How to reset everything on an iPhone before selling it. How to erase all data from iPhone or iPad

The time comes when we change the old phone model to a new one. This is not an easy step and it requires preparation. Before you hand over your phone to the future owner, you need to take care of the security of your data. What measures need to be taken before selling an iPhone?

We will talk about how to delete personal data from your phone. But the very first thing you need to do is turn off the Find My iPhone feature. This can be done in settings by going to “iCloud”. A “find iPhone” window will open where you need to click the switch to turn it off. If this is not done, the iPhone will not be able to be activated by a new user and will ask for your Apple ID password.

Backing up your data using iTunes

1 On the official Apple website, download the iTunes utility to your computer. Connect your phone to it and open the program. 2 Select your phone device in this program, then go to the “details” tab. In the “automatically create copies” section, specify “this computer” and click on the “create a copy now” button.

You can also create a copy in iCloud on your phone. To do this, go to settings, then iCloud, “backup” and then “create a backup”. In this case, you do not need to use a computer.

3 In the “file” menu bar, select “devices” and click on “move purchases”. This action will allow you to save your purchases of music, movies, and applications. This way your money investment will not be lost.

Deleting personal data

This is a must. You don’t want the newly-made owner of an iPhone 5 to pry into your personal life. You shouldn’t delete your data manually. This can be done using automatic data reset. But in order not to erase your data from your iCould account, you must first disconnect your connection to it. To do this, go to iCould through settings and click “delete account.”

Now deleting your data will not erase it from your accounts. To delete personal information from your device, go to settings, go to “general” and click “reset”. Find the “erase content and settings” button, confirm the action and wait for the process to complete. Now your data is destroyed and will not fall into the wrong hands.

Removing the SIM card

When selling, in a hurry, it is easy to forget to take out the SIM card. This may result in unnecessary expenses on bills and hassle in restoring it. If you have a CDMA version, then you should contact the nearest service center of your operator and unlink the number from the old iPhone.

Creating a presentation

If you have treated your phone with care and it is in good condition, then you have a good chance of selling your iPhone for a high price. Before selling your iPhone, remove all dirt from it, clean all hard-to-reach places and crevices. Clean the camera glass before taking photos to avoid fingerprints being replaced by defects. If the protective film is noticeably frayed, it is better to replace it with a new one. The expense is not high, and the appearance will improve significantly.

To sell an iPhone correctly, you need to convince your buyer that you can be trusted. Do not use iPhone 5 sales photos from stock sources. Take some quality photos of yourself. This will increase your credibility as a seller.

Describe your phone in as much detail as possible. If there are any defects, write about them. Better yet, take a clear photo.

Equipment

An iPhone must be sold with original components. Look for and attach everything that came with the phone. If you still have the packaging box, this will add points to you when selling. You can also add accessories purchased during use as a bonus. For example, a case or cover. After all, when changing models from iPhone 4s/5, they will not fit the new model, and I will lie idle.

Submitting an ad

Today, newspaper advertisements are practically no longer used. It is better to place your ad “need to sell iPhone 5” on the World Wide Web. Popular platforms now are OLX, Avito, or sites with local advertisements of the city where you live (good for those who do not want to deal with forwarding).

These portals are usually free. To register an ad, you need to follow a simple list of steps. Remember your photo about the sale of iPhone 5 and write a detailed description of the product. It is better to indicate the price right away, this will save you from unnecessary calls and explanations. Also indicate whether you are ready to negotiate.

To make it easier for you to set a price, check out other offers similar to yours. If you don’t need to sell your iPhone urgently, you can set the price at average or slightly increase it. If you want to complete the transaction quickly, you can slightly reduce the price, this will ensure greater demand for your product.

Auctions

Another way to sell an iPhone. There are many nuances here: registration, identification confirmation and compliance with a list of rules are required. True, all this trouble will pay off with the sold iPhone. Nowadays auctions are in demand: Aukro and Molotok. When trading at auctions, reputation is important; if you are a beginner, do not neglect confirming your identity. This will provide at least some reason to trust you.

In case of a successful sale, you will be required to pay a commission equal to several percent of the sale amount. Payment can be made electronically. You don’t have to worry about spending on commissions, because auctions are famous for making purchases at inflated prices. And the higher your seller rating, the more people will want to buy from you.

