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what happens when you reset your iphone

When you “reset your iPhone,” what happens depends on which reset option you choose—some only touch settings, while one wipes everything and returns it to factory condition.

Quick Scoop

On modern iOS, you’ll usually see these under Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone :

  • Reset All Settings
  • Reset Network Settings
  • Reset Keyboard Dictionary / Handwriting Style
  • Reset Home Screen Layout
  • Reset Location & Privacy
  • Erase All Content and Settings

Think of them as different “levels” of reset—from light cleanup to full wipe.

The “safe” resets (your data stays)

These resets change how your iPhone is configured but do not delete your photos, messages, apps, or files.

Reset All Settings

  • Resets system preferences: Wi‑Fi passwords, wallpapers, display settings, notifications, privacy, etc., go back to default.
  • Your content (photos, messages, apps, contacts) stays on the phone.
  • Good when your phone acts weird after updates or settings changes and you want a fresh config without losing data.

Reset Network Settings

  • Clears saved Wi‑Fi networks and passwords, VPN settings, and cellular/network preferences.
  • Helpful if you have issues with Wi‑Fi, mobile data, or Bluetooth connections.
  • You’ll have to re-enter Wi‑Fi passwords afterward.

Reset Keyboard Dictionary / Handwriting Style

  • Deletes custom words you’ve “taught” the keyboard and any handwriting tweaks.
  • Useful if autocorrect keeps suggesting awful or wrong words.

Reset Home Screen Layout

  • Puts built‑in apps back in their original positions and removes custom layout changes and folders (third‑party apps remain installed but rearranged).
  • Nice if your Home Screen has become a chaotic maze.

Reset Location & Privacy

  • Resets which apps can access location, camera, microphone, etc., back to default.
  • Afterward, apps will ask again for permissions when they need them.

The “nuclear” option: Erase All Content and Settings

This is the one most people mean when they say “factory reset.”

  • Deletes all personal data: photos, videos, messages, contacts, app data, downloaded apps, Apple Pay cards, and most traces of you.
  • Resets all settings back to factory defaults.
  • After the process, the iPhone boots to the “Hello” setup screen like a brand‑new device.
  • Common reasons: selling/giving away your phone, fixing deep software bugs, or starting completely fresh.

If you have an iCloud or computer backup, you can restore your data during setup so it feels like your old phone again (just with a clean system).

Before you factory reset (what you should do)

If you’re going to use Erase All Content and Settings , you should:

  1. Back up your iPhone
    • iCloud backup: via Settings → [your name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now.
 * Or backup to a Mac/PC via Finder/iTunes.
  1. Turn off Find My / Activation Lock if you’re selling or giving it away, so the next person can activate it properly.
  1. Then go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings and follow the prompts.

What about “latest news” and forum chatter?

Recently, forum discussions and how‑to blogs keep circling this topic because people worry a reset will “ruin” their iPhone forever.

A few recurring viewpoints:

  • Many users report that a factory reset can noticeably improve performance or fix stubborn glitches, especially on older devices running recent iOS versions, as long as you restore from a clean backup.
  • Others emphasize that the phone is “never truly gone” if you had backups—after restoring, it feels almost identical to before the reset.
  • Support communities keep reminding people that only Erase All Content and Settings removes everything; the other reset options are much lighter and safe to try first.

Mini FAQ

Does resetting delete my photos?

  • Light resets (All Settings, Network, Home Screen, etc.): No.
  • Erase All Content and Settings: Yes, everything goes—unless you restore from a backup afterward.

Can a reset fix bugs and lag?

  • Often yes, especially a full erase for deep software issues, but it’s not a magic cure for hardware problems.

Is it safe to reset before selling?

  • It’s the recommended step: backup, sign out of iCloud/Find My, then erase all content so none of your data remains on the device.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.