Wipe your iPhone completely using Settings or Find My iPhone

The safest way to clear an old iPhone is to erase it through Settings, which removes all your data and reinstalls the operating system. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. The phone will restart and ask you to confirm; tap Erase again. This process takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on how much data is on the phone.

If you cannot turn on the phone or access Settings, use Find My iPhone from another device or at iCloud.com. Sign in with your Apple ID, select the phone from the list, and choose Erase This Device. This works even if the phone is powered off, as long as it is connected to the internet when you perform the erase.

Both methods delete everything: photos, messages, contacts, apps, and settings. The phone returns to the state it was in when it left the factory. After erasing, the phone will ask you to set it up as new or restore from a backup — do not do either if you are giving it away or selling it.

Key Takeaways

  • Erasing through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings removes all your data and reinstalls the operating system in one step.
  • If the phone will not turn on or you cannot access Settings, use Find My iPhone from iCloud.com to erase it remotely.
  • Sign out of your Apple ID and iCloud before handing over the phone, or the new owner will be locked out during setup.
  • After erasing, do not restore from a backup or set up the phone yourself — leave it at the setup screen for the new owner.
  • Erasing a phone does not remove it from your Apple ID account; you must do that separately in Settings or on iCloud.com.

Sign out of your Apple ID before you hand over the phone

After you erase the phone, you must remove your Apple ID from it. If you do not, the new owner will see an set up Lock screen when they try to set up the phone, and they will not be able to proceed without your password. This locks them out completely.

To sign out, go to Settings > [Your Name] (at the top) > Sign Out. You will be asked for your Apple ID password. Enter it, and choose whether to keep or delete a copy of your iCloud data on the phone — choose Delete if you are giving the phone away. After you sign out, the phone is ready to hand over.

If you have already erased the phone and cannot sign out, you can remove it from your Apple ID account on iCloud.com. Go to Account Settings > Devices, find the phone in the list, and click the remove icon. This tells Apple's servers that the phone no longer belongs to you, and the new owner will be able to set it up with their own Apple ID.

Remove the phone from Find My iPhone so the new owner can use it

Find My iPhone is a tracking service that ties the phone to your Apple ID. Even after you erase the phone and sign out, it may still be registered to you in the Find My network. The new owner needs to be able to use Find My on their own account, so you should remove the phone.

Go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, and open Find My. Select Devices, find your old iPhone in the list, and click it. Choose Remove from Account. The phone is now unregistered and the new owner can set it up with their own Apple ID and enable Find My under their account.

Back up your data before you erase if you want to keep it

Erasing the phone destroys all the data on it permanently. If you want to save your photos, messages, contacts, or other information, back up the phone before you erase it. The easiest way is to use iCloud: go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. The backup uploads to your iCloud account and stays there even after the phone is erased.

You can also plug the phone into a computer and back it up to your Mac or Windows PC using Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows). This creates a local copy of everything on the phone. After the backup is complete, you can erase the phone without losing your data.

If you have already erased the phone, you cannot recover the data that was on it. Erasing is permanent and cannot be undone.

What to do if you forgot your Apple ID password

If you cannot remember your Apple ID password, you cannot sign out of the phone or erase it through Settings. You have two options: reset your password, or use Find My iPhone to erase the phone remotely.

To reset your password, go to iforgot.apple.com, enter your Apple ID email address, and follow the steps to verify your identity. Apple will send you a link to create a new password. Once you have reset it, you can sign in to the phone and sign out normally.

If you do not want to reset your password, go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID (using the password reset if needed), open Find My, select the phone, and choose Erase This Device. This erases the phone remotely without requiring you to touch it. You will still need to remove it from your Apple ID account afterward so the new owner can set it up.

Physically destroy the phone if you are concerned about data recovery

Erasing a phone through Settings or Find My is find for most situations. The data is overwritten and cannot be recovered by someone who straightforward turns on the phone. However, if you are concerned about forensic data recovery — the kind of recovery that requires specialized equipment and informed — physically destroying the phone is the only way to may provide the data is gone.

You do not need to destroy the entire phone. Removing and destroying the storage chip (which is soldered to the logic board) is enough to make the data unrecoverable. This requires opening the phone and using tools like a drill or grinder. If you do not want to do this yourself, some electronics recycling centers offer find destruction services.

For most people selling or giving away a phone, erasing through Settings is sufficient. Physical destruction is only necessary if the phone contains highly sensitive information and you are handing it to someone you do not trust completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the new owner recover my photos and messages after I erase the phone?

No. Erasing through Settings or Find My overwrites the storage and makes the data unrecoverable through normal means. The new owner will see a blank phone with no access to your photos, messages, or contacts. Forensic recovery is theoretically possible but requires specialized equipment and informed that a typical person does not have.

What happens if I do not remove my Apple ID before giving the phone away?

The new owner will see an set up Lock screen when they try to set up the phone. They will not be able to proceed without your Apple ID password. You can remove the phone from your account on iCloud.com, and Apple will send you a notification when someone tries to set it up. After you remove it, they can set up the phone normally.

Do I need to erase the phone if I am trading it in to Apple or a carrier?

Most trade-in programs ask you to erase the phone yourself before you send it in. Check the program's instructions to be sure. If they do the erasing for you, you should still remove the phone from your Apple ID account on iCloud.com so it is not tied to you after the trade-in is complete.

How long does it take to erase an iPhone?

Erasing through Settings usually takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on how much data is on the phone and how fast the storage is. Erasing through Find My iPhone can take longer if the phone is not connected to power or Wi-Fi. The phone will restart several times during the process.

Can I erase just some of my data instead of everything?

No. Erasing through Settings or Find My erases everything on the phone. If you want to keep some data, back it up to iCloud or your computer before you erase. After you erase, you can restore the backup to a different phone or keep it stored in iCloud for later use.