Factory resetting an iPhone can feel nerve-wracking, especially with years of photos, messages, and memories stored on it. The good news: as long as you back up first, a factory reset is completely reversible from a data standpoint — everything comes back once you restore. This guide walks through the standard process, along with what to do if your iPhone is locked, has a forgotten passcode, or won’t even turn on.
Quick answer: Back up your iPhone through iCloud or your computer first, then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, enter your passcode, and confirm. Your data isn’t gone — it’s safely stored in your backup, ready to restore once setup begins on your freshly reset iPhone.
Factory Reset vs. Hard Reset: What’s the Difference?
These two terms get mixed up constantly, but they do completely different things.
| Factory Reset | Hard Reset (Force Restart) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Erases all data, apps, and settings, returning the iPhone to its out-of-box state | Simply restarts the phone — no data is touched |
| When to use it | Selling, giving away, or starting fresh with a device | Fixing a frozen or unresponsive screen |
| Data loss | Yes, unless backed up first | None at all |
| How to do it | Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone | Quickly press Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears |
If your iPhone is just frozen or acting glitchy, a hard reset (force restart) is almost always the right first move, not a factory reset. Save the factory reset for when you actually want to erase everything.
Before You Start: Back Up Your iPhone
This is the step that makes a factory reset safe rather than scary. Skipping it is the only way you’d actually lose anything.
Back Up Using iCloud
- Connect to WiFi
- Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud
- Select iCloud Backup
- Tap Back Up Now
- Stay connected to WiFi until the backup finishes — this can take several minutes depending on how much data you have
Before backing up, confirm you have enough iCloud storage available, since a backup that runs out of space partway through won’t fully complete.
Back Up Using a Mac (Finder) or PC (iTunes)
If you’d rather keep a local backup instead of (or alongside) an iCloud one:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer with a cable
- Open Finder (on a modern Mac) or iTunes (on Windows or older macOS)
- Select your device
- Click Back Up Now
- Consider selecting Encrypt local backup, which also preserves saved passwords and health data that an unencrypted backup leaves out
Double-Check Your Photos Are Safe
Since photos are often what people worry about most, it’s worth confirming separately:
- Go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud
- Select Photos and confirm Sync this iPhone is turned on
- Optionally, log into iCloud.com from another device to visually confirm your photos are there
How to Sign Out of Your Apple ID (Recommended First)
This step isn’t strictly required, but it’s worth doing to avoid Activation Lock — a security feature that can otherwise complicate setup on the other end.
- Go to Settings, tap your name at the top
- Scroll down and select Sign Out
- Enter your Apple ID password to confirm
How to Factory Reset an iPhone (Standard Method)
Once your backup is confirmed and you’re ready to proceed:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings
- Enter your device passcode when prompted
- If your iPhone has an eSIM, you’ll be asked whether to delete it along with your data
- Confirm by tapping Erase iPhone, then enter your Apple ID password if prompted
Your iPhone will restart and begin erasing everything. This typically takes a few minutes, and once it’s done, you’ll see the same welcome screen a brand-new iPhone shows on its first power-on.
How to Restore Your Data After Resetting
- Follow the on-screen setup prompts: select your language, then connect to WiFi
- On the Apps & Data screen, choose Restore from iCloud Backup or Restore from Mac or PC, depending on which backup method you used
- Sign in with your Apple ID when prompted
- Select the specific backup you want to restore, usually the most recent one
- Wait for your apps, photos, messages, and settings to come back — this can take anywhere from several minutes to an hour or more, depending on how much data is being restored and your connection speed
How to Factory Reset an iPhone Without a Passcode
If you’ve forgotten your passcode, or you’re resetting an iPhone that isn’t yours to unlock (like one you’re inheriting or bought secondhand and need the previous owner’s help with), there are a few paths depending on your situation.
Using iCloud (Find My)
This works if Find My iPhone was enabled on the device before it was locked.
- On another device, go to iCloud.com and sign in with the Apple ID associated with the locked iPhone
- Select Find iPhone, then choose the locked device from the list
- Select Erase iPhone and confirm
Using a Computer (Finder or iTunes) in Recovery Mode
This works even without knowing the passcode, as long as you have physical access to the device.
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac or PC with a cable
- Put the iPhone into recovery mode using the button combination for your model:
- iPhone 8 or later: Quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears
- iPhone 7 / 7 Plus: Hold the Side and Volume Down buttons together until the recovery mode screen appears
- iPhone 6s or earlier: Hold the Home and Top (or Side) buttons together until the recovery mode screen appears
- On your computer, open Finder or iTunes, where your device should now be detected
- Select Restore, and confirm when prompted
Erasing From the Security Lockout Screen (Forgotten Passcode Attempts)
On newer iOS versions, entering the wrong passcode too many times triggers a Security Lockout screen with a built-in erase option.
