iPhone Factory Reset: Steps With or Without a Password

An iPhone factory reset erases all personal data, settings, apps, and accounts, then returns the iPhone to its setup screen. If you do not know the device passcode, you can reset the iPhone with a Mac or Windows computer, but Activation Lock may still require the Apple Account previously linked to the device.

What does an iPhone factory reset do?

An iPhone factory reset permanently removes photos, messages, downloaded apps, saved accounts, privacy choices, and other personal information stored on the device. It also returns system settings to their defaults.

This is different from choosing Reset All Settings, which changes settings without deleting personal content. Use Erase All Content and Settings when preparing an iPhone for another owner, starting over after persistent software trouble, or regaining access after forgetting the passcode.

Erasing the iPhone does not automatically remove Activation Lock in every situation. Activation Lock is an anti-theft feature that links an iPhone to the Apple Account used with Find My. The linked account credentials may be required during setup after an iPhone factory reset.

How do you reset an iPhone to factory settings with the passcode?

If you can unlock the iPhone and open Settings, use the built-in erase option:

1. Back up any information you want to keep.
2. Open Settings and tap General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Review what the iPhone will remove, then tap Continue.
6. Enter the device passcode when asked.
7. Enter the Apple Account password if the iPhone asks for it. This signs out of the account and turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
8. Choose whether to keep or erase the eSIM if that choice appears. Erasing an eSIM may require help from the cellular carrier before service can be used again.
9. Confirm the erase and leave the iPhone connected to power until the Hello screen appears.

This iPhone reset to factory settings cannot be undone unless a backup exists. Do not interrupt the iPhone while it is erasing.

How do you factory reset an iPhone without a password?

An iPhone factory reset without the device passcode requires recovery mode and a Mac or Windows computer. The process erases the locked iPhone; it does not reveal or remove the old passcode while preserving the data.

1. On a Mac, open Finder. On Windows, open the Apple Devices app. Use iTunes on an older Mac or a Windows computer that does not have Apple Devices.
2. Turn off the iPhone and connect it to the computer while holding the correct recovery button.
3. For iPhone 8 and later, including iPhone SE second generation and later, hold the side button. For iPhone 7 models, hold Volume Down. For iPhone 6s, iPhone SE first generation, and earlier models, hold the Home button.
4. Keep holding the button until the recovery-mode screen appears. Do not release it at the Apple logo.
5. Select the iPhone in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.
6. When offered Update or Restore, choose Restore. The computer downloads the required software and erases the iPhone.
7. After the restore finishes, disconnect the iPhone and follow the setup prompts.

If the locked screen shows Forgot Passcode?, the iPhone may also offer an on-device reset. That option requires a network connection, Find My to have been enabled, and the password for the linked Apple Account.

What should you do before resetting an iPhone?

Back up the iPhone before erasing it if you can still unlock it. A backup can preserve photos, messages, app data, device settings, and other information for restoration later. Use iCloud Backup in Settings or create a computer backup with Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.

If the iPhone is being transferred to someone else, also remove its link to your Apple Account:

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Find My, then Find My iPhone.
3. Turn off Find My iPhone and enter the Apple Account password.
4. Return to the Apple Account screen, tap Sign Out, and follow the prompts.

Turning off Find My removes Activation Lock. If you cannot unlock the iPhone, recovery mode can still erase it, but it cannot bypass Activation Lock. Make sure you know the linked Apple Account credentials before starting.

How do you set up an iPhone after a factory reset?

After the reset, the iPhone displays the Hello screen. The setup assistant asks for language, region, a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, privacy choices, a new passcode, and an Apple Account.

Choose the appropriate transfer option when the Apps and Data screen appears:

• Restore from an iCloud backup by signing in and selecting an available backup.
• Restore from a Mac or PC by connecting the iPhone to the computer that holds the backup.
• Transfer from another device if the original device remains available.
• Set up without transferring data when no backup exists or a clean start is preferred.

If Activation Lock appears, enter the Apple Account and password previously associated with the iPhone. A factory reset does not provide a way around that ownership check.

What should you do if an iPhone factory reset does not work?

• iPhone stuck on the Apple logo: Connect it to a computer, place it in recovery mode, and choose Update first if that option could reinstall iOS without erasing data. If Update fails or the goal is a full reset, repeat recovery mode and choose Restore.

• “iPhone Unavailable” or “Security Lockout”: Stop guessing the passcode. Use Forgot Passcode? when it appears and you know the linked Apple Account password, or complete the recovery-mode restore on a computer.

• Computer does not recognize the iPhone: Check the cable and USB connection, reopen Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes, and repeat the recovery-button sequence until the recovery screen remains visible.

• Activation Lock requests another person’s Apple Account: The previous owner must remove the iPhone from that account. There is no legitimate factory-reset method that bypasses Activation Lock. If the previous owner cannot help, contact Apple and be prepared to provide valid proof of ownership.