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How to Factory Reset Your iPhone without Using a Computer

You may want to factory reset your iPhone for many reasons. But what if you don't have a computer to do it? Don't worry! We provide you with ways to reset your iPhone without computer.

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Sandy Archila
Updated on Nov 15, 2022

This article will show you how to factory reset your iPhone without needing a computer.

A factory reset can fix most issues that occur on your iPhone. If your iPhone sometimes doesn't perform well, or you are going to sell your old iPhone away, or your iPhone is locked because you forgot your iPhone passcode, a factory reset will be able to help you solve these problems.

When it comes to factory resetting an iPhone, using a computer is always the first choice. But can you reset your iPhone without a computer? Of course you can. However, factory resetting your iPhone will erase all of your data and turn it back to how it was when it first came out of the box. Therefore, make sure you really want to reset your iPhone before you proceed.

This guide covers the necessary information on factory resetting an iPhone without using a computer. For example, you can use Settings menu on iPhone, Erase iPhone, and Find My app to reset your iPhone to factory settings without a computer. But we also give you advice on how to reset an iPhone with iPhone Unlocker and iTunes on a computer in case you ever need to.

Table of Contents

What to do before you factory reset your iPhone without computer

When you factory reset your iPhone without needing a computer, all your settings on iPhone will be reset to their default options and all the data will be erased, including photos, videos, music, files, and more. Besides, it also can remove the passcode on iPhone when you forgot it.

Therefore, you should create a backup in iCloud or a computer before factory resetting your iPhone. Then, you can restore the backup after resetting your iPhone without a computer. If there's no backup of your iPhone, you'll have to set it up as a new iPhone after the reset.

Note: When you have forgotten your iPhone passcode and are locked out of your iPhone, you won't be able to back the iPhone up. However, if you have a backup in iCloud or computer before your iPhone is unavailable, the backup can be restored during the setup process.

Factory reset iPhone without computer via Settings

If you want to reset an iPhone without a computer, then it can be done easily and directly through the Settings of your iPhone. We'll walk you through how to perform an iPhone factory reset. But before you start, remember to save all of your iPhone data.

1. First, go to Settings on the iPhone, and tap on General.

2. Roll down to Transfer or Reset iPhone at the bottom and tap it.

3. Tap on the Erase All Content and Settings option.

4. Select Continue on the Erase This iPhone screen.

5. Enter your passcode for the iPhone to verify your identity.

6. Tap Erase iPhone option when a warning message pops up asking if you're sure you want to continue the reset.

Your device will start erasing the content and settings. Once the reset is done, your iPhone will be back to the way it was when you first got it.

Note: If you forgot your iPhone passcode, you can skip to the next methods to factory reset your iPhone without computer and passcode when it's locked.

Prefer video content to text? Watch the video below.

Factory reset iPhone without using a computer via Erase iPhone

Don't panic if you need to reset your locked iPhone to factory settings but don't have access to a computer or passcode. It can be accomplished simply with the Erase iPhone option. It's a new feature developed on the iOS device that is running iOS 15.2 or later. You can factory reset your iPhone without passcode and computer with the Erase iPhone feature.

In this process, your iPhone needs to be connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network, and your Apple ID password is also required. Here're the detailed steps to use the Erase iPhone option:

Continue to input the wrong passcode until the screen appears "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout." You can then find the Erase iPhone option at the bottom right of the screen.

1. Tap on the Erase iPhone option in the right corner.

2. Tap on Erase iPhone again to confirm the reset process.

3. Enter your Apple ID password to sign out. Then, tap on Erase, the reset will then begin itself.

Reset an iPhone without a computer via Find My

If you are in a situation where your iPhone is lost or locked but don't have a computer nearby, no worries! Find My app not only lets you track your lost iPhone but also allows you to perform a factory reset on iPhone without computer.

