Erase iPhone in 2023: A Step-by-Step Guide to Protecting Your Privacy

How to Erase iPhone in 2023 and Beyond A Complete Guide

If you are planning to sell, trade, or give away your iPhone, you may want to erase all your data and settings from the device. This will protect your privacy and security, as well as free up some storage space. Erasing your iPhone will also remove it from your iCloud account and turn off features like Find My iPhone and Activation Lock.

However, erasing your iPhone is not as simple as tapping a button. There are some steps you need to take before, during, and after the process to ensure a smooth and safe transition. In this guide, we will show you how to erase your iPhone in 2023 and beyond, using the latest methods and tools available.

Before You Erase Your iPhone

Before you erase your iPhone, you should do the following things:

Back up your iPhone. This will allow you to restore your data and settings on a new device or the same device if you change your mind. You can back up your iPhone using iCloud, iTunes, or a third-party app. For more details, see the Apple Support article How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store. This will prevent any issues with your Apple ID and services after you erase your iPhone. To sign out, go to Settings > [your name] > Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off. For more details, see the Apple Support article What to do before you sell, give away, or trade-in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Unpair your Apple Watch. If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, you need to unpair it before you erase your iPhone. This will also erase your Apple Watch and remove it from your iCloud account. To unpair, open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, tap the info button next to your watch, and tap Unpair Apple Watch. For more details, see the Apple Support article Unpair and erase your Apple Watch.

Remove your SIM card. If you have a SIM card in your iPhone, you may want to remove it before you erase your iPhone. This will prevent any issues with your carrier or phone number. To remove your SIM card, use a paper clip or a SIM eject tool to open the SIM tray on the side of your iPhone, and take out the SIM card. For more details, see the Apple Support article Remove or switch the SIM card in your iPhone or iPad.

How to Erase Your iPhone

There are two ways to erase your iPhone: using Settings on your iPhone or using a computer with a USB cable and iTunes or Finder. The Settings method is the easiest, but you need to have access to your iPhone and a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. The computer method is useful if you can’t access your iPhone, or if you want to update or restore your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.

Using Settings on Your iPhone

To erase your iPhone using Settings, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Do one of the following:

Prepare your content and settings to transfer to a new iPhone: Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions. When you finish, return to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Erase All Content and Settings.

Erase all of your data from iPhone: Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

If asked, enter your passcode or Apple ID password.

Confirm that you want to erase your iPhone. If you have an eSIM, you can choose to erase your eSIM or keep it. If you erase your eSIM, you need to contact your carrier to reactivate your cellular plan.

Wait for your iPhone to erase. It may take a few minutes to completely erase your data.

Using a Computer with a USB Cable and iTunes or Finder

To erase your iPhone using a computer, follow these steps:

Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB or USB-C cable. You may also need an adapter. See the Apple Support article Connect your iPhone and your computer with a cable.

Turn on your iPhone.

Do one of the following:

On a Mac (macOS 10.15 or later): Click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window, click the iPhone button in the Finder sidebar (below Locations), click General at the top of the window, then click Restore iPhone.

On a Mac (macOS 10.14 or earlier) or a Windows PC: Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes (see the Apple Support article Update to the latest version of iTunes). Open iTunes, click the iPhone button near the top left of the iTunes window, click Summary, then click Restore iPhone.

If asked, enter your passcode or Apple ID password.

Confirm that you want to erase your iPhone. This will also update or restore your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.

Wait for your iPhone to erase. It may take a few minutes to completely erase your data.

After You Erase Your iPhone

After you erase your iPhone, you can do the following things:

Set up your iPhone as new or restore it from a backup. If you want to use your iPhone again, you can follow the onscreen instructions to set it up as a new device or restore it from a backup. For more details, see the Apple Support article Set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Sell, trade, or give away your iPhone. If you want to sell, trade, or give away your iPhone, you can do so without worrying about your data and settings. Make sure you have the original box, accessories, and receipt if possible. For more tips, see the Apple Support article What to do before you sell, give away, or trade-in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Conclusion

Erasing your iPhone is an important step to protect your privacy and security, as well as to free up some storage space. However, you need to take some precautions before, during, and after the process to ensure a smooth and safe transition. In this guide, we showed you how to erase your iPhone in 2023 and beyond, using the latest methods and tools available. We hope you found this guide helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below.

Sources –

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/erase-iphone-iph7a2a9399b/ios

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201274

https://www.imore.com/how-wipe-all-your-personal-data-ipad-or-iphone

https://macpaw.com/how-to/erase-iphone