How to Reset an iPhone 6 to Factory Settings

To reset an iPhone 6 to factory settings, back up anything you want to keep, sign out of iCloud, and select Erase All Content and Settings. If the iPhone 6 is locked or will not open Settings, connect it to a computer and restore it in recovery mode.

What should you do before factory resetting an iPhone 6?

A factory reset permanently removes photos, messages, apps, accounts, saved passwords, and personal settings from the iPhone 6. Back up the device before continuing unless you are certain that none of its data is needed.

1. Connect the iPhone 6 to Wi-Fi and power.
2. Create an iCloud backup from Settings, your name, iCloud, and iCloud Backup. If that option is unavailable, connect the phone to a computer and create a backup through iTunes or Finder.
3. Make sure you know the Apple ID and password associated with the iPhone. You may need them to disable Find My iPhone or activate the device later.
4. Open Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap Sign Out. Enter the Apple ID password if requested. Signing out disables Find My iPhone and removes the account from the device.
5. If the phone uses a SIM card, remove it when the reset is complete if the device will no longer remain with you.

Activation Lock is Apple’s security feature that connects an iPhone to the owner’s Apple ID through Find My iPhone. Erasing the phone does not necessarily remove Activation Lock, so signing out before the reset is important.

How do I reset an iPhone 6 to factory settings in Settings?

Use Settings when the iPhone 6 starts normally and you know its screen passcode. Keep the device connected to power until the erase process finishes.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and tap Reset.
4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
5. If asked about an unfinished iCloud backup, choose whether to complete the backup before erasing.
6. Enter the iPhone passcode.
7. Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone. A second confirmation may appear because this action cannot be undone.
8. Enter the Apple ID password if prompted to turn off Find My iPhone and Activation Lock.

The iPhone 6 will erase its contents and restart. Do not force the phone to shut down while the progress indicator is moving.

How do you reset an iPhone 6 to factory settings with iTunes or Finder?

A computer restore is useful when Settings will not open, the erase process fails, or the iPhone has software problems. Use Finder on a Mac that manages iPhones through Finder; use iTunes on a Windows computer or a Mac that still manages devices through iTunes.

1. Open Finder or iTunes and make sure the computer can connect to Apple’s software service.
2. Connect the iPhone 6 with a compatible USB cable.
3. Unlock the phone and select Trust if the iPhone asks whether to trust the computer.
4. Select the iPhone when it appears in Finder or iTunes.
5. Create a backup if needed and if the device allows it.
6. Select Restore iPhone.
7. Confirm the restore. The computer will download the required software, erase the iPhone 6, and reinstall its operating system.
8. Leave the phone connected until it restarts and displays the setup screen.

If Find My iPhone is still enabled, the computer may require you to turn it off before a normal restore can continue.

How can you reset an iPhone 6 without a passcode?

If the passcode is unknown or the screen is locked, use recovery mode. Recovery mode lets a computer reinstall the phone’s software, but it does not bypass Activation Lock or reveal data protected by the passcode.

1. Open Finder or iTunes on the computer.
2. Disconnect the iPhone 6 from the computer and turn the phone off.
3. Hold down the Home button while connecting the iPhone 6 to the computer.
4. Keep holding the Home button until the recovery-mode screen appears. Do not release it when the Apple logo first appears.
5. Select the iPhone in Finder or iTunes, then choose Restore when offered Restore or Update.
6. Wait while the computer downloads the software and restores the phone. If the download takes long enough for the iPhone to leave recovery mode, let the download finish and then repeat the recovery-mode steps.

After the restore, the previous Apple ID may still be required. Recovery mode cannot remove Activation Lock.

What happens after an iPhone 6 factory reset?

After a successful factory reset, the iPhone 6 restarts at the setup screen. Personal data, downloaded apps, accounts, device settings, and locally stored content have been erased.

You can set up the iPhone as new or restore an available backup. If the device still belongs to someone else’s Apple ID, setup will stop at Activation Lock and request that account’s credentials. Only the account owner can remove the device from that Apple ID.

What should you do if an iPhone 6 will not finish resetting?

• Stuck on the Apple logo: Keep the iPhone connected to power for a while. If the screen does not change, connect it to a computer, enter recovery mode, and try Update first if preserving data still matters. Choose Restore if Update fails or the goal is a complete erase.

• Activation Lock appears: Enter the Apple ID and password previously used with Find My iPhone. If another person owns the account, that person must remove the iPhone from the account. Repeating the factory reset will not clear the lock.

• The reset does not complete: Check the cable, USB connection, available computer storage, and internet connection. Restart the computer, update iTunes if it is being used, and repeat the restore without disconnecting the phone.

Where can you get help if the iPhone 6 reset fails?

Open {site} and look for iPhone restore, recovery mode, or Activation Lock support. Apple Support can help diagnose a failed restore and explain acceptable proof-of-ownership options, but it cannot recover an unknown Apple ID password or remove Activation Lock without validating ownership.

If the computer displays an error code, write it down before seeking help. Also note whether the iPhone reaches the setup screen, recovery-mode screen, or Apple logo, because that detail helps identify the next step.