To use the Find My app, your iPhone should have turned on Find My before it's unusable and has an Internet connection. In addition, another iOS device is also needed in the process. After checking the requirements, you can easily reset your iPhone without a computer with Find My app.

Note: If your iPhone is stolen or lost, you will need the Find My feature to mark your iPhone as lost and remotely erase your iPhone, which will help protect your data from prying eyes.

1. Open the Find My app on another iOS device and sign in with the same Apple ID as your device if it's not signed in yet.

2. Tap on Devices at the bottom and choose the device you want to reset.

3. Swipe to the bottom and tap Erase This Device, then click Continue.

4. You can enter your phone number and tap Erase option if your iPhone is lost, if not, tap on Erase in the upper righthand corner directly.

5. Enter your Apple ID password and tap on Erase option to reset your iPhone.

It is possible to reset an iPhone without a computer. But if you forgot your iPhone passcode and the above methods don't work for your iPhone, you can try the following methods to reset your iPhone without passcode. It is important to note that the following methods require a computer.

Reset an iPhone without passcode via iPhone Unlocker

One way to reset an iPhone without passcode is to use iPhone Unlocker. It is a desktop-based software designed to simplify the process of resetting an iPhone. It is a time saver that can solve your passcode problems within a few clicks. So, if you're looking for an easy way to factory reset your iPhone on computer, this is the tool for you.

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1. Download and install iPhone Unlocker on your computer, then launch it.

2. Click the blue Wipe Passcode option in the interface.

3. Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to the computer. If your iPhone is not detected, click the "Device connected but not recognized?" link and follow the guide to put your iPhone into Recovery Mode.

4. After verifying your device information, click Start.

5. The firmware will start downloading, give it some time.

6. When the download is finished, enter 0000 and click Unlock.

7. You may now leave the software to carry out its tasks, make sure the Internet is stable during the reset.

After completing the factory reset on your iPhone, you can get a fresh setup as your iPhone is available now. If you have a backup, you can restore it during the setting up process.

Factory reset a locked iPhone without needing passcode via iTunes

iTunes is always brought up when people forgot iPhone passcode and wonder how to reset a locked iPhone without passcode. Before you reset the iPhone with iTunes, there are some pre-conditions you need to notice first.

  • Make sure the latest version of iTunes is downloaded on your computer.
  • If you're using a PC, it has to be Windows 10 or later.

If you are qualified with the conditions, follow the steps to reset your iPhone:

1. Download the latest version of iTunes and open it.

2. Turn off your iPhone as usual, and if it's plugged into the computer, unplug it.

3. Put your iPhone into Recovery Mode and connect it to the computer.

  • iPhone 8 or newer: Long hold the Side button and connect your iPhone to computer at the same time until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
  • iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Long press the Volume down button while instantly plugging your iPhone into the computer. Release when you see the Recovery Mode screen.
  • iPhone 6s and earlier: Go for the Home button and connect your iPhone to the computer immediately. Hold the button until the Recovery Mode shows up.

4. In iTunes, click Restore in the pop-up window.

5. Click Restore and Update after reading the warning.

Note: iTunes is not the way you wish to factory reset your iPhone without a computer, still and all, it's a useful solution to reset your locked iPhone if you can find a computer.

FAQs

How to make a backup of my iPhone without computer?
You can back up your iPhone with iCloud: Open Settings on iPhone, tap your Apple ID at the top, and tap on iCloud. Then, go into iCloud Backup and tap on Back Up Now. Remember to keep your iPhone in charge and connect to a Wi-Fi network during the backup process.
Can I factory reset my iPhone without erasing?
Unfortunately, you can't reset an iPhone without erasing. A factory reset will definitely erase your iPhone. If you have made a backup, you can restore it after the factory reset. But when your iPhone is locked, you can't back it up before you reset it.
About Sandy Archila
Sandy Archila has been writing about technology for 5 years. She has extensive experience in helping people solve technical problems and delving into iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows platforms.
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