Need a fresh start for your iPhone?
I’ll walk you through safe ways to factory reset your iPhone — the easy Settings method, what to do if the phone won’t boot, and a couple of cleanup tips so the next person (or you) doesn’t get stuck. Grab a coffee, this takes about 10–30 minutes depending on backups and updates.
Step 1 — Back up your iPhone (don’t skip this)
- Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then iCloud → iCloud Backup. Tap Back Up Now and wait until it finishes. Check the timestamp under Back Up Now.
- If you prefer a computer backup: connect to your Mac or PC. On macOS Catalina+ open Finder, on older macOS or Windows open iTunes. Select your device and click Back Up Now. Choose Encrypt local backup if you want to save passwords and Health data.
- Confirm your backup exists before erasing — it’s the one thing you’ll regret if you lose it.
Step 2 — Sign out of Apple ID and disable Find My iPhone
- In Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted. This turns off Find My and removes Activation Lock.
- If you’re selling or giving away the phone, also unpair any Apple Watch via the Watch app — that makes re-pairing easy for the new owner.
- If you can’t access the phone but still can sign in to iCloud, remove the device from your account at iCloud.com → Find iPhone → All Devices → select device → Remove from Account.
Step 3 — Factory reset from the iPhone (the normal way)
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
- Follow the on-screen prompts. You’ll be asked for your passcode and Apple ID password to turn off Activation Lock and start the erase.
- The phone will reboot and show the setup screen once the erase is finished.
Step 4 — If the phone won’t boot: Recovery Mode with a computer
- Connect the iPhone to a computer with Finder (macOS Catalina+) or iTunes (Windows / older macOS).
- Put the iPhone into recovery mode:
- iPhone 8 and later: press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until recovery mode screen appears.
- iPhone 7 / 7 Plus: hold Volume Down and Side buttons until recovery mode appears.
- iPhone 6s and earlier: hold Home and Top/Side buttons until recovery mode appears.
- In Finder/iTunes you’ll see options to Restore or Update. Choose Restore to erase and install the latest iOS. This will wipe the device.
Step 5 — If you can’t access the phone or passcode (remote erase)
- Go to iCloud.com → sign in → Find iPhone → All Devices → select the iPhone → Erase iPhone. This will erase the device remotely, but it still needs the Apple ID password to remove Activation Lock unless you explicitly remove it from your account afterwards.
After the reset — things you should do
- If you’re keeping the phone, restore from your backup during setup (iCloud or Finder/iTunes). For encrypted computer backups, choose the encrypted backup to get saved passwords and Health data back.
- If you’re selling/giving it away, remove the device from Settings → Apple ID on any other devices and from iCloud.com so the new owner won’t hit Activation Lock.
- Remove the SIM card if you’re switching devices and don’t want the new owner using your number.
Pro Tip
Make an encrypted Finder/iTunes backup before erasing if you want to keep saved passwords, Wi‑Fi networks, and Health data — that encrypted backup is the only local way to restore those items.
Warning
If you erase without signing out of your Apple ID or removing the device from iCloud, the phone will be Activation Locked to your account — the next person won’t be able to use it without your Apple ID password. Also, if you don’t have a backup, erased data is gone for good.
Common mistake: people forget to check that their iCloud backup actually finished (they see “Backing Up…” and walk away). Always confirm the timestamp of the last backup before you hit Erase All Content and Settings.