If your iPhone or iPad is misbehaving and initial solutions are non working, a total reset may be necessary. Taking your device back to how it was out of the box can frequently help resolve issues like constant crashing, freezing or other serious problems.

Information technology'southward something of a nuclear pick, though, so before you take this route we'd recommend restarting or force-restarting your device as these volition leave your data and settings intact. Another selection is to ensure that the version of iOS or iPadOS on your device is up to date, every bit it might be due to a problem that has since been patched by Apple. We explain how to practice this in our how to update iOS guide.

Of class, if you're selling your iPhone (or passing it downward to a family member or friend) it'southward absolutely vital that you lot delete all the sensitive data stored on information technology. If not, an unscrupulous buyer could proceeds access to your social media profiles, fiscal data and even your personal photos and videos.

As with any action that deletes date, we'd recommend (if possible) that you lot back up your iPhone or iPad before yous attempt resetting the device.

How to reset your iPhone or iPad

Nosotros'll concentrate on iPhone for this tutorial, but the steps should be the same for iPad.

To factory-reset an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

(If you're moving to a newer device, you lot tin also brand use of the Ready for New iPhone instructions past borer Become Started.)

How to reset iPhone or iPad: Erase all content

On the adjacent page you'll come across all the data that will exist deleted, with the options Continue or Non At present at the lesser. Tap the former to complete the process (after confirming your Apple ID in one case more).

How to reset iPhone or iPad: Factory Reset

Did you forget to support your iPhone earlier you wiped it?

If you lot're worried that your iPhone or iPad wasn't backed up, don't despair: in that location's a good chance there may be a backup of which you're unaware.

To find out if you're backing up to iCloud go to Settings > Tap on your name > iCloud > Manage Storage. Here you should see an entry called Backups with the amount of data it'due south taking up displayed to the right of the name. Tap this and you'll see all of the various backups for your iOS/iPadOS devices. (There might even exist i for an erstwhile iPhone that yous could delete if yous need more space.)

How to reset iPhone or iPad: Backups

1 of the backups should say that it is This iPhone or This iPad. Tap on that and you can come across what is, and isn't existence backed upwardly. You tin can basically turn things on and off so that they don't take up your full free 5GB iCloud allocation, or yous tin pay a few pounds/dollars a month for more than storage.

You may think that some of those apps don't need to be backed up; subsequently all, you will be able to download them again from the App Store equally yous already own them. But note that the data may include saved data for games, and other settings and preferences you would adopt not to lose.

To check when your iPhone last backed upwardly, get to Settings and tap your ID card at the top of the master screen (it'll have your name and/or a picture of your face). Now hitting iCloud > iCloud Fill-in and expect at the appointment and time of the final backup. It should take happened automatically the final time you plugged your iPhone into charge and had Wi-Fi admission available.

How to reset iPhone or iPad: iCloud Backup

If you're not currently using this method, we recommend that you lot do so. Become to Settings > [your ID card] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and set iCloud Backup to on (using the green toggle). This is the simplest fashion to support and means that you tin can always recover the information on your phone no matter where you lot are - all you need is a connexion to the web.

How to rescue data from a wiped iPhone or iPad

On the other hand, if y'all can't observe a backup, information technology's likely that yous won't be able to retrieve information once you have deleted it.

The information on an iOS device is automatically encrypted, and wiping the device destroys the encryption cardinal, making information technology more or less impossible to get annihilation back when information technology'southward been fully erased and reset without access to a backup.

In an emergency you could endeavour speaking to someone at an Apple Genius Bar, but it'southward a long shot to say the to the lowest degree. (This applies to a total erase/reset, heed you - in other circumstances, such as data abuse, a malfunctioning device and and so on, the experts may be able to help.) This also reinforces our frequent communication to back up regularly.

How to restore an iPhone

If, having erased the content of the phone, you intend to go on using it, you tin can restore the content to your telephone from your backup. Hither's how:

...via iCloud backup

With the factory reset completed you'll demand to go through the setup of your iPhone again from the showtime:

  1. Follow the onscreen instructions until yous reach the page with the headings 'Apps & Information'.
  2. Hither you lot'll see four dissimilar options from which y'all should select Restore from iCloud Backup. How to reset iPhone or iPad: Restore iCloud
  3. Sign into your iCloud business relationship so select the backup you want to restore.
  4. You may be prompted to sign into diverse apps that you've already purchased, only other than that the process should at present exist pretty much automatic.

Obviously this could take a while if you have large backups or a dull cyberspace connection, so don't attempt this if you're in a hurry. When the fill-in is completed your iPhone will reboot, and then it volition starting time the larger job of downloading all of your apps.

...via Finder or iTunes backup

  1. Depending on the version of macOS you're running, you'll either be able to use Finder (macOS Mojave and subsequently) or iTunes (macOS Catalina or before) to restore a backup.
  2. Connect your iPhone to the Mac or PC.
  3. In the Finder window (or iTunes) you should encounter your device listed in the left column. Select it, then click on Restore Backup. How to reset iPhone or iPad: Restore backup from Mac
  4. Cull the backup you want to use, and so click Restore.
  5. The process should now automatically install the backup on your device.

There you have it. A quick guide on resetting your iPhone and so restoring it once more. Of course, if you're moving on from that older device and fancy something newer, exist sure to read our all-time iPhone deals roundup to run across if yous tin can salve some coin in the process.