How to Reset Your iPhone

Resetting your iPhone can fix software glitches, free up storage, wipe your data before selling, or simply give you a clean slate. Follow this guide to understand what a factory reset does, prepare your device, choose the right reset option, and perform the reset safely.

What Is a Factory Reset?

A factory reset (Erase All Content and Settings) removes every piece of user data and custom setting from your iPhone. It restores the device to the exact state it was in when it left the factory, as if you’d just unboxed it.

What Happens When You Factory Reset?

• All personal data (photos, videos, messages, apps, passwords, documents) is permanently erased.
• System and app settings revert to defaults, resolving many software issues.
• Performance may improve by clearing storage clutter and corrupted caches.

Why You Might Factory Reset Your iPhone

1. You’re selling or giving away your iPhone and need to protect your privacy.
2. Your device is infected by malware or unremovable configuration profiles.
3. Performance has degraded—apps crash, animations stutter, or battery drains fast.
4. Storage is full and you want a quick way to clear everything.
5. You’re troubleshooting persistent network, Bluetooth, or system errors.

Things to Do Before Resetting Your iPhone

1. Backup all your data to iCloud, a Mac, or a Windows PC.
2. Note down your Apple ID and password for reactivation after the reset.
3. Unpair Bluetooth devices (Apple Watch, headphones) to avoid pairing issues later.
4. Sign out of iMessage, FaceTime, App Store, and other services.
5. Disable Find My iPhone in Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone.
6. Remove any saved credit or debit cards from Wallet.

Understanding iPhone Soft, Hard, and Factory Resets

iPhones offer three main reset options—soft resets, hard resets, and factory resets—each tailored to different issues and depths of system restoration. Choosing the right one prevents unnecessary data loss and efficiently resolves problems.

Key Differences at a Glance

• Soft Reset: Standard restart to clear minor glitches without deleting data.
• Hard Reset (Force Restart): Emergency reboot when the device is unresponsive.
• Factory Reset: Complete wipe of all personal data and settings, restoring factory defaults.

iPhone Soft Reset

A soft reset is the simplest restart of your iPhone. It clears temporary caches and closes apps without affecting files or settings.

When to use a soft reset:

• Your device is lagging, freezing, or apps behave unpredictably.
• Calls, messages, or network connections are inconsistent.
• You experience audio or video playback hiccups.

What it does:

• Shuts down iOS processes and reloads them cleanly.
• Fixes minor software hiccups without erasing personal data.

How to perform:

1. Hold the Volume Up and Side button together until the “slide to power off” slider appears.
2. Slide to power off, wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo shows.

iPhone Hard Reset

A hard reset forcefully reboots your iPhone when it’s frozen or unresponsive. It reinitializes hardware drivers and clears deeper system caches.

When to use a hard reset:

• The screen is stuck black, white, or frozen.
• The device has stopped responding to taps and button presses.
• You suspect a stubborn software hang or malware.

What it does:

• Forces an immediate reboot at the hardware level.
• Attempts to clear critical system hang-ups without erasing user data.

How to perform:

1. Quickly press and release Volume Up.
2. Quickly press and release Volume Down.
3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

iPhone Factory Reset

A factory reset—Erase All Content and Settings—wipes your iPhone clean and restores it to its original out-of-the-box state.

When to use a factory reset:

• You are selling or gifting the device and need to protect privacy.
• Software errors persist after soft and hard resets.
• You want to remove malware or reclaim storage by erasing everything.

What it does:

• Permanently deletes all personal data, apps, and custom settings.
• Restores the operating system to manufacturer defaults, removing most software issues.

Beyond the Basics

If you want to dive deeper, explore Recovery Mode and DFU Mode for advanced troubleshooting and firmware restores. Always back up your data via iCloud or Finder before any reset, and keep your Apple ID credentials handy for reactivation. For persistent errors, consider using Apple Configurator 2 or contacting Apple Support for remote diagnostics and tailored solutions.

How to Factory Reset Your iPhone

Resetting your iPhone can help you troubleshoot issues, prepare the device for a new owner, or start fresh. Below are step-by-step instructions for resetting with and without your password.

1. Factory Reset iPhone with Password

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
6. Tap Continue, then confirm you want to erase your data.
7. Wait a few minutes—your iPhone will restart in its factory-fresh state.

2. Factory Reset iPhone without Password

If you can’t recall your passcode, use one of these methods to erase your iPhone remotely or via a computer.

Method 1: Using Find My iPhone

1. Visit iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Click Find iPhone.
3. From the All Devices list, select your iPhone.
4. Click Erase iPhone, then confirm.
5. Wait for the remote wipe to complete.

Method 2: Using iTunes (Windows or Older macOS)

1. Install and open iTunes on your computer.
2. Connect your iPhone via USB cable.
3. Click the iPhone icon in iTunes.
4. Go to Summary, then click Restore iPhone.
5. Confirm the restore and wait for iTunes to erase and reinstall iOS.

Method 3: Using Recovery Mode

1. Install iTunes (Windows) or use Finder (macOS Catalina and later).
2. Power off your iPhone:
   • iPhone 8 and later or SE (2nd/3rd gen): Hold Side + Volume Down until the power slider appears.
   • Older models: Hold Side (or Top) until the power slider appears.
3. Press and hold the device’s specific button while connecting to your computer:
   • iPhone 8 and later or SE (2nd/3rd gen): Side button
   • iPhone 7/7 Plus: Volume Down button
   • iPhone 6s and earlier or SE (1st gen): Home button
4. Keep holding until you see the recovery-mode screen (computer + cable icon).
5. In iTunes or Finder, choose Update and Restore, then confirm.
6. When finished, your iPhone will restart.
7. If it remains stuck, perform a force restart.

Method 4: Using Finder on Mac (macOS Catalina and Later)

1. Connect your iPhone to the Mac with a USB cable.
2. Open Finder and select your iPhone from the sidebar.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Click Restore iPhone, then confirm.
5. Enter your Apple ID if prompted, and wait for the process to complete.

Method 5: Using Siri (Limited Availability)

1. Activate Siri and say, “Hey Siri, erase all content and settings.”
2. When prompted, confirm your request verbally.
3. Your iPhone will begin the reset process (Siri-based reset may require prior setup).

Method 6: If Nothing Works

If you still can’t reset your iPhone, contact Apple Support for guided assistance or visit an Apple Store for service.

After the reset completes, you can set up your iPhone as new or restore from an iCloud or computer backup.

FAQ