Trade-in

You can contact a specialized store that provides the opportunity to pay part of the amount from the purchase of a new phone by returning the old one. The price of your phone in this situation will be reduced. Many stores have this scheme and you will not have difficulty finding one if you agree to the terms offered.

Advice: If the sale involves a personal meeting, then arrange it in a public place. Let it be a cafe or a shopping center. This will allow you to avoid possible fraud or theft of your property. Avoid getting into a car with strangers or going somewhere with them during a transaction.

iPhone owners typically use the device as a storage facility for personal data. The versatility of the phone and Apple services allow you to combine all the most important information, including credit card numbers, secret correspondence, and work documents. To prevent the new iPhone owner from using someone else’s personal data, they must be deleted before selling.

How to erase all data from iPhone?

Let's look at the available options.

Data backup

Before wiping your phone, it is advisable to create a backup copy so that you can later access files and settings from other devices.

Via iCloud (files are hosted in cloud storageApple):

  • Open the Settings menu on your iPhone, select your username and click iCloud.
  • Go to the “Backup” section.
  • Click “Create a backup copy”. Be sure to be connected to Wi-Fi until the process is completed.

Via iTunes (data is saved to the computer):

  • Update iTunes to the latest version - open the “Help” menu, click “Check for updates” and follow the program’s instructions.
  • Connect iPhone to computer via USB.
  • Enter the password for the device and mark the PC as trusted.
  • Click on the phone icon in iTunes.
  • Click “Create a copy now.”

With a backup, you can transfer all your old data to another iPhone in a couple of taps. When you turn on a new phone, this feature will be offered to the user during automatic setup.

Deauthorization in services

After creating a backup, you must sign out of your Apple service accounts. We are talking about the iTunes Store, iCloud and App Store. Depending on the version of the operating system installed on the iPhone, you will need:

  • For iOS3 and above:
    • Open the “Settings” menu, click on the user name, scroll down to the bottom of the section and select “Log out”;
    • Enter your Apple ID password and click Turn Off.
  • For iOS2 and below:
    • Go to Settings, find iCloud, click Sign Out. Click the button again and select “Delete from iPhone.” The device will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm the operation.
    • Find the “iTunes Store and App Store” section in “Settings”, click “Apple ID” and “Sign out”.

Let's sum it up

You can quickly delete all information from your iPhone through the Settings menu. For this purpose, there is a special function “Erase content and settings”. It is recommended that you first backup your data and be sure to sign out of your accounts in Apple applications. As a last resort, you can clean the device after sale by using the “Find iPhone” function.

The iPhone is a device that interests many modern people. This is a modern smartphone, endowed with enormous capabilities, the most popular Apple product. The manufacturer very often updates its smartphones and releases new phones. When you get tired of your old iPhone, some people either give it away or sell it. But before that, you need to figure out how to delete everything from your iPhone. Only after this procedure can you sell or present the device without any problems. Otherwise, the previous owner's data will be retained.

Before formatting

The first thing you need to pay attention to is one small feature. It was created by Apple to protect user data. The thing is that before formatting, the owner must make sure that the iPhone has the status of an unlocked device. In this case, after formatting, you will be able to use the phone again.

If the iPhone is already unlocked, you will have to approach data deletion with extreme caution. The fact is that the status of an “unlocked” device turns an iPhone into an analogue of an iPad. The phone simply becomes a multifunctional gadget, but it will not be able to make calls. Everyone should remember this. So how to delete everything from an iPhone?

Device interface

It's not all that complicated. The first option that can be proposed is to work with the device interface. In other words, the iPhone has a special setting. It allows you to create backup copies of data, as well as format.

How to delete everything from iPhone? The procedure can be completed in a few clicks. The following instructions will help you cope with the task:

  1. Turn on your mobile phone. Be sure to wait for the operating system to load.
  2. Go to the "Settings" - "General" menu. Find it there and click on “Reset”.
  3. Click on the "Erase content" function. If you have set a password on your phone, dial it.
  4. Confirm the deletion of data several times. 2 warning windows will appear. You need to agree with them.

