Fix Factory Reset on iPhone 12 Password Screen

You can factory reset an iPhone 12 from Settings if you know the passcode, or erase it with recovery mode on a computer if you cannot unlock it. A factory reset removes the phone’s data, but Activation Lock may still require the Apple ID and password previously linked to the iPhone.

What should you know before factory resetting an iPhone 12?

A factory reset erases personal data and settings from the iPhone 12, including photos, messages, accounts, downloaded apps, and saved preferences. Data already synchronized with iCloud or stored in a computer backup is not erased from that separate location.

The iPhone passcode protects access to the device. The Apple ID password protects the owner’s account and may be required to turn off Find My, erase the phone through Settings, or activate the iPhone after it has been erased.

Before starting, have these items ready:

• The iPhone 12 and a compatible charging and data cable.
• A Mac or Windows computer with an internet connection for recovery mode.
• The Apple ID and password associated with the iPhone, if available.
• A recent backup if you want to restore personal data later.
• Enough time for the software download, erase, and setup process to finish.

Keep the iPhone connected to power when possible. If the phone belongs to someone else, do not erase it until that person has removed it from their Apple account.

How do you factory reset an iPhone 12 when the passcode is known?

If you can unlock the iPhone 12, erase it through the Settings app. Back up anything you want to keep before following these steps.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Review what will be removed, then select Continue.
6. Enter the iPhone passcode when asked.
7. Enter the Apple ID password if the phone asks you to turn off Find My and Activation Lock.
8. Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone.

The iPhone 12 will restart and display the setup screen when the erase is complete. Do not force-restart the phone while the progress indicator is moving.

How do you factory reset an iPhone 12 when the passcode is forgotten?

Recovery mode lets a computer reinstall iOS and erase a locked iPhone 12 without the device passcode. This process does not remove Activation Lock or reveal data stored on the phone.

1. On a Mac, open Finder. On a Windows computer, open the Apple device-management app available on that computer, and make sure it is current.
2. Turn off the iPhone 12. Disconnect it from the computer first if necessary.
3. Connect the cable to the computer.
4. Press and hold the iPhone’s side button while connecting the other end of the cable to the iPhone.
5. Keep holding the side button until the recovery-mode screen appears. Do not release it when the Apple logo appears.
6. Locate the iPhone in Finder or the Apple device-management app.
7. Choose Restore when offered the choice to update or restore.
8. Wait while the computer downloads the software, reinstalls iOS, and erases the iPhone.

If the software download takes long enough for the iPhone to leave recovery mode, let the download finish. Then turn off the iPhone and repeat the recovery-mode steps.

How do you erase an iPhone 12 with Find My iPhone?

Find My can remotely erase an iPhone 12 when Find My was enabled before the phone became lost or locked. The erase begins when the iPhone connects to the internet; an offline device keeps the erase request pending.

1. Open the Find My app on another Apple device, or open {site} and use the Find Devices option.
2. Sign in with the Apple ID connected to the missing or locked iPhone.
3. Select the iPhone 12 from the device list.
4. Choose Erase This Device or the equivalent erase option shown.
5. Follow the prompts and confirm the request.

Remote erasing removes the phone’s contents, but the iPhone remains connected to the owner’s Apple account. Keep the device on the account if it is missing and you do not want another person to activate it.

Why does an iPhone 12 still ask for an Apple ID after a reset?

Activation Lock is an anti-theft feature that connects an iPhone to the Apple account used with Find My. Erasing an iPhone 12 does not bypass this protection.

If the setup screen requests the previous Apple ID and password, enter the credentials that were used on the phone. If another person owned the iPhone, that previous owner must remove the device from their Apple account. They can do this from their own device or account without giving you their password.

If the previous owner cannot be reached, do not use password guesses or third-party unlocking tools. Apple Support may review an Activation Lock request when valid proof of ownership is available, but approval is not automatic.

What should you do after the iPhone 12 has been reset?

After a successful factory reset, the iPhone 12 displays its initial setup screen. Choose the setup method that matches what you plan to do with the phone.

• To keep using it, connect to Wi-Fi or cellular service, complete activation, and choose whether to set up the iPhone as new or restore an available iCloud or computer backup.
• To pass it to another person, stop at the initial setup screen. Confirm first that the iPhone no longer appears in the previous owner’s device list.
• Before normal use, check that calls, charging, Wi-Fi, cameras, speakers, and buttons work. Also confirm that the expected phone number and cellular plan are active.

A restored backup may take additional time to download apps, photos, and messages. Keep the iPhone connected to power and Wi-Fi until the restore has settled.

What should you do if the iPhone 12 reset will not complete?

Check the cable, use a different computer port, restart the computer, and update the Apple device-management software before trying recovery mode again. Avoid repeatedly disconnecting the iPhone while software is being installed.

Contact official Apple Support if the computer never recognizes the iPhone, recovery mode repeatedly fails, the phone remains on the Apple logo, or an error keeps returning. Official support is also the right next step for an Activation Lock ownership review or when buttons, the charging port, or other hardware prevent recovery mode from working.