There are many situations (sale or transfer) in which users need to erase their iPhone/iPad/iPod to ensure their privacy. However, if users have forgotten their iCloud password, How to reset iPhone without iCloud/Apple ID password? Here we are talking about the best fix solutions.
Top 2 ways to clean your iPhone completely before selling it
Method 1: Reset iPhone to factory settings without iCloud password.
How to delete data from iPhone before selling or transferring? Factory reset is the most useful method for users trying to erase their data on iPhone X/ 8/ 7/ 6. However, without password, users cannot easily recover their files and data, so we recommend you to use a free tool - which is the best iOS tool in the world and can help users solve all related iOS problems. You can only follow the steps to delete iPhone data without password. how to clean ihone completely before selling it.
Step 1: After downloading and installing Tenorshare ReiBoot on your PC/Mac, launch the program and connect your iPhone to the computer.
Step 2: Click "iPhone Factory Reset" from the top corner to enter the advanced system recovery interface directly when you connect your iOS device.
Important: The erased data can no longer be recovered, so users are suggested to back up all files and data before proceeding to restore your iPhone to factory settings, users can refer to for more information about fast backup without iTunes and iCloud.
Step 3: In advanced mode, click "Fix Now" to start downloading the firmware package, or you can also manually import the firmware if you already have it.
Step 4: Once you have finished downloading the firmware, click on “Start Recovery”. During recovery, make sure the connection between the iOS device and the computer is correct. And the process may take about 10 minutes. After a system restore, your device will restart as usual.
And users can also refer to the video tutorial to learn more detailed process.
Method 2: Use iTunes to factory reset iPhone if Find My iPhone is disabled
How ? For users who have already disabled the Find My iPhone feature for their iPhone/iPad/iPod, you can also try to return the iOS device to recovery mode and use iTunes to restore the iPhone.
To enter recovery mode easily, you can also get help from Tenorshare ReiBoot so that it can enter/exit iPhone X/8/7/6 recovery mode with just one click.
Step 1: Just launch the program and click “Enter Recovery Mode”, you will see iTunes and USB icons on the iPhone screen.
Step 2: Then connect your iPhone with iTunes via USB cable, iTunes will detect the iPhone in recovery mode and will require you to restore it.
Step 3: Go to iTunes > Browse > Restore iPhone... to restore your iPhone to factory settings.
In this post, we introduce two ways to erase iPhone when you are locked out of iCloud password. Tenorshare ReiBoot is the preferred recommended method when it comes to wiping and iPhone without Apple ID. In addition, Resetting iPhone to factory settings can also fix other problems, for example, iPhone stuck on apple, etc.
More recently, new iPhone models have been released, attracting with their improved characteristics. Of course, the first thought of any user will be: “Buy it quickly!” But before that, you need to decide what to do with your old iOS device, which is in good condition? It’s a pity to throw it away, sell it for spare parts, or simply put it on the back of your home shelves, so the most common solutions are sale and gift. But before selling or transferring your iPhone, you need to take care of two important things: 1) create a backup copy of all your data so that you can later restore it to your newly purchased device; 2) erase all confidential data from your iPhone and reset it to factory settings, i.e. actually bring it closer to its original state. It is the second task that will be discussed in our article. How to erase an iPhone before selling or transferring it, how to reset all iPhone settings, how to use iTunes and iCloud for these purposes, how to erase data if you forgot your password - read on.
4 Ways to Erase iPhone Data
Method 1. How to erase content on iPhone
One of the easiest ways is to use the settings of the device itself. This function, like other basic settings, is initially included in the phone. For this method, you do not have to install any programs on your PC or remember complex schemes, but you need to remember your device password or Apple ID account password. So, to erase content through iPhone settings, follow the instructions below.
Step 1: On your device, go to Settings > General > Reset.
Step 2: Select the “Erase content and settings” option.
Step 3: When prompted, enter your device password or Apple ID account password.
Step 4: Click "Erase iPhone" to confirm the task of erasing all data from the device, then simply wait for the process to complete.
Step 5: Once your iPhone has restarted, you will need to activate it (which will require Internet access). Of the two options: “Set up iPhone as new” or “Restore from backup” – you need to select the first one and wait until the device settings are completed.
Method 2. How to Erase iPhone Content Using iTunes
You can also reset your iPhone and erase personal files using your computer. To do this, you will need to use the iTunes program, well known to users of Apple products, which is usually used to exchange files of various types between Apple devices and PCs. To erase iPhone using iTunes, follow the instructions below. Before you begin, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed.
Step 1. Connect your iPhone using a USB cable to the PC where you previously synchronized with the phone, and launch iTunes on the PC.
Step 2. Select your device in the window that opens by clicking on its icon at the top of the screen.
Step 3: In the left pane of the window, select the “Browse” tab and click on the “Restore iPhone” button located on the right side of the screen. At this point, you may see a warning that you need to disable Find My iPhone.
Step 4. After disabling this function on your phone (to do this, go to Settings > iCloud > Find iPhone on your phone), you will be asked to confirm starting the process. Click on the “Restore” button again. After this confirmation, all personal data will be erased, and the latest version of the system will be installed on the iPhone itself.