Then everything will depend on the situation. If iCloud has the Find My iPhone option enabled, you must enter your Apple ID. This is a mandatory process. Otherwise, the device will reboot. Ready! The smartphone has been cleared of user data.

iTunes

How to delete everything from iPhone? Another way is to use a specialized application called iTunes. With its help, it is proposed not only to format, but also to restore the gadget’s operating system.

The first step is to select the appropriate software version. It is installed on the computer. It all depends on which iOS is installed on the phone.

Next you will have to act according to the instructions below. It will help you bring your smartphone cleaning idea to life without much difficulty. The instructions for formatting an iPhone using iTunes look like this:

  1. Turn on iTunes on your computer.
  2. Connect your iPhone using a cable to your PC.
  3. Wait for the device to be detected in the application. Click on iPhone in the upper right corner.
  4. Click on "Information" - "Synchronize contacts" - "All".
  5. At the bottom of the screen, click on "Advanced". Check the box next to the "Contacts" section.
  6. Confirm actions.

That's it. Thus, it is suggested to clean the phone book. Deleted contacts on an iPhone cannot be restored if there were no backup copies.

iCloud

What other methods will help you get rid of certain data on your smartphone? All iPhone owners are invited to use a service called iCloud. This option is good because you can work with the application even remotely. For example, if the phone was stolen.

How can I urgently delete all information from my device? Deleted contacts from iPhone and other data cannot be recovered. A person whose smartphone has been stolen can use the following formatting tips and instructions:

  1. Turn on the computer. It must be connected to the Internet.
  2. Go to icloud.com. In the window that appears, log in using your AppleID.
  3. Click on the "Find devices" button.
  4. A map will appear. In its upper part you need to select your iPhone model. Relevant if there are several of them.
  5. A small panel will appear on the right side of the screen. You need to click on the “Erase” button.
  6. The system will issue a warning about the irreversibility of the process. Click on "Erase" again.
  7. Enter your AppleID password. This is necessary to ensure that the formatting is carried out by the real owner of the device.
  8. Click on "Next", then - "Finish".

After this procedure, the formatting process will begin. Now it’s clear how you can remotely delete all information from your iPhone. Deleted iPhone applications, like other data, cannot be restored.

Phone storage

What to do with programs on the device? In some cases, users prefer to get rid of them manually. This technique is not in great demand, but it does occur.

What will be required to implement it? You need to use the so-called iPhone storage. It is available on all Apple products. To apply it you need:

  1. Turn on your smartphone.
  2. Go to "Settings" - "General" - "Statistics" - "Storage".
  3. Click on the application you want to get rid of.
  4. A menu with operations will open. You need to click on “Delete”. Deleted iPhone applications can only be restored by reinstalling them. And nothing else.

This method is good for those who have little content on their smartphone. Otherwise, it is recommended to format the device globally.

Browser data

In addition to the listed techniques, sometimes users think about how to get rid of data saved in the browser. There is a small algorithm for this. It will not take much effort from the user.

You need to clear your Safari cache. No additional applications or programs are required to implement the plan. The procedure is carried out using standard means.

How to delete everything from an iPhone that was saved in the mobile browser? To do this you will need:

  1. Go to "Settings" - Safari.
  2. Select "Clear history". Confirm actions.
  3. Next, click on “Clear cookies”. The operation is confirmed.

This procedure will help you permanently get rid of all information entered and saved in the browser. As in all previous situations, there is no way to return the formatted information.

Preparing for resale

What other tips and advice can you give to users planning to get rid of their iPhone? What else can you remove? Deleted contacts from an iPhone, like other information, can be stored in backup copies of the operating system. Therefore, you will have to disassemble the connection with iCloud, as well as get rid of the saved data.

The following tips will help you prepare your device for sale:

  1. Break all ties with external gadgets like iWatch.
  2. Log out of iCloud. To do this, go to "Settings" - iCloud. Next, click on the “Logout” button. If the operating system is younger than iOS7, you need to click on “Delete account”.
  3. Disconnect from iTunes and AppStore. The functions are disabled in the same way as in the case of the “cloud” - in the gadget settings.

