How To Set A Iphone Back To Factory Settings

How to reset an iPhone: our guide to restarting or manufacturing plant resetting your telephone

At that place's three different levels available to you to reset an iPhone. We talk yous through each 1, plus bear witness yous how to backup your data before yous practise

(Image: © TechRadar)

There are lots of dissimilar reasons why yous might desire to learn how to reset an iPhone and the skilful news is, there are plenty of methods that will help y'all practise just that and we're hither to talk you through all your options.

If y'all've e'er invested in the best iPhone, then you likely already know that problems with these little beauties are adequately rare and when they do crop upwardly, it tends to be towards the end of the phone's lifespan. Even when you exercise encounter a glitch though, your phone may still have plenty of life left in information technology nevertheless and doing a reset could exist enough to put an end to whatsoever result you're experiencing.

When you reset an iPhone, yous as well wipe all your personal information from your device, so if y'all're wanting to sell it or laissez passer information technology along to someone else so that you lot can upgrade to the new iPhone 13, this can be a dandy mode of making sure that nobody else has access to your private information.

There are three different levels bachelor to yous when it comes to resetting your iPhone. A soft reset is where you simply turn your device on and off again. A force restart is what you'll desire to use for problems that you lot can't exercise a soft reset for. And finally, you can reset your device to its factory settings, which is what you'll be wanting to do if you're passing your iPhone along to someone else.

Nosotros'll talk you through each of these options to reset an iPhone, including details on how to backup all those important files and photos earlier you do it. Oh, and if you lot're doing a reset so you can sell your phone and purchase a new i, bank check out the best cheap iPhone deals to ensure you purse yourself a deal.

iPhone power off slider — (Image credit: Time to come)

How to soft reset an iPhone

This is an like shooting fish in a barrel one, as you'll just be turning your phone on and off once more. This is something you can do when your phone is still reacting to you, and you but demand it to quickly reboot.

The method to do this varies from iPhone to iPhone. If you accept an iPhone X or later, press and hold the power button and either of the volume control buttons simultaneously until the ability-off slider appears. On older phones, yous can simply printing and concord the power push button.

Or, if you can't call back the shortcut later, an alternative option is to open up the Settings app, tap General, and scroll downwards to find 'Close Down' highlighted in bluish. Over again, the power-off slider will announced.

Drag the slider across, and your device will turn itself off. Look at least xxx seconds for the phone to fully power downward and reset. Then printing down the ability button once again to plough the phone back on over again. With that, you've completed the easiest reset possible.

How to Force Restart your iPhone

If your device has frozen or it just won't turn on, y'all may notice that you lot need a more than serious restart to your iPhone. This is what many refer to - including Apple - as a 'Forcefulness Restart'.

You won't lose any data by post-obit this method; instead, it'll just force your device to turn off and on once more. This does differ depending on the device you have, so exist sure to know that before you continue with the steps below.

Method for iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series, iPhone 11 series, iPhone XS serial, iPhone 10, iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus:

Quickly printing and release the volume upwards button, and and then do the same with the volume down button. At present press and agree the ability button until the Apple logo appears.

Your telephone volition now reboot, and one time your device returns to normal you volition have completed a Force Restart.

Method for iPhone vii and iPhone 7 Plus

Hither you'll want to press and hold the book down push button every bit well as the wake push button on the correct hand side of the phone. Do this until the Apple logo appears, and then release both buttons.

One time your device has restarted, you lot will have completed a Force Restart.

Method for iPhone 6S series, original iPhone SE and older devices

For these devices, you'll want to printing and hold down both the wake button (that could be on the right hand side or the elevation edge of the device) besides every bit the domicile button below the screen.

Do that until the Apple logo appears, and one time your device has rebooted you lot volition have completed a Force Restart.

iPhone Reset menu — (Image credit: Hereafter)

How to factory reset an iPhone

Need something a bit more farthermost? A mill reset is the next footstep, but it's non something that should be washed lightly. It's substantially going to erase everything that makes it your iPhone.

For the uninitiated, a factory reset turns back time to when the device was released from, well, the factory – wiping all business relationship info, apps, media, and whatsoever other stored data from the device.

A factory reset allows you to totally wipe your device and then y'all can sell information technology on or give it to someone. Plus it can likewise be useful if yous're troubleshooting some bug with your device. If you're sure that'southward what you want to do, and so read on.

Back up your iPhone first

Simply in case you change your heed, yous'll want to go on all of that data stored somewhere – you can also use information technology every bit the basis for your next iPhone or iPad past restoring from that backup.

If you're logged into iCloud, you can begin backing information technology upward in Settings. Tap your proper name at the superlative of the page, select iCloud, scroll downward to iCloud Backup and hit 'Dorsum Up At present'.

Y'all can too back your device upwardly to a PC or Mac. Only plug it into the calculator and click the pocket-size device icon in iTunes. There you'll find an option to gear up automatic backups or but back up with the click of a button. This is besides where y'all'll restore from a backup on a fresh phone.

If y'all want to know more, check out our guides to how to back up an iPhone and how to restore an iPhone.

Now, let'southward factory reset your iPhone

Hither nosotros are then, time to manufactory reset your iPhone. The procedure is fairly simple, especially at present you've backed upward your phone.

Step 1

Head over to Settings, and tap General then Reset.

This will give plenty of reset options, just the ane you demand to manufactory reset your iPhone is 'Erase All Content And Settings'.

Footstep ii

If your device uses a passcode, Touch ID or Face ID, you'll likely need to ostend this action then hit Erase iPhone.

Three screens side by side - settings, general, reset — (Prototype credit: TechRadar)

Step 3

You'll next need to login with your Apple tree ID to ensure it tin can exist removed from the device and that Detect My iPhone can exist disabled.

WARNING - ALL Information WILL BE DELETED FROM YOUR IPHONE. Brand certain you accept backed up any data you lot wish to keep to iCloud or your estimator.

Footstep 4

Once you've done this, your phone will take a few minutes before prompting you to set information technology up every bit a new device. Congratulations, you lot have successfully managed to factory reset your iPhone.

Now, practise you desire to get your iPhone back to how it was? You lot tin now follow our guide on how to restore an iPhone from a backup.

Those steps to factory resetting your iPhone are listed once again beneath if you demand them in an easier-to-read format:

Tap Settings > General > Reset
Tap 'Erase all content and settings'
Enter passcode/Face ID/fingerprint
Tap 'Erase iPhone/iPad'
Enter Apple ID countersign
Your iPhone/iPad will now manufactory reset

Michael Hicks began his freelance writing career with TechRadar in 2022, covering emerging tech similar VR and self-driving cars. Present, he works as a staff editor for Android Central, merely even so writes occasional TR reviews, how-tos and explainers on phones, tablets, smart home devices, and other tech.