To wipe (factory reset) an iPhone and erase all its data, follow these steps:
- Back up your data if you want to keep it, since wiping will delete everything.
- On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- If prompted, enter your iPhone passcode and Apple ID password to confirm.
- Choose whether to erase your eSIM or keep it (erasing the eSIM will require reactivation with your carrier).
- Confirm the erase action and wait for the process to complete. This may take a few minutes.
After this, your iPhone will be restored to factory settings, with all personal data removed
. Additional notes:
- If you forgot your passcode, you can still erase the iPhone by putting it into recovery mode and restoring it via a computer using iTunes (Windows or macOS Mojave and earlier) or Finder (macOS Catalina and later). This requires connecting the iPhone to the computer with a USB cable and following on-screen instructions to restore the device. However, after the restore, you will still need the Apple ID and password originally linked to the device to disable Activation Lock and set it up again
- You can also erase the iPhone remotely via iCloud.com if Find My iPhone is enabled and you have access to the Apple ID credentials.
- If you are selling or giving away the iPhone, make sure to turn off Find My iPhone and sign out of iCloud before erasing to avoid Activation Lock issues for the new owner
- You can also wipe the iPhone from a computer using iTunes or iCloud for Windows if preferred
This method securely wipes your iPhone, removing all personal data and settings, returning it to a clean factory state.