Step 5: Open the icloud.com cloud storage page in your web browser and enter your Apple ID account password. In the “Find iPhone” section, delete this device so that it is no longer linked to your Apple account.
Method 3. How to erase iPhone data using Find My iPhone app
If the Find My iPhone function is set up on your iPhone, then you can erase personal data stored on it without even picking up the device! To do this, you will need to go to the Find iPhone app on iCloud.com. In this case, activation lock will remain enabled on the device itself, and to reactivate it you will need your Apple ID and password for it. To remotely erase the contents of your iPhone, follow the instructions below.
Step 1: Open your web browser to iCloud.com, sign in to your account, and select the Find My iPhone app.
Step 2. Select “All devices”, click on your iPhone icon.
Step 3: In the device information window, select Erase iPhone.
Step 4: Enter your Apple ID account password. At this stage, security questions may appear or a verification code may be sent to another device. If you want to avoid this step in subsequent operations, select “Trust”. If you are using someone else’s computer or do not want to be linked to your computer, select “Do not trust.” Then wait until the phone data deletion process completes.
Method 4. How to Erase iPhone Contents Using ReiBoot
Users of Apple devices will undoubtedly appreciate the program, which can also be used to reset the current iPhone settings to factory settings and delete personal files. At the same time, a very important and often very necessary ability of this utility is the ability to work even with a disconnected device (for example, if you forgot your password or the lock screen is frozen). To erase all content on your iPhone using ReiBoot, follow the steps below.
Step 1. Connect your iPhone to PC using a USB cable. Launch the program.
Step 2. Select the “Fix Operating System (Solve All iOS Freezes”) function.
Step 3. In the next window, click on “Deep Recovery”.
Step 4. Click on “Start” to fix the system problem.
Step 5. Check your device model information and select “Download” to download the firmware package. Once the firmware package is downloaded, click “Start Recovery.”
Step 6: Once the restore process is complete, your iPhone will be restored to factory settings and all sensitive data on the device will be completely erased. Click "Finish" to finish working with the program.
So, this article offers you the simplest and most effective ways to erase data on your iPhone if you plan to sell it or give it to a loved one or friend. Some of them can be used if the phone is in your hands, with the help of others (for example, via iCloud), files can be deleted even remotely, and, for example, the ReiBoot program allows you to erase your iPhone and restore the original settings even when the phone screen is locked . And, of course, do not forget to sign out of iCloud, iTunes and the App Store on your iPhone before transferring the phone to another person.
how to erase an iPhone before selling or transferring itReturning the device under warranty is a highly recommended measure when selling a used device. Secondly, what is the point of giving someone a chance to dig into your “dirty laundry”? And thirdly, an elementary rule of politeness - if a smartphone or tablet finds a new owner, the latter has the right to expect to receive a “clean” gadget, similar to the “out of the box” version.
It doesn’t matter what you have in your hands, an iPhone, an iPod Touch player or an iPad tablet - the sequence of actions is the same for all iOS devices.
Attention! To avoid booting your iOS device in “eternal apple” mode, this method CANNOT be performed on a jailbroken device (Cydia icon on the home screen). Otherwise, only .
1. Open the application Settings and go to the section Basic, in which (at the very bottom) the menu item is located Reset, which is what we need.
2. Next, select “Erase content and settings” and in the pop-up window click Erase, if you agree that the data on the device will be permanently deleted, or option Make a copy then erase, if there are unsaved .
3. Enter the passcode and press the button “Erase iPhone (iPad, iPod)” in the pop-up menu that appears.
4. iOS is persistent and does not want to return to emptiness - another dialog box will appear asking you to confirm your actions&
5. For those cases when the function is activated "Find iPhone", an additional identification step will be required by entering a password for .
6. After pressing the button Erase put the device aside - the data deletion process will take a few minutes, after it is completed, the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch will be reset to factory settings with all data deleted.
If you notice that your favorite Apple phone suddenly starts to slow down terribly, often freezes, or regularly decides to reboot without your knowledge, then it’s time for some spring cleaning. But removing extra megabytes, or even gigabytes, of software garbage by hand is a completely unprofessional task. It’s much easier to use the iPhone’s capabilities for this, which can easily be found in the device’s settings.
How to clean iPhone? A few simple ways
There are six ways to clean your iPhone of unnecessary junk:
- Full device recovery in iTunes.
- Removing an iPhone from iCloud.
- Deleting settings and all content on the device itself.
- Partial removal of applications from the desktop.
- Uninstalling applications from the Storage menu.
- Uninstalling applications via iTunes.
Before you clean your iPhone, you should decide how radical the cleaning should be. If you plan to sell a gadget, then you need to remove absolutely all information from it. If you want to free up only part of the memory, then the last three options are suitable for this.
iPhone recovery
Restoring an iPhone is a procedure to reset all settings to factory settings. In this case, all content and personal data will be deleted, and an updated version will take the place of the outdated iOS.
To restore the iPhone system you need to:
1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes on your computer and download the latest firmware file for your smartphone to your hard drive.
2. Disable the “Find iPhone” function in the gadget settings.
3. Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes.
