Erase your iPhone completely so the new owner gets a blank device

Before you sell or give away an iPhone, you need to erase everything on it — your photos, messages, passwords, payment methods, and location history. Apple's Erase All Content and Settings feature wipes the device and removes your Apple ID, which is the most important step. You cannot sell a phone that is still linked to your account, and the new owner cannot set it up as their own until you remove that link.

The process takes about 15 minutes and works the same way on any iPhone model running iOS 15.1 or newer. If your phone is older or running an earlier version of iOS, you will use a slightly different method through iCloud instead. Either way, the goal is the same: leave nothing behind that identifies you or gives the new owner access to your accounts.

Key Takeaways

  • Back up your iPhone to iCloud or your computer before you erase it, so you can restore your data to a new device later.
  • Use Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings on the phone itself, which is faster and more complete than erasing through iCloud.
  • Remove your Apple ID from the phone before erasing, or let the erase process remove it automatically — either way, the new owner will not be locked out.
  • After erasing, the phone will restart and show the setup screen, which proves the wipe was successful and the device is ready to sell.
  • If you cannot access the phone or it is disabled, use iCloud.com or Find My iPhone to erase it remotely.

Back up your data before you erase

Erasing the phone deletes everything on it permanently. Before you start, save a backup so you can restore your photos, messages, contacts, and settings to a new iPhone later. You have two options: iCloud or your computer.

iCloud backup is the easiest. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, turn on iCloud Backup if it is off, then tap Back Up Now. The backup runs in the background and takes a few minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have. You need a Wi-Fi connection and enough free iCloud storage — Apple gives you 5 GB free, and you can buy more if you need it.

Computer backup is faster if you have a lot of data. Plug your iPhone into a Mac or Windows PC, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), select your phone, and click Back Up Now. This backup stores everything locally on your computer instead of in the cloud, so you do not need iCloud storage space.

Erase the phone using Settings on the device itself

The fastest and most reliable way to erase an iPhone is to do it directly on the phone. Open Settings, tap General, scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings.

The phone will ask you to enter your Apple ID password. This step confirms you own the device and prevents someone else from erasing it without permission. Type your password and tap Erase.

The phone will show a progress bar and take 2 to 5 minutes to erase everything. When it finishes, the iPhone will restart and show the Hello screen — the same screen you saw when you first turned it on. This proves the erase worked and the device is ready for the new owner to set up.

Do not turn off the phone or unplug it during the erase. If the battery is low, plug it in first.

Remove your Apple ID before selling if you want to skip the password step

When you erase using the method above, the phone asks for your Apple ID password as a security check. If you want to skip that step, you can remove your Apple ID from the phone before you erase.

Go to Settings > [Your Name] at the top, scroll down and tap Sign Out. The phone will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm. After you sign out, your Apple ID is no longer linked to the device. Then you can erase the phone without entering the password again.

This step is optional — the erase process removes your Apple ID automatically, so signing out first just saves a step. Either way, the new owner will not be locked out of the phone.

Erase a disabled or inaccessible iPhone using iCloud

If your iPhone is broken, disabled, or you do not have it with you, you can erase it remotely using iCloud. Go to iCloud.com on any computer or phone, sign in with your Apple ID, and click Find My.

Click Find My iPhone, then click All Devices at the top. Select the iPhone you want to erase from the list. Click Erase This Device, confirm your choice, and the erase will start when ready even if the phone is off or not connected to the internet. The erase will complete the next time the phone connects to the internet.

After you erase the phone remotely, it will also be removed from your Apple ID account. The new owner can set it up as a new device without any connection to you.

What to do if the phone is stuck or will not erase

If the erase starts but the phone freezes or gets stuck on a progress screen, force restart it. The method depends on your iPhone model. For iPhone X and newer, press and quickly release the Volume Up button, press and quickly release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Side button until the power-off slider appears. Slide to power off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.

For iPhone 8 and earlier, press and hold the Top (or Side) button and the Volume Down button together until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off.

If the phone still will not erase after a force restart, try the erase again from Settings. If it fails a second time, use the iCloud method instead. If both methods fail, the phone may have a hardware problem, and you should contact Apple Support or take it to an Apple Store before selling it.

Verify the erase worked before you hand over the phone

After the erase completes and the phone restarts, you will see the Hello screen with language and region options. This is the setup screen that appears on a brand-new iPhone, and it proves the erase was successful.

Do not complete the setup yourself. Hand the phone to the new owner at this point so they can set it up with their own Apple ID and data. If you set it up, you will have to erase it again before they can use it.

Before you hand it over, take a photo of the Hello screen or a screenshot to prove the phone was erased. This protects you if the new owner claims later that you did not wipe it properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the new owner see my old photos or messages after I erase the phone?

No. Erase All Content and Settings permanently deletes everything on the phone, including photos, messages, email, browsing history, and saved passwords. The data cannot be recovered by the new owner or anyone else without specialized tools that are not available to regular users.

What if I forget my Apple ID password when I try to erase?

You can reset your Apple ID password at iforgot.apple.com before you erase the phone. If you do not have access to that email address anymore, use the iCloud remote erase method instead, which does not require the phone to be in your hands.

Do I need to remove my SIM card before I sell the phone?

Yes. The SIM card is separate from the phone's storage and erasing does not remove it. Take out the SIM card before you hand over the phone. You can use it in another phone or contact your carrier to deactivate it.

Will the new owner be able to use the phone right away after I erase it?

Yes. After the erase completes, the phone shows the setup screen and is ready for the new owner to set up with their own Apple ID. They can complete the setup in a few minutes and start using the phone when ready.

What if the phone is still under a carrier contract?

Erasing the phone does not cancel a carrier contract or remove the phone from your account. Contact your carrier separately to remove the phone from your plan and clear any remaining balance before you sell it. The new owner will need to contact the carrier to set up it on their own plan.