How to reset iphone to factory settings when disabled

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An iPhone may stop functioning normally for several reasons. It may have run out of battery power, or a corrupted download may have caused it suddenly to freeze and ignore your screen taps. An iPhone might even disable itself deliberately for security reasons. If you repeatedly enter a wrong passcode, for instance, a red "iPhone is disabled" message screen will appear and block you from using the device further. Thankfully, you can take steps to methodically rule out the reasons why your iPhone is malfunctioning and restore it with a hard reset or full restoration.

Recharge your iPhone for at least 10 minutes by connecting it to a power outlet using the cable and power adapter that came with the phone. If your iPhone's problem is a lack of power, then within a couple of minutes it will display the image of a nearly empty battery containing a red sliver of energy. Consult your nearest Apple retailer if the battery's red portion flashes three times and the screen goes black; this may indicate that your device is not receiving power due to a faulty battery or charging element.

Turn off your iPhone by pressing the Sleep/Wake button on top of your device and then sliding the red slider to the right to power off. Next, turn your iPhone on by pressing the Sleep/Wake button until the Apple logo appears. If your iPhone does not restart, simultaneously press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the circular Home button on the bottom-center on your device. Do this for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

Restore your iPhone if the hard reset described in Step 2 did not work, or if your repeated entry of wrong passcodes has blocked you from using your iPhone with a red "Your iPhone is disabled" message. Connect your iPhone to a USB port on the computer or laptop on which you last synced your iPhone. Launch iTunes and update it to the latest version as needed.

Click your iPhone under the Devices list on the iTunes sidebar to the left. Next, select the Summary tab to the right and click the Restore button. Because this step will reset your iPhone to its original factory condition and delete all data and media from your device, you first may want to back up your iTunes library, playlists, apps, books and App Store purchases.

Click "Back Up" when asked to confirm your intentions in the next pop-up screen. Next, select "Restore" and wait for your iPhone to restart itself. Keep your device connected to your computer as your iPhone cycles through the Apple logo to a "Connect to iTunes" screen and finally to a "iPhone is activated" message.

Click the backup you want to restore on your iPhone from the "Set Up Your iPhone" screen in iTunes. Then click the "Continue" button to complete restoration.

References

Tips

• When connecting your iPhone to your computer or laptop, always plug into a USB port directly on your computer or laptop, not into the low-power USB ports of a keyboard or other external USB hub.
• If you have just recently backed up your iPhone, choose "Don't Back Up" in Step 5.
• If you encounter problems while restoring your iPhone, you will need to place your device in recovery mode before attempting a second restoration.

Writer Bio

Since 1988, Diana Faustmann has been writing on technology, business and culture. Her articles have appeared in various print publications, corporate websites and authoritative online sites. Faustmann holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of the Philippines.

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Return your phone to the condition it was in when it first left the manufacturer

Updated on September 18, 2022

What to Know

• Always back up your data before performing a factory reset on an iPhone. Otherwise, you will lose your data.
• Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter passcode and choose Erase.
• To disable iCloud/Find My iPhone: Settings > [Your name] > iCloud > Find My iPhone. Toggle off; sign out.
  

This article explains how to restore any iPhone model using iOS 12 and later to its original settings, as well as how to disable iCloud and Find My iPhone, which is important to do in some situations (explained below).

How to Completely Reset an iPhone

A factory reset returns your iPhone to the condition it was in when it first left the manufacturer—completely clear, with all your data gone. After you've backed up your data and turned off iCloud and Find My, you're ready to get started.

Follow these steps to get your iPhone back to its original state:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Scroll down and tap General.

3. Scroll to the bottom and tap Reset.

4. On the Reset screen, tap Erase All Content and Settings.

5. If prompted, enter the passcode set on your phone.

6. The screen displays a warning that all music, other media, data, and settings will be erased. Tap Erase to continue.

   If you don't want to restore the phone to its default state, tap Cancel.

7. It takes a few minutes to delete everything from the iPhone. When the process is done, the iPhone restart and the iPhone has been reset to original settings.

How to Back Up Your Data

When you factory reset an iPhone, you remove all data from it. That means you will lose all your music, apps, contacts, photos, and any other other data on the device. All that will be left is the iOS and the pre-installed apps.

That's why it's crucial to back up your data before you get started on the process. Keeping a copy of your data lets you restore the data from a back up later so you don't lose anything important.

There are three options to back up data: using iTunes, Finder, or iCloud.

Back up to iTunes

To back up to iTunes, sync the phone to your computer, then click the Back up button on the main iPhone page.

Back up Using Finder

To back up on a Mac running macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer, plug the iPhone into the computer, open a Finder window, select the iPhone in the left-hand Devices menu, and back Back Up.

Back up to iCloud

To back up to iCloud, go to Settings > [your name](skip this step on earlier versions of the iOS) > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then start a backup.

How to Disable iCloud & Find My iPhone

When permanently resetting your iPhone, it's also critical that you disable iCloud and Find My iPhone. A security feature called Activation Lock requires you to enter the Apple ID used to set up the phone if you want to reset it. The feature is disabled when you turn off iCloud/Find My iPhone.

Activation Lock has reduced iPhone thefts since it makes a stolen iPhone harder to use. If you do not disable Activation Lock, the next person who gets your iPhone—either a buyer or repair person—will not be able to use it.

1. Tap Settings.

2. Tap your name (skip this step on earlier versions of the iOS).

3. Tap iCloud > Find My iPhone > Find My iPhone. (On iOS 13 and up, skip iCloud and just tap Find My.)

4. Move the Find My iPhone slider to off/white.

5. Tap Find My in the top left corner to go back one screen. Then tap Apple ID to go back one more screen.

6. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out.

7. If prompted, enter your Apple ID/iCloud password.

FAQ

• How do I reset my iPhone to factory settings without the passcode?

  If you forgot your iPhone passcode, you can erase the data from your iPhone and reset the passcode using iTunes, iCloud, or Recovery Mode.

• How do I restart my iPhone?

  To restart an iPhone X and later, press and hold the Side button+Volume Down simultaneously. On earlier models, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button. When the power off slider appears, release Sleep/Wake.
  

• How do I reset the network settings on my iPhone?

  To reset the network settings on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and enter your passcode if prompted. After a reset, you must manually reconfigure the Wi-Fi and VPN settings.

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