Resetting an iPhone may help if it has been running slowly or experiencing other problems, or just before selling or trading in. It could also provide added value before selling or trading in. Before factory resetting your iPhone, be sure to back up all of your data using either iCloud or another service. Doing this will also protect you if any hardware failure arises during factory reset.
Erase All Content
Though not a full factory reset, a soft reset can help remove your most personal information before selling or giving the phone away to another. This approach may help with issues that are keeping the phone from functioning normally such as blank or frozen screens, app issues, keypad/touchscreen issues and audio difficulties.
By performing an Erase All Content operation on your device, all music, apps, photos, notes and messages as well as settings will be removed to restore it back to its factory-fresh state. According to this article, this may take several minutes depending on how much content is on the device; using backup may make this process faster.
Before factory resetting your device, ensure you have made copies of any files you would like to keep. iTunes makes this easy: simply connect your phone via a USB cable to a computer running iTunes and click “Phone Icon in Top Left Corner of iTunes Window,” select Summary in left menu then Restore iPhone then follow on-screen instructions to restore.
Once your device has been backed up, the factory reset process can begin. You will need to enter any passcode you may have created if applicable; once completed, your iPhone should display with Apple logo as evidence that all data has been deleted irretrievably – it’s essential that regular backups be performed!
Your device content won’t affect the iCloud Photo Library since this content is stored separately and synchronized separately; therefore, any files or settings deleted won’t affect iCloud Photo Library either – meaning you’ll still have access to download again via the App Store.
Removing Your Private Data
If you plan on selling or giving away your old iPhone, be sure that all your personal information has been permanently erased first. Otherwise, if you don’t know how to factory reset iphone and do it wrong – someone could recover files you thought you’d deleted from it and use them maliciously. A factory reset can remove most settings, but to ensure maximum privacy it is also important that any sensitive data remains erased before doing so.
Another option is to connect your device to a computer via USB cable and restore it through iTunes, which will erase all data on it and bring back its original state. This method may help with issues like random battery draining or slow system performance on iPhones that have encountered difficulty.
Connect your iPhone via USB and launch either Finder or iTunes on your Mac, select it in either application and select Restore. After the restore has completed, your iPhone will have been reset back to factory settings and appear brand new allowing you to restore any backup from your computer or use the phone normally – or you could use an app like BuhoUnlocker which allows factory resetting without losing data!
Performing the Reset
Resetting your iPhone back to factory settings may be necessary if there are major issues with its operation, such as buggy apps, corrupt files or incompatible software updates. Resets also help address minor issues like slow performance or decreased battery life; but keep in mind that doing so will delete all content and settings from its memory.
Conducting a factory reset on an iPhone can be accomplished via its Settings app. Simply navigate to “General,” scroll down, select “Reset,” and then “Erase All Content and Settings.” During the factory reset process you may be required to enter either your passcode or Apple ID password – after this step has completed you’ll have an entirely brand new iPhone!
Factory resetting your iPhone can be an excellent way to protect the privacy of your personal information (source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/guides/iphone-privacy-tips/). Whether you plan on recycling it, selling it, or giving it to someone else – performing a factory reset will guarantee no one can gain access to your private details. This would also be a smart idea should you plan on upgrading or repurposing your current phone.
If your iPhone has been acting up, and other troubleshooting tips such as closing apps, clearing up storage space or updating to the latest version of iOS have failed to solve its issues, factory resetting may be your last resort. As it will delete all data on the device including photos, videos, contacts and personal info – so only use this method if you are willing to lose them all!
Before resetting your iPhone, backup all of its data using iTunes or iCloud and remove its SIM card. Turn off Find My and Activation Lock so it won’t get erased during the factory reset process. Upon completion of a factory reset, restore a backup from either iTunes or iCloud; once restored you can either set up as new or restore back an old backup by entering a passcode or creating a new Apple ID (depending on your choice).