- After enough failed passcode attempts, tap Erase iPhone directly on the Security Lockout screen
- Enter your Apple ID password to confirm
Whichever method you use, keep in mind that Activation Lock will still require the Apple ID and password associated with the device before it can be set up again — a security measure specifically designed to prevent a lost or stolen iPhone from being reset and reused by someone else. If you’re resetting an iPhone you legitimately own but don’t have the Apple ID credentials for, you’ll need to work with Apple Support directly to verify ownership.
How to Factory Reset an iPhone That Won’t Turn On or Has a Broken Screen
If the device is unresponsive or the screen is too damaged to navigate, you can still reset it using a computer, as long as it powers on enough to enter recovery mode.
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac or PC with a cable, even if the screen appears black or unresponsive
- Use the same recovery mode button combination listed above for your specific iPhone model
- Once your computer detects the device through Finder or iTunes, select Restore
- Confirm and wait for the process to complete, keeping the iPhone connected throughout
If the iPhone genuinely won’t power on at all — not even into recovery mode — this points to a hardware issue beyond what a factory reset can fix, and it’s worth having the device examined by Apple or an authorized repair provider before assuming a reset will resolve it.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
The Reset Is Taking a Long Time or Appears Stuck
A factory reset typically completes within a few minutes, but it can take longer on devices with a lot of stored data or an older, slower model. Give it at least 15-20 minutes before assuming something’s wrong. If the Apple logo and progress bar haven’t moved at all in that time, connect the device to a computer and use Finder or iTunes to restore it instead.
Activation Lock Is Asking for an Apple ID You Don’t Know
This means the device is still linked to someone else’s Apple Account, which is common with secondhand devices that weren’t properly erased by the previous owner beforehand. You’ll need that account’s email and password to proceed — Apple’s own support process for proof of ownership is the next step if you can’t reach the previous owner.
My Backup Doesn’t Show Up When Restoring
Confirm you’re signing in with the same Apple ID that created the backup, and that you’re choosing the correct backup source (iCloud vs. a computer backup) that matches how you originally backed up. iCloud backups can also take a few minutes to appear in the list right after finishing, so trying again shortly after can resolve this.
The Erase Process Fails or Shows an Error
- Make sure your iPhone has enough battery, ideally above 50%, since low battery can interrupt an in-progress erase
- Try again after connecting to a stable WiFi network
- If it continues to fail, connect the device to a computer and perform the reset through Finder or iTunes instead of directly on the device
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my photos if I factory reset my iPhone? Not if you back up first. Photos backed up through iCloud or a computer backup are fully restored during setup after the reset. Only unbacked-up data is actually lost during a factory reset.
What’s the difference between a factory reset and a hard reset? A factory reset erases all data and returns the iPhone to its out-of-box state, while a hard reset (force restart) simply restarts the device without touching any data. If your iPhone is just frozen, a hard reset is the right fix, not a factory reset.
Can I factory reset my iPhone without a computer? Yes. The standard method through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone works entirely on the device itself, without needing a computer. A computer is only necessary for recovery mode scenarios, such as a forgotten passcode or an unresponsive device.
How do I factory reset an iPhone without knowing the passcode? If Find My iPhone was enabled, you can erase it remotely through iCloud.com. Otherwise, connecting the device to a computer and using recovery mode through Finder or iTunes works even without the passcode, as long as you have physical access to the device.
Why does my iPhone ask for an Apple ID after I’ve already erased it? This is Activation Lock, a security feature that keeps the device tied to its last Apple Account until that account’s credentials are entered, even after a full erase. It’s designed specifically to prevent lost or stolen iPhones from being reset and reused by someone else.
Can I factory reset an iPhone with a broken screen? Yes, as long as the device still powers on enough to enter recovery mode. Connect it to a computer, use the correct button combination for your model to enter recovery mode, and restore it through Finder or iTunes.
How long does a factory reset take? The erase itself usually takes a few minutes, though it can run longer on older devices or those with a large amount of stored data. Restoring your data afterward from a backup can take significantly longer, from several minutes to over an hour depending on backup size and connection speed.
If you’re resetting an iPhone as part of setting up a new device or passing one along, it’s worth checking the rest of your Apple ecosystem too. Our guide on connecting an Apple Watch to your iPhone covers pairing a watch to a freshly set-up device. And if you regularly move files between an iPhone and a Windows PC, see our guide on connecting a scanner to Windows for another common cross-device setup task.