How to Reset an iPhone to Default Settings

To reset an iPhone to default settings without deleting personal data, use Reset All Settings. To return the iPhone to a fresh setup state, use Erase All Content and Settings or restore it with a computer.

What does “reset to default” mean on an iPhone?

An iPhone reset to default can mean three different procedures. Choose based on whether you want to keep your personal data and whether the iPhone is working normally.

• Reset All Settings restores system preferences to their defaults without deleting photos, messages, apps, documents, or other personal content. It removes or resets items such as saved Wi-Fi networks, privacy choices, keyboard settings, Apple Pay cards, Bluetooth pairings, and Face ID or Touch ID settings.
• Erase All Content and Settings deletes personal information, apps, accounts, and settings, then returns the iPhone to the setup screen. Use this option when starting fresh or preparing the device for another person.
• A factory restore through a computer erases the iPhone and installs its operating system again. This is useful when the iPhone is locked, unresponsive, or unable to complete an erase through Settings.

A restart or forced restart is different. It turns the iPhone off and back on but does not restore default settings or erase data.

What should you do before resetting an iPhone?

Back up the iPhone before any reset that could erase data. An iCloud backup or an encrypted computer backup can preserve information needed when you set up the same iPhone or another device.

1. Confirm that the latest backup has completed. Do not rely only on remembering that automatic backups were enabled.
2. Make sure you know the email address or phone number used for your Apple Account, formerly called an Apple ID, and its password.
3. Record passwords or recovery details for email, work, banking, authentication, and other accounts tied to the device. Some sign-ins may require verification after the reset.
4. If an Apple Watch is paired and the iPhone is being passed to someone else, unpair the watch first.
5. When preparing the iPhone for another person, open Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and choose Sign Out. Follow the prompts and provide the requested account password.
6. Check whether the iPhone uses an eSIM. During a full erase, the phone may offer a choice to keep or delete it. Deleting an eSIM can require help from the carrier to reactivate cellular service.

How do you reset an iPhone to default through Settings?

Use the Settings app when the iPhone is unlocked and responding. Keep the device connected to power if its battery is low.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. To keep personal content, tap Reset, then choose Reset All Settings. Read the confirmation carefully because the Reset menu also contains narrower options.
5. To erase the device completely, tap Erase All Content and Settings, review what will be removed, and continue.
6. Enter the device passcode and Apple Account password if requested.
7. If an eSIM choice appears, select whether to keep or delete it based on what will happen to the phone afterward.
8. Leave the iPhone connected to power and wait for it to restart. Do not interrupt the erase once it begins.

If your goal is simply to fix Wi-Fi, keyboard, location, or privacy settings, start with the relevant reset option instead of erasing the entire iPhone.

How do you reset an iPhone without the passcode?

Resetting an iPhone without its passcode erases the data currently stored on the device. A backup is the only supported way to restore that data afterward.

Some locked iPhones display an onscreen passcode-reset or erase option when they have a network connection, Find My was enabled, and the required Apple Account credentials are available. Follow only the choices shown on the lock screen because availability and wording depend on the installed software.

If no usable option appears, restore the iPhone with a Mac or Windows computer:

1. Have a compatible cable, an internet-connected computer, and the Apple Account credentials associated with the iPhone ready.
2. Turn off the iPhone.
3. Connect it to the computer while using the recovery-mode button for that iPhone model. The required button differs by model, so confirm the official Apple instructions for the exact device rather than guessing a key combination.
4. Keep holding the required button until the recovery-mode screen appears.
5. On a Mac, select the iPhone in Finder. On Windows, select it in the Apple Devices app.
6. Choose Restore when the computer offers Restore or Update, then follow the prompts.
7. After restoration, use the setup screen to configure the iPhone or recover an available backup.

What changes after you reset an iPhone?

After Reset All Settings, personal files and apps remain, but system preferences return to defaults. You may need to reconnect to Wi-Fi, pair Bluetooth devices and an Apple Watch, add Apple Pay cards again, configure notifications, and set up Face ID or Touch ID.

After Erase All Content and Settings or a computer restore, apps, photos stored only on the phone, messages, accounts, passcodes, and personal settings are removed. You must select language and region, connect to a network, create a new passcode, sign in, and choose whether to restore a backup.

Erasing an iPhone does not cancel cellular service or necessarily remove a carrier lock. An eSIM may remain if you chose to keep it. Activation Lock, the theft-protection link between Find My and an Apple Account, can also remain after an erase. The associated account credentials may therefore be required before the device can be activated.

What should you do if the iPhone reset does not complete?

If the reset stalls, first check power, the cable, the computer’s internet connection, and available computer storage. Restart the computer, update Finder or the Apple Devices app if an update is offered, reconnect the iPhone directly rather than through a hub, and try another compatible cable or port.

A large software download can take long enough for the iPhone to leave recovery mode. Let the download finish, then turn off the iPhone and enter recovery mode again before repeating the restore.

Stop retrying if the iPhone repeatedly disconnects, remains on the Apple logo, cannot enter recovery mode because a button does not work, reports the same restore error, or becomes unusually hot. Contact official Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Hardware trouble, account recovery, or Activation Lock cannot be safely solved with unofficial unlocking or bypass tools.