If your iPhone has not been up to the mark lately, it might be time to do a factory reset. A reset clears everything from your iPhone including temporary files, cache, and unused apps that may clog up storage and hamper performance over time. In addition, if you decide to sell your iPhone, you will need to reset it to erase all your personal information. On that note, in this article, we will guide you on how to factory reset your iPhone besides taking a backup.
How to backup your iPhone data
If you have already backed up your iPhone data, quickly jump to read how to reset iPhone. If not, you may want to backup your precious data which includes call history, chat messages, app data and media files for a year. This also allows you to filter out redundant files and apps that you may not need anymore. However, here are two ways to backup your iPhone.
through iCloud
Storing data on iCloud is simple and straightforward because it happens automatically. However, make sure you have enough space on it as backups can take up a lot of space.
The steps to make a backup through iCloud are:
- First, while you’re at it, go to the Photos app and delete all the redundant photos and videos
- Now open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Click on the top banner with your name and profile picture
- On the next screen, select “iCloud Backup”.
- Toggle the iPhone Backup button on, if it’s not already on
- Now tap on the “Back Up Now” option at the bottom
through iTunes
With iTunes, you can keep backups locally on your computer. This is an easy process but it requires you to follow a few steps:
- First, install and set up iTunes on your laptop or Mac, if you haven’t already
- Once done, connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB-C to Lightning cable or a USB-A to Lightning cable
- Now open iTunes on the computer and let the app sync your iPhone
- Next, click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window
- Click Back Up Now and the data will start backing up
- To see the backups stored on your computer, click Edit > Preferences, and then click Devices
After resetting your iPhone, you can use the iTunes backup to restore the data.
through the researcher
Finder is a feature used to find and search for files and content stored on your Mac. Available on macOS Cataline and later, and can also be used to back up your iPhone data. Here’s how.
- First, connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable
- Now open Finder on your Mac
- Select your iPhone from the left menu
- Under the General tab, select Backup all data of your iPhone/iPad to this Mac.
- You also have the option to create an encrypted backup. So select the option accordingly
- Click the “Backup Now” button to start the backup process
How to factory reset an iPhone
Since your data is now backed up, let’s move on to more information on how to reset your iPhone to either make it work better or sell it to someone else. Check out the steps below.
- Go to Settings and select “General”
- Scroll down a bit and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone
- From here, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
- Select “Continue”
- Now enter your lock screen passcode
- It will prompt you to take an iCloud backup. Continue with it if you haven’t backed it up
- Tap on Erase or any similar option to start the reset process
- Now, wait for the iPhone to erase all data. It may take several minutes before the entire process is completed
When it restarts, your iPhone will boot into the setup screen from which you can go ahead and restore the data saved in iCloud.
How to reset iPhone without password using iTunes
In case you forgot your iPhone passcode, you can reset it by going into recovery mode. This method also requires that you have iTunes installed on your computer. The steps to reset iPhone without password are:
- Turn off your iPhone by pressing and holding the Power and Volume Down buttons.
- Drag the slider to turn off the iPhone
- Now press the Power button and immediately connect the iPhone to the computer
- Hold the button until you see the recovery mode screen on your iPhone, then let go.
- Now open iTunes on the computer and go to the “Websites” section.
- Here you will find your iPhone. Click on it and then select “Restore”
- This will initiate the reset process while installing the latest firmware update. The whole process can take several minutes
- Once your iPhone starts up, disconnect it from your computer and set it up as a new device
questions and answers
1) How to reset network settings on iPhone?
In case you are having issues with WiFi connections, resetting the network settings on your iPhone can come in handy to improve your internet connection. Here’s how to reset network settings:
- Open Settings and tap on “General”
- Now select “Transfer or reset iPhone”
- Click on Reset and finally Reset Network Settings
2) Does factory reset delete everything on iPhone?
Yes, factory reset deletes everything on your iPhone including apps, games, photos, videos, settings, etc. It turns the phone back to its original state as it was after turning it on for the first time.