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How to reset an iPhone, iPad or iPod to factory settings? Step by step guide

How to reset an iPhone

If your Apple device has technical failures or you want to change it by selling it and expect to avoid identity theft or information , you can perform a hard reset. Before continuing, it is important to know that a factory restore will completely eliminate: data, applications and settings if a backup is not made.

It is necessary to differentiate when a computer needs a simple restart or a full reset that may not be your best option. There are 2 types of operations that can be done : hard reset, which is drastic and erases all information, and Soft reset if your device does not work correctly, it is a basic reset and does not eliminate the data.

All the products that Apple brings to market can get the latest updates of the iOS operating system as soon as they are available making it more comfortable for the user and according to the personal device and the system operational that this has there are ways to reset it. In this tutorial we explain the steps that must be followed to restore your equipment by applying useful and necessary methods and tools according to the model, with small differences in the user interface that each device has.

Steps to restart and restore your Apple device and return to the Apple configuration factory

Performing a restoration, either hard reset or soft reset , is a process that can be done in different ways and all of them are very easy to apply. With a computer and a good internet connection you will be able to do most of those that we will explain below

First of all How to make a backup?

Before starting, it should be taken into account that sometimes the device resets itself due to errors and the right thing to avoid losing information and adjustments is to make a backup even if you have iCloud .

  • Connect your device to a computer with the help of a USB cable and enter your security key.
  • Open iTunes and synchronize your device with the program.
  • Click on the left panel where the button with an iPhone figure appears where you can view the information related to your device.
  • Finish by selecting the option Back up automatically on your computer. You can also choose to encrypt the content or save it in iCloud.
  • Press the option of « make a copy now… «. Unlike iCloud, iTunes does not execute automatic copies if it is necessary to make them manually and periodically.

copia de seguridad iPhone

Hard reset from iCloud

  • Once unlocked the iPhone, iPad or iPod , open « Settings» and tap on « General «, slide to down to the reset options.
  • Now, press the “ Clear content and settings ” option.
  • If your device has a default password it will be necessary to enter it to proceed with the backup. There is no way to do this procedure until you enter the encryption.
  • Finally, you will have to enter your Apple ID password, this will make the account and all the information is automatically deleted and « Search iPhone » is deactivated.

hard reset desde icloud

Button combination

One way to make a soft reset is with the combination of buttons that we explain below:

  • Press the on / off button and hold it next to the home button until the Apple logo appears.
  • The phone will restart regularly. This is a soft reset, the reason that no data will be deleted.

Forced restart

Forced restart is a method that is used when the mobile is hung up or begins to throw different system errors. To do this you simply have to apply the following button combination:

  • If your mobile is an iPhone 7 or later press the on / off button and turn down the volume instead of the «Home» button until the logo appears
  • Wait for the traditional restart and check your data.

iTunes

One of the oldest methods since at the time it was the only one available to perform a Hard Reset. Here we explain how to do it from iTunes:

  • Connect your device to a computer with the help of a USB cable, in order to continue it will be necessary to unlock your Smartphone if it is encrypted
  • When you open iTunes, in the menu bar touch the button with the silhouette of an iPhone.
  • Press the option « Restore iPhone » it is important to remember that if a backup is not made, all the data will be deleted from the device.
  • By clicking on « Restore iPhone «, iTunes will return it to its factory state
  • Finally, once the process is complete it will return to the factory settings and the welcome screen will appear, just like when it is first started.

Restaurar iphone desde itunes

Dr. Phone-Erase (iOS)

Wondershare presents Dr. Phone-Erase (iOS) , a tool that allows you to erase all data on a computer without leaving a trace of previous use. Even after delivering it to another person, it is not possible to use software to retrieve the previous data of the mobile. To use this method, make sure that the “ Find my iPhone ” application and the “ Activation lock ” settings are disabled for efficient use.

Download Wondershare Dr. Fone for Windows

Download Wondershare Dr. Fone for Mac

  • Download the Dr. Phone tool, available for Windows and MacOs.
  • Connect the iPhone to your computer using a USB cable, run the Dr. Phone application and select the option to « Erase «.

Dr. Fone para Mac

  • Then choose « Erase All Data » to completely remove the device.

Dr. Fone erase all data

  • Subsequently, click on « Erase » to start resetting the iPhone, think well if a hard reset is necessary as you remember that this is a permanent process.
  • >

  • Automatically the data and settings will begin to be deleted wait for the reset to finish, once completed it will be like a new device.
  • The execution will take a few minutes , keep your mobile connected throughout the process.

Search my iPhone

Default security application for Apple products allows to block, locate and delete data is supported , iOS 5 and later devices and for Mac with OS X 10.7.5, the steps to follow:

  • Go to iCloud.com with your Apple ID
  • Select “Search” to proceed with the reset
  • Choose the device to configure and you will find three options:
    • «Emit sound»
    • «Lost mode»
    • «Delete iPhone»
  • Choose « Delete iPhone » to perform a factory reset.

Free RAM memory

It may be that your main objective is to free your iPhone, iPad or iPod from junk content and have a better application development without deleting any of your data and settings.

Marc Forrest , enthusiast of the various Apple products published a way to erase the memory in iOS without restarting the device, we explain how to do it step by step and potentially make a slow iPhone a lot faster in the process.

  • Unlock your device if it has an encryption.
  • Press and hold the power button until the option “ Swipe to turn off ” appears on the screen.
  • Then release the power button and then press and hold the start button for approximately five seconds.
  • The memory of your iPhone, iPad or iPod or RAM, will be less heavy and therefore less slow.

How to reset an iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XR ?

hard reset iphone 8

Basic reset can resolve errors, but not all in general. In some cases, such as when the device is completely frozen and does not respond when you press the on / off button, you need a more effective option called hard reset.

Since the shutdown button performs the function of the SOS emergency call, the reset process for iPhone 8, X, XS and XR is different from other models.

To return to factory settings follow these steps:

  • Press and release the volume up button on the left side of your iPhone 8, X, XS and XRS
  • Press and release the button turn down the volume on the left side of your device.
  • Now, press and hold the on / off button on the right side until it restarts and the logo Apple appears.

How to reset an iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and 7 Pro?

hard reset iphone 7

Mobile devices define the way in which Apple innovates, although it has a simple configuration system it works quickly, it has few failures and its user interface is ideal and protects the information and data of the consumer from possible malware and / or viruses .

For iPhone 7 the company changes the condition in which these models can be restarted and makes the restoration process subtly different . In addition to its novel design in this presentation, the start button is no longer a button, it is now a 3D touch panel.

To perform a factory reset all steps are the same as the previous ones except that you should not press and hold the on / off button , instead, the button must be pressed to Turn down the volume and the power off button at the same time until the corporation logo appears.

How to reset an iPhone 6 and previous models? botón de apagado encendido iphone 6

Making a restart on iPhone 6 devices or lower is very easy , you just have to run a selection of buttons that we explain below:

  • Press and hold the on / off button on the right side next to the volume down button.
  • When the slider appears, slide it to the right.
  • Automatically, the moment the screen goes dark the Apple logo will be displayed.
  • Press and press and hold the button on / off to turn on your reset device.

To see in more detail how to reset each model of your device, follow these guides:

  • Reset iPhone 6 phone
  • Reset iPhone 7 phone
  • Reset iPhone 8 phone
  • Reset iPhone X phone