How to Factory Reset an iPhone: Step-by-Step Guide

To factory reset an iPhone when you know the passcode, open Settings, select General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, and Erase All Content and Settings. If you cannot enter the passcode, restore the iPhone with recovery mode on a computer or erase it through Find My.

What does a factory reset do to an iPhone?

A factory reset erases personal information and returns the iPhone to its setup screen. It removes photos, messages, downloaded apps, accounts, saved settings, and other data stored on the device.

A factory reset is different from restarting an iPhone. A restart turns the device off and on without deleting personal data. Resetting settings can change selected preferences without erasing everything, while Erase All Content and Settings removes the device’s content.

Back up anything important before erasing the iPhone. Data that exists only on the device may not be recoverable after the reset finishes.

How do you factory reset an iPhone from Settings?

Use the Settings method when the iPhone works normally and you know its passcode. Keep the device connected to power if its battery is low.

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 information showing what will be removed, then select Continue.
6. Enter the iPhone passcode when prompted.
7. If requested, enter the Apple Account password to turn off Find My and Activation Lock.
8. Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone, then wait for the setup screen to appear.

If the iPhone uses an eSIM, the erase process may ask whether to keep or remove it. Keep the eSIM if you plan to continue using the device with the same cellular service. Ask the carrier before removing it if you are unsure how service will be restored.

Can you factory reset an iPhone without the password?

You can factory reset an iPhone without its device passcode, but erasing it does not bypass Activation Lock. The Apple Account credentials previously linked to the device may still be required during setup.

To restore an iPhone with recovery mode:

1. Use a Mac with Finder or a Windows computer with the Apple Devices app. On an older compatible system, iTunes may be used.
2. Turn off the iPhone.
3. Connect the iPhone to the computer while holding the correct recovery button. On iPhone 8 or later, including newer iPhone SE models, hold the side button. On iPhone 7 models, hold the volume-down button. On iPhone 6s or earlier and the first iPhone SE, hold the Home button.
4. Keep holding the button until the recovery-mode screen appears. Do not release it when the Apple logo first appears.
5. Locate the iPhone on the computer and choose Restore when offered Restore or Update.
6. Allow the computer to download the software and complete the restore. If the download takes long enough for recovery mode to close, let the download finish and repeat the recovery-mode steps.

DFU mode, or Device Firmware Update mode, reloads the iPhone firmware when a normal recovery-mode restore repeatedly fails. The button sequence and timing differ by model, and the screen stays black in DFU mode. Because an incorrect sequence simply exits the mode, use Apple’s device-specific instructions or contact Apple Support before attempting it.

Find My provides another erase option when the iPhone is linked to your Apple Account and can connect to a network:

1. Open Find My on another Apple device, or open {site} and access Find Devices.
2. Select the missing or locked iPhone from the device list.
3. Choose Erase This Device and follow the prompts.
4. If the iPhone is offline, leave the erase request pending. Erasing begins when the device next connects.

What happens to your Apple ID after an iPhone reset?

Apple ID is now called Apple Account. Erasing an iPhone deletes account information from the device, but it does not delete the Apple Account itself or data already stored in iCloud.

Activation Lock is an anti-theft feature that connects an iPhone to the owner’s Apple Account through Find My. If Find My was enabled, the linked Apple Account and password may be required after a Settings reset, recovery-mode restore, DFU restore, or remote erase.

Only the account owner can remove Activation Lock through the linked Apple Account or Apple’s official support process with acceptable proof of ownership. A factory reset cannot make another person’s locked iPhone available for use.

How do you back up an iPhone before a factory reset?

An iCloud backup can save supported settings, app data, and device information. Photos and contacts that already sync with iCloud are stored separately from the device backup.

1. Connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi.
2. Open Settings and select your name.
3. Select iCloud, then iCloud Backup.
4. Select Back Up Now and remain connected until the backup completes.
5. Check the displayed time of the latest successful backup before erasing the iPhone.

For a computer backup, connect the iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer, select it in Finder or the Apple Devices app, and choose Back Up Now. Select the encrypted local backup option if you need the backup to include saved passwords, Health data, and Wi-Fi settings, and store the encryption password safely.

Confirm that irreplaceable photos, contacts, documents, and authenticator recovery information exist somewhere other than the iPhone. Some apps keep data in their own accounts and may require a separate export or sign-in.

What should you do if an iPhone reset is stuck or fails?

If the iPhone remains on the Apple logo without progress, first connect it to power and allow time for the erase or restore to finish. Do not disconnect a computer while Finder or the Apple Devices app reports that a restore is still running.

• If the screen remains unchanged, force-restart the iPhone using Apple’s button sequence for that model.
• If the iPhone returns to the setup screen, continue setup or restore a backup.
• If the iPhone returns to the Apple logo or displays the recovery screen, reconnect it to the computer and try recovery mode again.
• If the computer cannot detect the iPhone, try another working cable or USB port and update the computer’s Apple device software.
• If an error code appears, record it before closing the message. The code helps Apple identify the failed step.

Where can you get further help resetting an iPhone?

Use Apple Support for model-specific recovery or DFU instructions when the iPhone cannot enter recovery mode, repeatedly disconnects, shows an error, or remains frozen after another restore attempt. Open {site} and look for iPhone support, then choose the topic for passcode problems, restoring, or Activation Lock.

Have the iPhone model, the computer type, any displayed error code, and proof of ownership available. Apple can explain legitimate account-recovery and Activation Lock options, but support cannot use a factory reset to bypass another owner’s lock.