recovery process if the account belongs to you. There is no legitimate reset procedure that bypasses Activation Lock.

How do you put an iPhone 11 in recovery mode and restore it?

1. Make sure the computer has an internet connection and an up-to-date version of macOS or iTunes.
2. Connect the iPhone 11 to the computer with a working data cable.
3. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
4. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
5. Press and hold the Side button. Keep holding it after the Apple logo appears.
6. Release the Side button only when the recovery-mode screen appears. This screen shows a cable pointing toward a computer.
7. Open Finder and select the iPhone in the sidebar, or open iTunes and select the device icon.
8. When the computer offers Update or Restore, choose Restore. Update tries to reinstall iOS without erasing data and does not remove a forgotten passcode.
9. Confirm the restore and allow the computer to download and install iOS. Keep the cable connected during the restore.

If the software download takes long enough for the iPhone to leave recovery mode, let the download finish. Then repeat the button sequence and choose Restore again.

What should you do after resetting an iPhone 11?

1. At the Hello screen, swipe up and choose a language and region.
2. Connect to Wi-Fi or cellular service so the iPhone can activate.
3. Set up Face ID and create a new device passcode, or choose the available option to configure them later.
4. Select how to transfer apps and data. Choose an iCloud backup, a backup from a Mac or PC, a transfer from another device, or setup as a new iPhone.
5. Sign in with the Apple Account associated with the phone. If Activation Lock appears, use the account that was connected to Find My before the reset.
6. Finish the Setup Assistant prompts, then allow time for apps, photos, messages, and other backed-up data to restore.

What should you do if an iPhone 11 reset has problems?

Activation Lock appears: Enter the Apple Account email address and password previously used with Find My. If the credentials are forgotten, begin Apple’s account-recovery process. If the phone belongs to a previous owner, that owner must remove it from their account. Erasing the phone again will not clear Activation Lock.

The computer does not recognize the iPhone: Unlock the phone and approve Trust This Computer if possible. Try another USB port or data-capable cable, restart both devices, and update macOS or iTunes. Avoid unpowered USB hubs. If the passcode prevents normal access, repeat the recovery-mode button sequence while the phone remains connected.

The reset is stuck or frozen: Keep the iPhone connected to power and wait if the progress bar is still moving. If the screen remains unchanged for an unusually long time, force-restart the iPhone by quickly pressing Volume Up, quickly pressing Volume Down, and then holding the Side button until the Apple logo appears. If normal startup fails, return to recovery mode and restore the phone from the computer again.