How to Safely and Easily Factory Reset Your iPhone in 2023 and Beyond

How to Factory Reset iPhone in 2023 and Beyond

If you want to sell your iPhone, give it to someone else, or fix some software issues, you might need to factory reset it. Factory resetting means erasing all your data and settings from your iPhone and restoring it to its original state. This way, you can protect your privacy and start fresh with your device.

However, factory resetting your iPhone is not something you should do lightly. There are some important steps you need to take before and after the process to avoid losing your data, locking your iPhone, or causing other problems. In this post, we will guide you through the best practices of how to factory reset iPhone in 2023 and beyond, and answer some common questions you might have.

What You Need to Do Before Factory Resetting Your iPhone

Before you factory reset your iPhone, you need to do some preparations to make sure you don’t lose any important data or face any issues later. Here are the main things you need to do:

Back up your iPhone. This is the most crucial step, as it will allow you to restore your data and settings to your iPhone or another device later. You can back up your iPhone using iCloud, iTunes, Finder, or a third-party service. To back up your iPhone using iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, and tap on Back Up Now. To back up your iPhone using iTunes, Finder, or a third-party service, connect your iPhone to your computer and follow the instructions on the screen. For more details on how to back up your iPhone, check out this article 1.

Unpair your Apple Watch, if you have one. If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, you need to unpair it before factory resetting your iPhone. This will also back up your Apple Watch data to your iPhone. To unpair your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to the My Watch tab, tap on the info icon next to your watch name, and tap on Unpair Apple Watch. Confirm your action and enter your Apple ID password if prompted. For more details on how to unpair your Apple Watch, check out this article 2.

Sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store. This will prevent any activation lock issues that might prevent you or the new owner from using the iPhone after the factory reset. To sign out of iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] and tap on Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap on Turn Off. To sign out of iTunes and the App Store, go to Settings > [your name] > Media & Purchases and tap on Sign Out. For more details on how to sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store, check out this article 3.

Turn off Find My iPhone. This is another security feature that you need to disable before factory resetting your iPhone. Find My iPhone allows you to locate, lock, or erase your iPhone remotely in case it gets lost or stolen. However, if you don’t turn it off before factory resetting your iPhone, you or the new owner will need your Apple ID and password to activate the iPhone again. To turn off Find My iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it off. Enter your Apple ID password and tap on Turn Off. For more details on how to turn off Find My iPhone, check out this article 4.

Remove your SIM card or eSIM. If you have a physical SIM card or an eSIM in your iPhone, you might want to remove it before factory resetting your iPhone. This will prevent any issues with your cellular service or carrier. To remove your SIM card, use a SIM eject tool or a paper clip to push into the small hole on the side of your iPhone and pull out the SIM tray. To remove your eSIM, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Plans and tap on the eSIM plan you want to remove. Tap on Remove Cellular Plan and confirm your action. For more details on how to remove your SIM card or eSIM, check out this article 5.

How to Factory Reset Your iPhone in 2023 and Beyond

After you have done all the preparations, you are ready to factory reset your iPhone. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. This is a new option introduced in iOS 15 that allows you to transfer your data to another iPhone or reset your iPhone to factory settings. Tap on Erase All Content and Settings to proceed with the factory reset.

Choose whether to back up your iPhone or not. If you haven’t backed up your iPhone yet, you will see an option to Back Up Then Erase. This will back up your iPhone to iCloud before erasing it. If you have already backed up your iPhone, or you don’t want to back it up, you can choose Erase Now.

Enter your passcode and Apple ID password. You will need to enter your iPhone passcode and your Apple ID password to confirm the factory reset. This is to verify your identity and disable the activation lock. If you have forgotten your passcode or Apple ID password, you can check out this article 6 for some solutions.

Wait for the factory reset to complete. The factory reset process may take a few minutes, depending on the amount of data on your iPhone. You will see the Apple logo and a progress bar on the screen. Do not interrupt the process or turn off your iPhone until it is done.

Set up your iPhone as new or restore from a backup. After the factory reset, your iPhone will restart and show you the Hello screen. You can then follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone as a new device or restore your data and settings from a backup. For more details on how to set up your iPhone, check out this article 7.

FAQ Frequently Asked Questions About Factory Resetting Your iPhone

Here are some common questions and answers about factory resetting your iPhone:

Q: What will happen to my data after factory resetting my iPhone? A: Factory resetting your iPhone will erase all your data and settings from your iPhone, including your photos, videos, messages, contacts, apps, music, documents, and more. However, if you have backed up your iPhone before the factory reset, you can restore your data and settings from the backup later.

Q: Will factory resetting my iPhone delete my iCloud data?

A: No, factory resetting your iPhone will not delete your iCloud data, such as your iCloud photos, contacts, calendars, notes, reminders, and more. However, if you sign out of iCloud before the factory reset, you will need to sign in again and sync your iCloud data to your iPhone after the factory reset.

Q: Will factory resetting my iPhone remove the iOS updates? A: No, factory resetting your iPhone will not remove the iOS updates. Your iPhone will still run on the latest iOS version that you installed before the factory reset. However, you may need to download and install any pending iOS updates after the factory reset.

Q: Will factory resetting my iPhone unlock it?

A: No, factory resetting your iPhone will not unlock it. If your iPhone is locked to a specific carrier, you will need to contact your carrier and request an unlock code. For more details on how to unlock your iPhone, check out this article 8.

Q: Will factory resetting my iPhone fix the software issues?

A: It depends on the nature and severity of the software issues. Factory resetting your iPhone can fix some common software issues, such as slow performance, battery drain, app crashes, and minor glitches. However, if your iPhone has more serious software issues, such as being stuck on the Apple logo, recovery mode, or boot loop, you may need to use other methods, such as force restart, update, or restore. For more details on how to fix various iPhone software issues, check out this article 9.

Conclusion

Factory resetting your iPhone is a useful option to have when you want to sell your iPhone, give it to someone else, or fix some software issues. However, it is also a risky option that can cause data loss, activation lock, or other problems if you don’t do it properly. That’s why you need to follow the best practices of how to factory reset your iPhone in 2023 and beyond, as explained in this post.

We hope this post has helped you understand how to factory reset your iPhone in 2023 and beyond, and answered some of your questions. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family who might need it. Thank you for reading!