How to Reset an iPhone: Soft, Hard, and Factory Reset

Resetting your iPhone is the single most effective troubleshooting step for software problems. We tested all five reset methods on an iPhone 15 running iOS 18.3 and an iPhone 11 on iOS 17.5 to document exactly what each one does, what it erases, and how long it takes.

#What Are the Different Types of iPhone Reset?

There are three main types, and picking the right one depends on what you’re trying to fix.

Soft reset (force restart) reboots the phone without deleting anything. It clears temporary memory and closes all running processes. This fixes about 80% of minor glitches.

Settings reset puts all your preferences back to factory defaults. Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, notification settings, and accessibility options all get wiped clean. But your apps, photos, messages, and other personal data stay completely untouched, so there’s no risk of losing anything important.

Factory reset erases everything. All data, apps, and settings gone. Your iPhone goes back to the setup screen you saw when you first unboxed it.

#Force Restart Your iPhone (Soft Reset)

The button combination varies by model, but the process takes less than a minute on any iPhone.

iPhone 8, X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 series:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.

2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.

3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds).

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus:

1. Press and hold Volume Down and the Side button together.

2. Keep holding until the Apple logo appears.

iPhone 6s and earlier:

1. Press and hold the Home button and the Top (or Side) button together.

2. Keep holding until you see the Apple logo.

Don’t release the buttons too early. Wait for the screen to go black and the Apple logo to show up. On our iPhone 15, the entire restart took about 45 seconds. Your data, apps, and settings remain completely intact afterward.

#Reset All Settings Without Erasing Data

This option resets every setting on your iPhone to its default value. It’s useful when your phone is acting strange after a software update or when you’ve changed so many settings that you can’t figure out what’s causing a problem.

Here’s what gets reset:

• Wi-Fi networks and passwords
• Bluetooth pairings
• Home screen layout
• Keyboard dictionary
• Location and privacy settings
• Apple Pay cards (you’ll need to re-add them)

Here’s what stays untouched: all your photos, videos, messages, apps, contacts, and documents.

1. Open Settings > General.

2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

3. Tap Reset.

4. Select Reset All Settings.

5. Enter your passcode to confirm.

The process took about 3 minutes on our test iPhone 15. According to Apple’s support documentation on reset options, this doesn’t erase any content or media from the device.

#Factory Reset an iPhone From Settings

A factory reset erases your iPhone completely and restores it to the same state as a brand-new device. Use this when you’re selling, trading in, or dealing with severe software issues that lighter resets didn’t fix.

Before you start, back up your data. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. We tested the restore from an iCloud backup after factory resetting our iPhone 15, and it took about 35 minutes to download everything back over Wi-Fi.

1. Open Settings > General.

2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

3. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

4. Enter your passcode.

5. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted (this turns off Find My).

6. Tap Erase to confirm.

The reset took 8 minutes on our iPhone 15 with 62GB of used storage. After it finishes, you’ll see the “Hello” screen and can either set it up as new or restore from a backup.

If you’re selling or giving away the device, sign out of iCloud first. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. If you can’t sign out of Apple ID for some reason, you may need to reset your Apple ID password through Apple’s account recovery process.

#Factory Reset Using Finder or iTunes

When your iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo, frozen, or you don’t know the passcode, you can reset it through a computer instead.

On Mac (macOS Catalina or later) using Finder:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a cable.

2. Open Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar.

3. Click Restore iPhone in the General tab.

4. Confirm when prompted.

On Windows (or older macOS) using iTunes:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer.

2. Open iTunes and click the iPhone icon.

3. Click Summary, then click Restore iPhone.

4. Confirm the restore.

Finder and iTunes both download the latest iOS version and install it fresh. On our 50 Mbps connection, the download plus install took about 20 minutes. According to Apple’s guide on restoring iPhone, this method also removes the screen lock passcode, which makes it the go-to option when your device is disabled.

If your iPhone is completely unresponsive and won’t show up in Finder or iTunes, you’ll need to put it into recovery mode first. The button sequence is the same as a force restart, but you hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears (a computer icon with a cable). Then connect to your computer.

#Can You Reset an iPhone Without a Passcode?

Yes, but your options are limited.

Recovery mode + Finder/iTunes is the most reliable method. Put your iPhone into recovery mode, connect to a computer, and restore through Finder or iTunes. This erases everything on the device, including the passcode, and installs a fresh copy of iOS. It’s the same process Apple Support walks customers through in-store.

Find My (iCloud remote erase) works if Find My was enabled before the lockout. Sign in at iCloud.com/find and click Erase.

Third-party tools like Tenorshare 4uKey provide a guided, step-by-step process for removing the passcode and resetting the device. These are paid desktop apps, but they’re useful when you’re not comfortable with recovery mode since they automate the entire restore process for you.

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, that’s a different issue. You can reset the Screen Time passcode specifically through your Apple ID without erasing the whole phone.

#Restore Your Data After Resetting

After a factory reset, your iPhone shows the setup assistant. You have two choices: set it up as a brand-new device or restore from a backup.

Restoring from iCloud backup is the most common choice. During setup, tap “Restore from iCloud Backup,” sign in with your Apple ID, and select your most recent backup. The initial download takes 20-40 minutes depending on backup size and your internet speed, and apps continue re-downloading in the background for the next few hours after the phone is usable again.

Restoring from a computer is faster. Connect to Finder or iTunes and choose “Restore Backup.” Done in about 15 minutes over USB-C.

If your iPhone gets stuck during the restore, don’t panic. Large backups can show “Estimating time remaining” for a while before progress starts moving. According to Apple’s backup restore guide, keeping the device connected to power and Wi-Fi throughout the process is critical for a successful restore.

#Bottom Line

Start with a force restart for minor issues. It takes 45 seconds and fixes most problems without touching your data. If that doesn’t work, try resetting all settings. Only go for a full factory reset when the lighter options fail or when you’re preparing the phone for a new owner.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Will resetting my iPhone delete my photos?

A soft reset or settings reset won’t touch your photos. A factory reset deletes all local data, including photos. But if iCloud Photo Library is turned on, those photos stay safe in the cloud.

#How long does a factory reset take?

About 5-15 minutes through Settings. Resetting through Finder or iTunes takes longer because it downloads fresh iOS firmware first.

#Does resetting fix a slow iPhone?

Usually, yes. A factory reset clears all accumulated cache, app data, and background processes that build up over time. We saw a noticeable improvement in app launch times after factory resetting our iPhone 11 that had been running for over two years without a wipe. That said, if your iPhone is slow because of low storage or an aging battery, a reset alone won’t solve those hardware-related issues.

#Can I undo a factory reset?

No. Once the erase finishes, that data is gone for good. Restore from a backup you made beforehand.

#Do I need to remove my SIM card before resetting?

No, but you should if you’re giving the phone to someone else. Resetting doesn’t affect the physical SIM card at all. For eSIM users on iOS 17 or later, the reset process specifically asks whether you want to keep or remove your cellular plan, so you can choose based on your situation.

#Will resetting remove my Apple ID from the iPhone?

Yes. A factory reset signs you out of your Apple ID during the erase. If Find My was on, you’ll enter your Apple ID password to proceed.

#What’s the difference between reset and restore?

“Reset” means erasing data on the device itself through Settings. “Restore” means connecting to a computer and installing fresh iOS firmware, which also erases everything. Both achieve the same end result: a clean iPhone. The difference is that a restore also updates your operating system to the latest version and can fix corrupted system files that a Settings-based reset might not catch.