Need help resetting your iPhone? Factory resetting a phone wipes everything off it, be it your photos, files, apps, games and other stored data. So it is necessary to know the proper method to reset your iPhone, as you shouldn't jump into it blindly. That is why, in this guide, we will discuss every possible method on how to reset an iPhone and also explain how to do it properly with a backup.
Things to Do Before You Reset an iPhone
Whether you are having a troubleshooting issue or resetting your iPhone before passing it to someone else, it is important to take care of these steps to avoid losing data or running into activation issues later.
- Back up your data: It goes without saying, but it is a must that you sync all your important data, like contacts, photos, calendars, notes, and saved passwords, to iCloud so you can recover it after the reset.
- Sign out of your Apple ID: You also need to sign out of your Apple account if you're resetting your iPhone to give it to someone else. This prevents any "Unable to activate" issues later on.
- Turn off Find My iPhone: You should also unpair Find My for that iPhone. Go to Settings > your Apple account > Find My > Find My iPhone.
- Sign out of apps and services: Make sure that you sign out of all important apps and services, like banking apps and everything else that is sensitive.
- Remove SIM card or delete eSIM: This is a pretty basic thing that you should do before you reset your iPhone. However, if you are factory resetting your device but still planning to use it afterwards, then you can ignore this step.
How to Reset iPhone (All Methods)
Once you’ve done all of the above, you’re ready to move ahead with safely resetting your iPhone. I checked Apple Forums and their guides to make sure that we have included all the methods that work for all iPhone models.
Reset iPhone from iOS Settings
The easiest way is to go to the Settings app on your iPhone and reset it. It works on the oldest to the latest iPhone 17.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and select General.
- Scroll down to the bottom and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Then, select Erase All Content and Settings.
- Tap on Continue at the bottom.
- In the prompt that shows up, select Erase iPhone.
- Then enter your iPhone passcode to confirm your decision.
Your iPhone will now start erasing the entire data and then restart to the "Hello" screen after completion.
Restore Your iPhone Using Mac
If your iPhone is stuck, frozen or has become unresponsive to the touch, then you can use this method to back up and factory reset your iPhone. This is the method I used to reset my iPhone 13 but it will work across all iPhones.
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac using a cable (preferably the one that came inside your iPhone box).
- On your Mac, open Finder and select your iPhone from the sidebar.
- Now, click on Restore iPhone.
- In the prompt that appears, confirm your action.
Finder will download the latest iOS version and erase your device completely.
Reset iPhone Using iTunes on Windows
In case your iPhone has become unresponsive and you only have a Windows PC, then you can use iTunes to reset the device.
- Download the latest version of iTunes for your Windows PC from the Microsoft Store.
- Once downloaded and set up, connect your iPhone to your PC via a USB cable.
- Now, open the iTunes app and click on the device icon.
- Here, select Restore iPhone and confirm the reset.
This erases your device and reinstalls iOS from scratch.
Factory Reset Your iPhone Using Recovery Mode
Some Reddit users also discussed issues where their iPhones became completely unresponsive, got stuck on the Apple logo or didn't boot at all. In these rare instances, many people commented that resetting the iPhone using recovery mode did the trick and helped them recover their device.
- Plug your iPhone into a Mac with a USB cable.
- Now, put your iPhone to Recovery mode by pressing the Volume Up, then Volume down button.
- Then long-press the Side button until the recovery screen appears.
- Now, open Finder on the Mac, select iPhone.
- Here, choose Restore iPhone under "Software".
Only Reset iPhone Settings
If you are just facing a software issue, like the purple line issue or a white dot on the iPhone screen, then it is better to reset all settings instead. This will keep your data but restore all the settings to factory defaults, including Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth devices.
- Open the Settings app and go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Here, tap on Reset and select Reset All Settings.
Unable to Reset Your iPhone? Try These Troubleshooting Tips
Having issues while trying to reset your iPhone, then you can try out these troubleshooting methods to see if any of them help you solve the problem with your iPhone.
- Check your internet connection: A stable Wi-Fi connection is required to verify your Apple ID and complete the reset.
- Enter the correct Apple ID password: If you see an error, double-check your credentials or reset your password.
- Turn off Find My iPhone manually: If you are going with the Mac restore method, then it will not go forward until you turn off Find My. To do this, go to Settings > your Apple account name > Find My > Find My iPhone and disable it from there.
- Restart your iPhone: You can also try to restart your iPhone, as it fixes temporary glitches that may block the reset process.
- Update iOS to the latest version: Make sure that you are on the latest version of iOS or update your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Software Update to avoid any issues while performing the reset.
- Ensure enough battery: You also need to keep your iPhone's battery charged at least up to 50% so it does not switch off and interrupt the reset process.
These are all the ways you can use to reset your iPhone. If you don't know the right steps, resetting your device can be hard, and one mistake could cost you all your data and memories. So, I hope that this guide was able to give you clarity on the reset process.
