To reset an iPhone, there are three main options: a simple restart, a settings reset that keeps your data, and a full factory erase that wipes everything and returns the phone to like‑new state.

Simple restart (quick fix)

Use this if the iPhone is glitchy but still responsive.

  • iPhone with Face ID / iPhone 8 or later:
    • Press and hold the Side button + either Volume button until the power slider appears.
    • Slide “slide to power off,” wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side button to turn it back on.
  • iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later without Face ID button combo: procedure is the same as above if it has a Side button.

This restart does not erase data; it just reboots iOS.

Force restart (when frozen)

Use this if the screen is totally unresponsive.

  • iPhone 8, X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and similar:
    1. Quickly press and release Volume Up.
    2. Quickly press and release Volume Down.
    3. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release.
  • iPhone 7 / 7 Plus:
    • Press and hold Volume Down + Sleep/Wake together until the Apple logo appears, then release.
  • iPhone 6s and earlier (with Home button):
    • Press and hold Home + Sleep/Wake until the Apple logo appears, then release.

A force restart is a hard reset of the system, but it does not wipe your apps, photos, or other data.

Reset settings (no data loss)

If you want to “reset” behavior without erasing photos, messages, etc., you can reset only settings.

  • Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset.
  • You can choose options like:
    • Reset All Settings : Resets system settings (Wi‑Fi passwords, location, privacy, etc.) but keeps your content.
* **Reset Home Screen Layout** , **Reset Location & Privacy**, etc., which affect only specific areas.

This is good if your iPhone behaves oddly after updates or configuration changes.

Full factory reset (erase all content)

Use this when selling the phone, giving it away, or fixing deep software issues; it deletes everything and restores factory settings.

Before you erase

  • Back up your iPhone with iCloud or a computer so you can restore later.
  • Make sure you know your Apple ID and password to get through Activation Lock later.

Factory reset from the iPhone

  • Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
  • Tap Continue , enter your passcode and Apple ID password if asked, and confirm.
  • The iPhone will erase itself and restart to the setup screen.

If the iPhone is locked or you forgot the passcode

  • Turn the iPhone off, then connect it to a Mac or PC with a cable.
  • Enter recovery mode:
    • On modern models: quickly Volume Up, quickly Volume Down, then hold Side until the recovery screen appears.
  • On the computer, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), select your iPhone, and choose Restore to download iOS and wipe the device.

This will erase all data, but you can restore from backup during setup if you have one.

Quick HTML table: reset types

[7] [5] [5] [7][5] [5] [7][5] [8] [8] [8] [3][9] [9][3] [3][9][5]
Reset type How to do it Erases data? When to use
Simple restart Hold Side + Volume, power off, then on again.NoMinor glitches, slow performance.
Force restart (hard reset) Button combo until Apple logo appears (varies by model).NoFrozen screen, unresponsive apps.
Reset All Settings Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Reset → Reset All Settings.Keeps photos, apps; resets configurations.Weird behavior caused by settings or permissions.
Factory reset (erase all) Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings, or restore via computer.Yes, wipes everything.Selling, giving away, or fixing serious software issues.
**Bottom note:** Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.