How to Do a Master Reset on an iPhone
To do a master reset on an iPhone, open Settings, choose General, select Transfer or Reset iPhone, then choose Erase All Content and Settings. Back up anything you need first because an iPhone master reset permanently removes personal data, accounts, apps, and settings from the device.
If the iPhone is locked and you do not know its passcode, erase it with Recovery Mode from a computer or through Find My. You may still need the Apple Account previously associated with the iPhone to pass Activation Lock afterward.
What does a master reset on an iPhone actually do?
A master reset, also called a factory reset, erases the iPhone and returns its software settings to their factory state. It removes photos, messages, downloaded apps, saved accounts, payment cards, passwords, and other personal information stored on the phone.
A restart is different. Restarting turns the iPhone off and on without intentionally deleting its data. Try a restart first when an app is frozen or the phone is responding slowly.
A master reset on an iPhone is appropriate when you are selling or giving away the device, starting over after persistent software trouble, or erasing a locked phone whose passcode cannot be recovered. Resetting does not erase information already stored in iCloud, but the copies held on the iPhone are removed.
What should you check before you master reset your iPhone?
Back up important data to iCloud or a computer. Confirm that the backup finished before erasing the phone.
If you are transferring the iPhone to another person, sign out of your Apple Account. In Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and select Sign Out.
Make sure Find My is disabled before transferring ownership. Signing out normally turns it off after you enter your Apple Account password. You can also check Find My under your name in Settings.
Unpair an Apple Watch if one is connected and you will no longer use the watch with this iPhone.
Keep the iPhone connected to power or charge it well enough to complete the erase. Have the device passcode and Apple Account password ready.
If the iPhone uses an eSIM, decide whether to keep or erase it when the reset screen presents that choice. Erase it when transferring the phone; contact the carrier if service later needs to be reactivated.
How do I do a master reset on my iPhone using Settings?
Open Settings.
Select General.
Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Select Erase All Content and Settings. Do not choose Reset unless you only want to reset selected settings without deleting personal data.
Review the items that will be removed, then select Continue.
Enter the iPhone passcode when asked.
Enter the Apple Account password if prompted. This turns off Find My and Activation Lock for the device.
Confirm the erase. Keep the iPhone connected to power and wait for the Hello screen.
These steps answer searches such as “how to master reset your iPhone” and “how to master reset a iPhone.” Menu wording can vary slightly by iOS version, but Erase All Content and Settings is the option that performs the factory reset.
How do you master reset an iPhone without the passcode?
To master reset an iPhone without its passcode, use Recovery Mode with a Mac or Windows PC. Some locked iPhones also display an option such as Forgot Passcode? or Erase iPhone after unsuccessful attempts; follow the on-screen instructions if that option appears.
Find My can erase the iPhone remotely if Find My was enabled and you can sign in to the associated Apple Account. Open Find My on another Apple device or use Apple’s iCloud Find Devices service, select the iPhone, and choose Erase This Device. If the phone is offline, the erase begins when it next connects.
Erasing removes the forgotten device passcode, but it does not bypass Activation Lock. During setup, the iPhone may require the Apple Account and password that were previously linked to it.
How do you use Recovery Mode from a computer?
Connect the iPhone to a Mac or Windows PC with a compatible cable. Open Finder on a current Mac. On Windows, open the Apple Devices app; use iTunes where that is the supported device-management program.
For iPhone 8 or later, including iPhone SE second generation and later, quickly press Volume Up, quickly press Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the recovery-mode screen appears.
For iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, hold the Side button and Volume Down button together until the recovery-mode screen appears.
For iPhone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE first generation, hold the Home button and the Side or Top button together until the recovery-mode screen appears.
Select the iPhone on the computer, then choose Restore when offered Restore or Update. Restore downloads iPhone software and erases the device.
Keep the iPhone connected while the computer completes the process. If the download takes long enough for the iPhone to leave Recovery Mode, let the download finish and repeat the correct button sequence.
How do you set up an iPhone after a master reset?
At the Hello screen, choose a language and region.
Connect to Wi-Fi or an available cellular network so the iPhone can activate.
Create a new passcode and configure Face ID or Touch ID when prompted.
Choose whether to set up the iPhone as new or restore from an iCloud, Mac, or PC backup.
Sign in with your Apple Account. If Activation Lock appears, enter the account credentials previously associated with the device.
Allow apps, photos, and other backed-up information time to download. Keep the iPhone connected to power and Wi-Fi while restoration continues.
When should you contact Apple Support instead?
Contact Apple Support if Activation Lock requests an unfamiliar Apple Account, you cannot recover the required Apple Account credentials, or the computer never recognizes the iPhone. Apple may ask for documentation before helping with an ownership-related lock.
Support is also appropriate when damaged buttons prevent the Recovery Mode sequence, the iPhone repeatedly disconnects during restoration, or the device will not turn on or display the recovery screen. A factory reset addresses software and data problems; it cannot correct a failed battery, damaged connector, broken button, or other hardware fault.