Perhaps this will be enough. After the described procedures, deleted applications on the iPhone cannot be restored. The same goes for settings and contacts. But you can reconnect to an existing account in the AppStore and other applications.

Conclusions and Conclusions

In fact, with proper preparation, formatting Apple products does not take much time and effort. From now on, it’s clear how to delete contacts from an iPhone, get rid of data saved in the browser, and format the operating system to the maximum.

If the user is afraid or unsure of his abilities, it is best to take the iPhone to a special service center. There, for a fee, they will help not only get rid of the user’s information, but also transfer it to other smartphones. How to delete everything from iPhone? It is quite possible to do this. And no third-party programs or utilities are needed for this.

If you are planning to sell your iPhone, it is advisable to prepare it for sale. We need to prepare the iPhone externally and programmatically for the next owner. It is very important to save all data and other important information before selling your iPhone. Our collection of tips will help you prepare your iPhone for sale.

Make a backup


Before you take any steps to prepare your iPhone, you should first back up your data. They can then be restored when purchasing a new iPhone.

  1. Connect iPhone to computer
  2. Open iTunes
  3. Click on the iPhone icon that appears
  4. Click “Create a copy now”

It's worth waiting a few minutes while iTunes backs up your iPhone. When you buy a new iPhone, you can restore all your data in a few clicks.

If you don't have a computer nearby or don't want to use it, you can back up your iPhone to iCloud.

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Go to the iCloud section
  3. Click on “Backup”
  4. Enable the creation of backups and click on the “Create backup” button

Disable Apple services

In order to eliminate problems with the operation of iMessage, FaceTime and other Apple services on the iPhone, it is worth disabling them before selling them.


  1. Open “Messages”
  2. Pull the lever in the iMessage line to turn off

  1. Return to the main menu of the Settings application
  2. Open “FaceTime”
  3. Pull the lever in the FaceTime bar to turn off

Sign out of iCloud

This is a very important point, because if you do not sign out of iCloud, the next owner of the iPhone will not be able to use the device.

  1. Go to the Settings app
  2. Open “iCloud”
  3. Scroll to the very bottom of the list and click “Exit”.

Reset all your data


After we have created a backup copy of all data, disabled Apple services and signed out of iCloud, we can do a full reset of the iPhone.
Attention: All data on your iPhone will be deleted, so make sure you have a backup of it.

  1. Go to the Settings app
  2. Open “General”
  3. Scroll to the very bottom of the list and click “Reset”
  4. Select “Erase content and settings”

Clean your iPhone

To sell, the iPhone must be clean not only in software, but also in appearance. Agree that the buyer who comes to pick up the long-awaited iPhone will not be very happy about the stained screen, dust and dirt. Gently wipe your iPhone from all sides. Clean it from streaks and stains. Blow out all the connectors and carefully clean any dirt that has collected there with a toothpick. It wouldn't hurt to spend

Greetings, dear readers. Today I’ll tell you how to quickly and safely completely clean (for example, before selling) your mobile Apple gadget: iPhone, iPad or iPod. In fact, this can be done very quickly, fortunately Apple has developed all the necessary tools for this. The process of cleaning your gadget (iPhone, iPad or iPod) can occur:

  • If you have a device. Those. that situation when you directly have access (not remote) to your device (iPhone, iPad or iPod). In this case, you can completely clean the gadget from the main settings;
  • You don't have a device. In this case, we will use the special iCloud remote access service. In this case, it will be possible to completely erase your gadget (iPhone, iPad or iPod) if the device has an Internet connection.

Attention: in order to clean the iPhone using the described method, it must be “clean”. Those. It shouldn't be jailbroken. If you don’t know what jailbreaking is, and especially if you haven’t done it, then you can continue reading the instructions provided.

If you have a device

If you have the device in your hands, then follow these steps:

As you can see, cleaning your Apple gadget is very simple. If you do not have a mobile gadget, then proceed to the next section.

You don't have a device

If you don’t have a device (iPhone, iPad or iPod), then follow these steps:


Through the Find iPhone app

If you don’t have access to the gadget you need to clean or don’t have access to a personal computer from which you can log into iCloud. You can use the “Find iPhone” application installed on your other Apple device (for example, iPad):