4. Open the settings page for syncing your device with iTunes.
5. Click on the “Restore iPhone” button while holding the Shift button.
6. In the window that opens, select the firmware version you need (most likely, there will be only one there).
7. Confirm the request to restore the smartphone system.
Removing iPhone from iCloud
If you don’t know how to clean an iPhone, but really want to get rid of content, settings and personal data in one fell swoop, then you can delete your gadget in iCloud. This can be done from any computer or mobile device. So:
2. Launch the “Find iPhone” web application.
3. Open the “All devices” menu and select the one from which you are going to delete content.
4. In the window that opens on the right, click on the “Erase iPhone” button. We confirm the action.
5. Enter the password for your Apple ID.
6. You can skip the step of entering a phone number.
7. Click on the “Finish” button and wait for the device to be cleared of unnecessary files and information.
This method of cleaning an iPhone can be used even for devices that are not currently connected to the Internet. Files and settings will be deleted after the device appears on the network.
Deleting content through device settings
1. Make sure that the battery charge level is sufficient to complete the operation (at least 25%).
2. Go to “Settings”, select “General”, find the line “Reset”.
3. In the menu that opens, select “Erase content and settings.” Click and if an action blocking password has been set, enter it.
4. Confirm your desire by double-clicking on the “Erase iPhone” button.
5. If necessary, enter your Apple ID password (this will disable the Find iPhone function).
6. The process has started and cannot be reversed. Depending on the amount of information to be deleted, it can take from 3 to 15 minutes.
Removing applications on iPhone
You can delete applications from your iPhone directly on your desktop. To do this, press your finger on the smartphone screen anywhere and hold it for 2-3 seconds. After this, a cross will appear near the application icons, by clicking on which you can delete unnecessary games and files.
You can also get rid of annoying applications through the “Storage” menu. Go to “Settings”, select “General”, then open statistics and see your data storage. Find the application that you no longer need and click on it. In the window that opens, select “Delete”.
Another way to remove applications on an iPhone is to clean it through iTunes.
1. Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes.
2. Select the desired device.
3. Open the "Programs" tab.
4. Find the application you don’t need and remove it by clicking on the “Delete” button located next to it.
Have you decided to purchase a new gadget model from Apple, and sell or give the old device to another person for use? To do this, you need to properly prepare it: delete personal information, save and protect your data from use by third parties.
Saving personal data from an iOS device
To avoid regrets when your contacts, personal photos or important documents disappear without a trace, make a backup copy of all contents of the device before wiping your device for sale. There are 4 ways to do this, which are described below.
iCloud
- Connect your device to Wi-Fi and charge it.
- Next, open Settings, select iCloud - Backup and activate this feature.
- In the Start Copying to iCloud window that appears, click OK.
Confirm the start of the copying process with the "OK" button
- Confirm your Apple ID password.
- Click the "Create Backup" button.
iTunes
To use iTunes to copy your data, follow the instructions:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using USB.
- Launch iTunes on your computer.
- Select your iPhone from the list of connected devices.
- Click "Create a copy now."
Mac FoneTrans
You can also use the Mac FoneTrans app to save personal files:
- Connect your device to your computer using USB.
- Open the Mac FoneTrans application on your computer.
- From the main menu, select To Folder.
- In the Output Folder field, specify the required folder to save the copy.
Select a location to save your backup files on your PC
- Click on the Start button and wait for the process to complete.
iMazing
You can also create a copy of your files from your iOS device through iMazing:
To reduce the chance of losing or corrupting data from your device, save it using several of the methods described above.
Cleaning your iOS device
Cleaning an iOS device can occur in two scenarios. In the first, the device is still in your possession and you can perform certain manipulations with it; in the second, the device has already been sold or lost and you do not have access to it.
If you have access to the device
Before selling your device, it is important to erase all data on it so that no one can view or use your content later.
If you still have the device, you need to follow these steps to clean it:
- if necessary, unpair the pair between your device and the Apple Watch;
- create a backup copy (the creation methods are given above);
- exit iTunes and App Store;
- delete iCloud data;
- delete all data from the device.
To sign out of iTunes and the App Store, in your device settings, select: iTunes Store / App Store - Apple ID - “Sign Out”.
To remove data stored in iCloud from your device, do the following:
To delete all data from your device, you need to follow these steps:
Video: how to delete data from an iOS device before selling it
If you don't have access to the device
Even if you've already sold or given away your device without first wiping it, you can delete all content and personal information remotely. To do this, follow these steps:
- If your device uses Find My iPhone and iCloud, go to the Find My iPhone website or app on another device.
- Select the required (your) device and click “Erase”.
- After that, click “Remove from account.”
If you are unable to delete information using the described method, block the ability to view your content on your device. To do this, change your Apple ID password. The data on the device will not be deleted, but the new owner will not be able to view or use your information and content.
On the iCloud website, you can also delete the debit or credit cards you used for Apple Pay.
Before you give away or sell your iOS device, make sure you remove all sensitive information from it. This is quite easy to do. Also, don’t forget to back up your content so you don’t regret losing important information or your favorite photos and videos later. Good luck!