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How to Reset iPhone to Factory Settings

Are you wondering how to factory reset an iPhone? You've come to the right place. In this guide, you'll come across 4 foolproof ways of resetting your iPhone with or without a passcode.

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Alice Estelle
Updated on Nov 25, 2022

You can factory reset your iPhone with complete assurance using the information in this articlel.

Are you wondering how to reset iPhone to factory settings? There will be times when you have to force the iPhone to factory reset. An iPhone reset isn't something you should perform on a whim, but there are times when it's vital.

You might need to factory reset your iPhone for a variety of reasons. Even if you have access to your iPhone with passcode, you may need to restore it to its factory settings when you're experiencing severe software problems, such as trouble connecting to networks or apps that won't launch. To fix these issues and get the iPhone working normally again, a factory reset should be all that's needed.

And the inability to access one's iPhone may arise from giving it to a child or forgetting the passcode. Knowing how to reset an iPhone to its factory default would be useful information if you've ever wondered how to access a passcode-protected iPhone.

There are multiple methods to reset an iPhone without the passcode. And if you want to try a quick and easy method to factory reset, choose iPhone Unlocker. But beware that doing a factory reset will wipe the device clean of any user-added content, including photos, apps, and other data. To avoid losing your individual data and files, you should back up your iPhone before resetting it.

Table of Contents

How to hard factory reset an iPhone

If you can access your phone with a passcode, restoring your phone to its production settings is very simple and straightforward. It's recommended that you can make a backup of your iPhone's files and data before factory resetting in case you want to restore something that was deleted.

1. Tap "General" after scrolling down to it in "Settings."

2. Select "Transfer or Reset iPhone" from the "General" page's menu.

3. Tap "Erase All Content and Settings" to perform a complete reset of your iPhone.

4. After entering your Apple ID passcode to turn off Find My and Activation Lock, you'll be asked to confirm that you want to delete everything. Then tap "Erase iPhone" option.

Note: If you have previously turned off the Find My and Activation Lock, you will be asked to enter your password to verify yourself instead of closing Find My and Activation Lock.

Depending on the size of your iPhone's storage, this process could take a while, but once it's done, your iPhone will reset to its factory settings and reboot as if it were brand new.

Bonus:There is a difference between the functions of "Erase All Content and Settings" and "Reset All Settings."

"Reset All Settings" means that only your system settings get reset, but your personal content, such as files, pictures, videos, and data stored on the iPhone will be kept as is. While "Erase all content and settings" is a nuclear option that the entire iPhone's settings and data, including photos, videos, documents, and apps, will be completely deleted and restored to its factory default, and the iPhone will be restarted as a brand new phone.

This procedure is foolproof so long as you know your iPhone's password, but things get more complicated if you can't remember it. If you don't know your iPhone passcode, you won't be able to use this method because it requires you to input your passcode and go into your "Settings." Therefore, now let's move to the methods that will work if you want to factory reset your iPhone without passcode.

How to factory reset iPhone via Erase iPhone

This method involves using a function native to the iPhone, precisely the "Erase iPhone" option, to accomplish the goal of factory resetting an iPhone without a passcode. In addition to not requiring a passcode, the "Erase iPhone" method makes it easy to unlock an iPhone without a computer.

Before you go ahead and use this method, there are a few requirements you need to meet:

  • Your iPhone must be running iOS 15.2 or later to be compatible.
  • At least seven consecutive attempts made with the incorrect passwords on your iPhone are required before you can use this method.
  • To function correctly, your iPhone must be connected to a Wi-Fi or a cellular network.
  • You need to remember the Apple account and password used for your locked iPhone.

If you have fulfilled all the requirements mentioned above, then follow the steps to reset your iPhone to factory settings.

1. If you've entered the incorrect passcode seven times in a row, the "Erase iPhone" option will appear in the bottom-right corner on the "Unavailable iPhone" or "Security Lockout" screen. Tap on the "Erase iPhone" option.

2. After reviewing the instructions on the "Erase All Content & Settings" page, tap the "Erase iPhone" option again to wipe your device clean.

3. When prompted, provide your Apple ID passcode; once the device is verified, it will begin the reset procedure immediately.

Once the factory reset process on your iPhone is complete, you can get into your iPhone without entering passcode and set it up. If you have a backup on your computer or in iCloud, you can restore your data and files in the step of "App & Data" when you follow the on-screen prompts to re-set your iPhone

How to reset an iPhone to its factory settings via iPhone Unlocker

Nonetheless, not all iPhones come with the feature of "Erase iPhone", so you can choose iPhone Unlocker as one of the most reliable methods for resetting your iPhone to factory default without passcode. iPhone Unlocker is a third-party tool equipped with several handy features that helps you do a factory reset on iPhone and regain access to your iPhone after being locked out for several reasons.

Not only does it have a user-friendly page, but it is very simple and convenient to operate that merely takes a few clicks of the mouse to accomplish the reset process.

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1. It's time to fire up your computer and start using the software. Pick "Wipe Passcode" on the menu and then click "Start" on the subsequent page.

2. Connect your iPhone to the pc and force your iPhone into recovery mode. If you don't know how to enter recovery mode, click on "Device is inserted but not recognized" to follow the instructions.

3. Once your iPhone has been identified, you'll be prompted to verify a few bits of information. Then click "Start."

4. A firmware package will be downloaded for your iPhone.

5. Then enter "0000" according to the prompts and click "Unlock" option.

6. The software will remove your iPhone passcode immediately and reset your iPhone to its factory settings. Then just wait for the unlocking process to complete, which will take only a few minutes.

iPhone Unlocker will delete all data files and settings during the unlocking process, including your password, which is equivalent to reset your iPhone to the state of production default, and you can re-set up and use it as a new phone. In a word, If you don't have a passcode, choosing iPhone Unlocker to factory reset your iPhone is a great way to save time and effort.

How do you factory reset an iPhone via iCloud

If your iPhone is running an operating system earlier than iOS 15.2, or the "Erase iPhone" option doesn't work on your iPhone, utilizing "Find My" in iCloud is an alternative to bypass passcode to do a factory reset on your iPhone.

Note: The "Find My" feature must be enabled on your iPhone before it can be recognized in iCloud if you pick this method for resetting your iPhone without a password. Besides, having a stable Internet connection is also crucial.

Follow the steps:

1. Go to icloud.com and log in with the same Apple account as the locked iPhone, click on the "Find iPhone" icon on the interface.

2. Select the iPhone you want to reset by clicking "All Devices" at the top.

3. Click on "Erase iPhone" option when you see a small box pop up.

4. When a warning message appears, you can reset your iPhone by clicking the "Erase" option.

If "Find My" was not enabled on your iPhone before it was locked, then you can try to download and use iPhone Unlocker to unlock and factory reset your iPhone because it is the most effective tool that not only assists you in resolving the issue of entering your iPhone without a password but also offers the capability of wiping screen time and eliminating Apple ID.

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Conclusion

The method and process for restoring your iPhone to factory settings when you have a passcode or no passcode is laid out in the very simple steps above. You can choose to implement either of them as a solution to the problem, depending on the specifics of your situation.

About Alice Estelle
Alice Estelle has been a newspaper editor and a book editor with extensive writing experience. She also has deep research in the field of mobile software and is keen on exploring and solving various problems of iOS and Android systems.
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