iPhone Reset All Settings: Step-by-Step Guide

What does “Reset All Settings” do on an iPhone?

An iPhone Reset All Settings returns system preferences to their defaults without deleting your photos, apps, messages, contacts, or personal files. It is useful when incorrect or corrupted settings may be causing problems with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, privacy permissions, notifications, the keyboard, or other iPhone features.

Reset All Settings is not the same as Erase All Content and Settings. A full erase removes personal content and prepares the iPhone for setup as a new or restored device. Make sure you select Reset All Settings, not the erase option.

An iPhone all settings reset generally resets or removes:

• Wi-Fi networks and saved Wi-Fi passwords.
• Network, VPN, keyboard, location, privacy, and notification preferences.
• Bluetooth pairings and other system preferences.
• Apple Pay cards, which must be added again before use.
• The Home Screen layout and some accessibility or display choices.

The reset preserves:

• Photos, videos, music, documents, and downloaded files.
• Installed apps and the data stored by those apps.
• Messages, contacts, calendars, notes, and email accounts.
• Your Apple Account and content stored in iCloud.
• Your device passcode, although you must enter it to approve the reset.

What should you save before resetting all iPhone settings?

Back up the iPhone before changing system settings, even though Reset All Settings is designed not to erase personal content. A current iCloud or computer backup gives you a recovery option if the iPhone has a separate software or hardware problem.

Before starting, note or confirm the following:

• Know the iPhone passcode. The phone requests it before completing the reset.
• Record Wi-Fi passwords that are not available from your router, network administrator, or another trusted device.
• Be prepared to add Apple Pay cards again. Have access to any verification method required by the card issuer.
• Note important Bluetooth accessories so you remember which devices need to be paired again.
• Review any custom VPN, accessibility, privacy, notification, keyboard, or display settings that you will want to restore.
• Keep the iPhone connected to power or make sure it has enough battery to restart.

How do you reset all settings on an iPhone?

The wording may vary slightly with the installed iOS release, but the current Settings menu separates a settings reset from a complete erase. Read the final confirmation carefully before approving it.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select General.
3. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Select Reset. Do not select Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Select Reset All Settings from the list of reset choices.
6. Enter the iPhone passcode when prompted.
7. Confirm Reset All Settings. If another confirmation appears, read it and confirm the same settings-only action.
8. Wait while the iPhone applies the reset and restarts. Do not force it to shut down during this process.

After the restart, unlock the iPhone normally. Your apps and personal content should still be present, but many preferences will have returned to their defaults.

What can you do if Settings will not open or the iPhone is frozen?

A forced restart does not erase data and may make the Settings app usable again. On an iPhone with Face ID, quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. On older models, the button combination differs, so use Apple’s instructions for that specific model.

After the iPhone starts, try the normal Settings path again. There is no separate button combination that performs Reset All Settings while bypassing the Settings app and passcode confirmation.

If the iPhone remains unresponsive, recovery mode requires a Mac or Windows computer. Recovery mode offers options to update or restore the iPhone; it does not provide the same settings-only reset. Try the Update option first when offered because Restore erases the iPhone. If you cannot safely distinguish those choices, stop and contact official Apple Support before continuing.

What happens after an iPhone Reset All Settings?

After an iPhone Reset All Settings, the device restarts and asks for the existing passcode. It should not behave like a completely erased iPhone or require full new-device activation. The Hello, language, and region setup sequence is normally associated with a full erase, not a settings-only reset.

You may see prompts related to network access, privacy permissions, Apple services, or features whose preferences were reset. Reconnect to Wi-Fi by selecting the network and entering its password. Pair Bluetooth headphones, vehicles, watches, and other accessories again if they no longer connect automatically.

Open important apps and respond to notification, location, microphone, camera, or Bluetooth permission prompts as needed. Add Apple Pay cards again through Wallet and complete any verification requested by the card issuer. You may also need to restore custom display, keyboard, accessibility, sound, and notification choices.

Should you reset all settings, network settings, or erase the iPhone?

Choose the narrowest reset that matches the problem:

• Reset Network Settings: Use this for problems limited to Wi-Fi, cellular networking, VPN settings, or network connections. It removes saved network information but avoids resetting unrelated preferences.
• Reset All Settings: Use this when problems affect several system features or when you cannot identify one faulty preference. It resets system settings while preserving apps and personal content.
• Erase All Content and Settings: This is a full wipe that removes personal data, apps, accounts, and settings. It is not an alternative name for Reset All Settings and should not be selected when you need to keep content on the iPhone.

If the issue concerns only one feature, check that feature’s settings and available reset option before resetting everything.

What should you do if resetting all settings does not fix the iPhone?

An iPhone reset all settings cannot repair damaged hardware, restore a failing battery, correct an account outage, or guarantee that a third-party app will work. If the same problem continues, install any available iOS and app updates, restart the iPhone, and test the affected feature again.

Record the exact error message, when the problem occurs, and which troubleshooting steps you completed. Open {site} to contact official Apple Support or review Apple’s instructions for your iPhone model. Apple Support can help determine whether the next step is account troubleshooting, a software update through a computer, recovery mode, or hardware service.

Do not choose a recovery-mode Restore or Erase All Content and Settings merely because the settings reset failed. Both can remove personal content, so confirm that you have a usable backup and understand the effect before approving either action.