How to Factory Reset an iPhone

Whether you are selling your old iPhone to a stranger on eBay, trading it in at the Apple Store for a new model, or simply trying to fix a catastrophic software glitch that no amount of restarting can solve, you must perform a Factory Reset. This process completely obliterates every single piece of personal data on the device, returning it to the exact blank state it was in when it first came out of the factory box.

Crucial Warning: A factory reset is permanent and irreversible. The exact second you confirm the reset, all of your photos, text messages, apps, and banking details will be destroyed. You must ensure you have a complete iCloud or computer backup before proceeding.

Step 1: Turn off “Find My iPhone”

You cannot simply factory reset an iPhone that is actively tracked by Apple’s anti-theft system (Activation Lock). If you try, the phone will turn into a useless “brick” when the new owner tries to set it up, as it will demand your Apple ID password.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your Name/Apple ID banner at the absolute top of the screen.
3. Tap on Find My.
4. Tap Find My iPhone at the top of the next screen.
5. Tap the green toggle switch to turn it off.
6. A pop-up will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm your identity. Type it and tap Turn Off.

Step 2: Erase All Content and Settings

Once the anti-theft lock is disabled, you can trigger the destruction sequence.

1. Go back to the main Settings menu.
2. Scroll down and tap on General (the grey gear icon).
3. Scroll all the way down to the absolute bottom of the General menu and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. You will see two options at the bottom of the screen. Do not tap “Reset” (this only resets network and dictionary settings; it does not delete your photos).
5. Tap the bottom option: Erase All Content and Settings.

Step 3: Confirm the Deletion

Apple will now throw up several warning screens to ensure you understand exactly what you are about to do.

1. A screen will appear showing exactly how much data (apps, eSims, Apple Wallet cards) is about to be wiped. Tap Continue.
2. You will be asked to enter your standard iPhone passcode (the numbers you type to unlock the screen).
3. If you haven’t recently backed up to iCloud, the iPhone might pause and attempt to automatically upload your final photos to the cloud. You can let it finish, or tap Skip Backup if you already backed it up to a computer.
4. Finally, a red warning box will appear at the bottom of the screen saying Erase iPhone.
5. Tap Erase iPhone.

The screen will instantly go black, and the Apple logo will appear with a loading progress bar underneath it. This process can take anywhere from five to twenty minutes depending on how much data was on the phone.

When the phone finishes, it will reboot and display a white screen saying “Hello” in various languages. It is now perfectly safe to put the phone in a box and mail it to a buyer.