How to restore iPhone or iPad to factory settings

For whatever reason, it is sometimes necessary to restore your device to factory conditions. This can solve some annoying problems that don't seem to be solved or needed when you simply want to sell or give your device to someone else.

But not everyone knows how to do it right, believing it to be difficult or even at the risk of losing all files for the mere lack of a simple backup. If you need to perform this process on your Apple device, check out our tutorial on restoring iPhone or iPad to factory settings!

Restoring your device in iTunes

First, connect your device to your computer, open iTunes, and click Back Up Now from the Summary menu. You can choose between backing up to iCloud or iTunes itself, so decide what you think is best and proceed.

This step is not necessary, but it is good for you to save any type of file or information from your device. With that done, click the "Restore" button on the same menu you just backed up just now.

ITunes should ask if you really want to continue with this action as this will erase all your custom data, files and settings. Confirm and wait for the process to complete, which may take a while depending on how many things are stored on your device.

Once the restore is complete, unplug your device from your computer and make sure it has the same splash screen that appeared when you first used it. You can start from scratch or choose to restore the backup made with iCloud or iTunes. Very simple, isn't it ?!

Read also: How to get back from iOS 9 to iOS 8 on iPhone and iPad

Restore using device only

If you prefer, you can restore your device without the help of iTunes using just a few settings of the same device. We still recommend that you connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer to back up quickly and securely, just as we taught in the previous topic. This done, you can disconnect your device to continue with the restore.

First, go to the Settings menu and choose the "General" tab. Go to the bottom of the new page and click "Reset" to see your restore options. You can perform various types of reset, but to restore the device to factory conditions, you must click “Delete Contents and Adjustments”.

A window will open to warn you that this will erase all data from your device, so just confirm to continue the process. As we said earlier, this step may take a while depending on what you have on your iPhone or iPad, so wait patiently and don't try to take any further action at this time.

When it's all over, you should be presented with the same home screen as when you first used your device. Choose your initial settings and see if you want to restore your backup via iCloud or iTunes. A super easy method too, don't you think ?!

So, did you enjoy our tutorial today? With it, it's pretty clear how easy it is to restore the iPhone or iPad to factory settings. Just don't forget to leave us your comment telling us if you were able to do everything right or if you had any questions!

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