Reset All Settings on iPhone: Full Guide

Reset All Settings on an iPhone returns system preferences to their defaults without deleting personal data. Your apps, photos, messages, documents, and other files stay on the iPhone, but you will need to configure many settings again.

What does Reset All Settings do on an iPhone?

Reset All Settings restores iPhone settings to their factory defaults. It is intended for troubleshooting problems caused by incorrect or damaged settings, especially when restarting the iPhone has not helped.

The reset removes or restores settings such as:

• Saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords
• Bluetooth pairings
• VPN configurations
• Keyboard dictionary entries
• Location and privacy preferences
• Notification, sound, display, and accessibility preferences
• Home Screen layout and wallpaper settings
• Face ID or Touch ID settings
• Previously trusted computers and accessories
• Apple Pay cards and Apple Watch pairings

Reset All Settings does not delete photos, videos, music, messages, contacts, calendar events, apps, app data, documents, call history, or downloaded files. It changes configuration choices rather than removing your personal content.

Because some security and connection settings are cleared, plan to reconnect devices, sign in to Wi-Fi, and set up features such as Face ID or Touch ID afterward.

What should you do before resetting all settings on an iPhone?

Prepare for the settings you will need to restore. Reset All Settings normally preserves personal data, but making a current backup gives you an additional recovery option if the iPhone has another problem.

1. Write down or securely save the passwords for Wi-Fi networks you use. The iPhone will forget saved Wi-Fi networks and their passwords.

2. Make a backup of the iPhone. A backup is a separate saved copy of device information that can help if further troubleshooting becomes necessary.

3. Make sure you know the iPhone device passcode. This is the code used to unlock the phone, and the reset process may request it.

4. Connect the iPhone to power if the battery is low. Do not begin while the device is close to shutting down.

5. Try a normal restart first if you are troubleshooting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or another system feature. Apple describes Reset All Settings as a step to use when restarting does not solve the problem.

How do you reset all settings on an iPhone?

To reset all settings on an iPhone, use the Reset menu inside the Settings app. Read each option carefully because Reset All Settings and Erase All Content and Settings are different actions.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap General.

3. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

4. Tap Reset. Do not select Erase All Content and Settings.

5. Tap Reset All Settings.

6. Enter the iPhone device passcode if prompted.

7. Review the confirmation message, then tap the option that confirms Reset All Settings.

The iPhone handles the reset after confirmation. Keep the device connected to power if its battery was low, and avoid interrupting it while the reset is in progress.

What happens after you reset all settings on an iPhone?

The iPhone may restart as it applies the default settings. When it is available again, your personal content should remain in place, but settings and connections cleared by the reset must be configured again.

After Reset All Settings, check these items:

• Reconnect to Wi-Fi and enter the network password.
• Pair Bluetooth accessories again.
• Set up Face ID or Touch ID again if needed.
• Pair an Apple Watch again if one was connected.
• Add Apple Pay cards again if you use Apple Pay.
• Review notification, privacy, location, sound, display, and accessibility choices.
• Restore your preferred wallpaper and Home Screen arrangement if they changed.
• Reconnect any trusted computer or accessory when you next use it.

Test the feature that led you to reset the settings. If the original problem remains, the cause may not be a saved preference, so repeating the same reset is unlikely to add useful information.

What is the difference between Reset All Settings and Erase All Content and Settings?

Reset All Settings changes preferences while preserving personal content. Erase All Content and Settings removes personal information, media, apps, and settings and returns the iPhone to an erased state.

• Use Reset All Settings when you are keeping the iPhone and want to troubleshoot system behavior without deleting apps, photos, messages, or files.

• Use Erase All Content and Settings when the intention is to remove personal information, such as before transferring the iPhone to another person. Back up anything you need to keep before choosing that separate option.

Do not treat the two menu choices as interchangeable. If your goal is “reset all settings iPhone” without losing personal data, select Reset All Settings from the Reset menu and verify the wording before confirming.

What should you do if Reset All Settings will not complete?

If the reset does not start or finish, use the response that matches what you see on the iPhone.

• The passcode is not accepted: Confirm that you are entering the current device passcode used to unlock that iPhone. Entering an account password or a passcode from another device will not satisfy a device-passcode prompt. Stop repeated guesses if you are uncertain and use Apple’s official passcode-recovery guidance.

• The iPhone is frozen: If the screen does not respond, use the force-restart procedure for your specific iPhone model. Button combinations differ by model. After the iPhone responds, unlock it, confirm that personal content is present, and try the Settings path again only if the reset did not occur.

• The battery is low or the iPhone shuts down: Connect the iPhone to a reliable power source and allow it to regain enough charge to operate normally. Restart the process from Settings after the phone is stable. Do not repeatedly attempt the reset while the device is shutting down.

• The Reset menu is unavailable: A managed iPhone may have restrictions controlled by an employer, school, or other administrator. Contact that administrator rather than trying to bypass the restriction.