How to Completely Reset an iPhone
A factory reset returns your iPhone to the condition it was in when it first left the manufacturer—completely clear, with all your data gone. After you’ve backed up your data and turned off iCloud and Find My, you’re ready to get started. Follow these steps to get your iPhone back to its original state:
How to Back Up Your Data
When you factory reset an iPhone, you remove all data from it. That means you will lose all your music, apps, contacts, photos, and any other other data on the device. All that will be left is the iOS and the pre-installed apps. That’s why it’s crucial to back up your data before you get started on the process. Keeping a copy of your data lets you restore the data from a back up later so you don’t lose anything important. There are three options to back up data: using iTunes, Finder, or iCloud.
Back up to iTunes
To back up to iTunes, sync the phone to your computer, then click the Back up button on the main iPhone page.
Back up Using Finder
To back up on a Mac running macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer, plug the iPhone into the computer, open a Finder window, select the iPhone in the left-hand Devices menu, and back Back Up.
Back up to iCloud
To back up to iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] (skip this step on earlier versions of the iOS) > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then start a backup.
How to Disable iCloud & Find My iPhone
When permanently resetting your iPhone, it’s also critical that you disable iCloud and Find My iPhone. A security feature called Activation Lock requires you to enter the Apple ID used to set up the phone if you want to reset it. The feature is disabled when you turn off iCloud/Find My iPhone. Activation Lock has reduced iPhone thefts since it makes a stolen iPhone harder to use. If you do not disable Activation Lock, the next person who gets your iPhone—either a buyer or repair person—will not be able to use it.
