A reset wipes your iPhone and starts it over from scratch
When you reset your iPhone, the device erases all your personal data — photos, messages, contacts, apps, passwords, everything — and returns to the state it was in when it left the factory. Nothing is recoverable after a reset unless you backed it up beforehand. The phone itself still works; you just have to set it up again as if it were brand new, which takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on your internet speed and how much you want to restore.
There are two kinds of reset. A soft reset (or force restart) turns the phone off and back on without erasing anything — it fixes freezes and crashes the way restarting a computer does. A factory reset (or erase all content and settings) is the one that wipes everything. Most people mean factory reset when they say "reset," but the distinction matters because one is safe to try and the other is permanent.
Key Takeaways
- A factory reset erases all your data permanently unless you backed it up to iCloud or a computer first.
- A soft reset (force restart) fixes freezes and crashes without erasing anything and takes less than a minute.
- After a factory reset, you can restore your data from an iCloud backup or iTunes backup if you made one before resetting.
- You need your Apple ID password to complete a factory reset, and the phone will ask for it during setup to prevent theft.
Why people reset iPhones and when it actually helps
A soft reset fixes most problems that make an iPhone slow or unresponsive — an app that crashes repeatedly, the screen that won't respond to touch, or the phone that gets hot and drains battery fast. Force restarting clears the phone's temporary memory and stops stuck processes. It does not fix problems caused by a broken part, a corrupted iOS installation, or malware, but it solves the majority of glitches people encounter.
A factory reset is for situations where the phone is so broken that a soft restart does not help, or when you are selling it and want to erase your data, or when you forgot your passcode and cannot access the phone any other way. It is also the nuclear option if you believe your phone has malware, though malware on iPhones is rare because of how iOS is built. Factory resets are not a first step — they are a last resort after other fixes have failed.
How to do a soft reset without losing anything
A soft reset is safe because it does not erase data. The steps depend on which iPhone model you have.
For iPhone X and newer (including iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16): Press and hold the volume up button and the side button at the same time until the power-off slider appears. Release both buttons. Then press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo — this takes about 10 seconds. The phone will restart.
For iPhone 8 and earlier: Press and hold the top (or side) button until the power-off slider appears. Release the button. Then press and hold the top button again until the Apple logo shows. The phone will restart.
You will see the Apple logo, then the lock screen. This takes about 30 seconds total. Your data stays on the phone. Try this first if your iPhone is frozen, an app keeps crashing, or the battery drains too fast.
How to do a factory reset and what you need to know first
Before you factory reset, back up your data. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Make sure iCloud Backup is turned on (the toggle is green). Tap Back Up Now and wait for it to finish — this can take several minutes depending on how much data you have. You can also back up to a Mac or Windows computer using Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), but iCloud is simpler.
Once you have backed up, go to Settings, tap General, scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. The phone will ask for your Apple ID password — you need this to prevent someone from erasing a stolen phone. Enter your password. The phone will erase everything and restart. This takes 5 to 10 minutes.
When the phone restarts, you will see the setup screen. You can sign in with your Apple ID and restore from your iCloud backup, which will put your photos, messages, contacts, and apps back on the phone. Restoring from a backup takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have and your internet speed.
What you lose and what you can get back
A factory reset erases everything on the phone itself: photos, videos, messages, contacts, app data, saved passwords, and settings. If you backed up to iCloud before resetting, you can restore all of this except passwords — you will have to re-enter those manually for security reasons. If you did not back up, it is gone permanently.
Some data lives in the cloud already and does not need a backup. Your email (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) will come back when you sign in to the email app. Your contacts sync to iCloud if you turned that on. Your photos sync if you use iCloud Photos. But anything that only lives on the phone — text messages, notes, reminders, app data — will be lost unless you backed it up.
If you reset without backing up and realize you need your data, contact Apple Support. They cannot recover data from a factory reset, but they can tell you whether a backup exists in your iCloud account that you forgot about.
When a reset does not fix the problem
If your iPhone still does not work after a soft reset, and a factory reset does not help either, the problem is usually hardware — a broken screen, a failing battery, water damage, or a component that stopped working. A reset cannot fix these. You will need to take the phone to an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop.
If you cannot complete a factory reset because you forgot your Apple ID password, you can reset it at iforgot.apple.com. If you forgot your iPhone passcode and cannot access the phone at all, you will need to use Find My iPhone (from another device or iCloud.com) to erase the phone remotely, then set it up again. Both of these routes require proof that you own the phone.
The difference between reset, restart, and restore
These three words mean different things and people use them interchangeably, which causes confusion. A restart (or soft reset) turns the phone off and back on — your data stays. A reset usually means a factory reset, which erases everything. A restore means putting your data back on the phone from a backup after you have erased it.
When someone tells you to "restart your phone," they mean turn it off and back on. When they say "reset," ask whether they mean a soft reset or a factory reset, because one is safe and one is permanent. When they say "restore," they mean recover your data from a backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a reset remove viruses from my iPhone?
A factory reset will remove malware if it exists, but viruses on iPhones are extremely rare because iOS is built to prevent them. If your phone is slow or behaving strangely, a soft reset usually fixes it. A factory reset is only necessary if you are certain the phone is infected, which is uncommon.
Can I undo a factory reset?
No, a factory reset is permanent and cannot be undone. You can only restore your data if you backed it up to iCloud or a computer before resetting. If you did not back up, the data is gone. Always back up before you factory reset.
Do I lose my phone number when I reset?
No. Your phone number is stored by your carrier, not on the phone itself. After a reset, when you set up the phone again and sign in to your carrier's network, your number comes back automatically. You do not have to do anything.
How long does a factory reset take?
The reset itself takes 5 to 10 minutes. If you restore from an iCloud backup afterward, add another 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have and your internet speed. If you set up the phone as new without restoring, you are done in 20 minutes.
What if I reset my iPhone and forgot to back up?
Contact Apple Support and ask whether a backup exists in your iCloud account. If one does, you can restore from it. If not, your data is not recoverable. This is why backing up before a reset is important — it takes five minutes and saves you from losing everything.