If you reset your iPhone, what happens depends on which reset option you choose, and whether you have a backup.

what happens if i reset my iphone

Quick Scoop

Here’s the short version:

  • A full reset (“Erase All Content and Settings”) wipes your photos, apps, messages, and settings from the phone and returns it to factory condition, but you can get things back if you have an iCloud or computer backup.
  • A settings‑only reset (“Reset All Settings”) keeps your photos, apps, and messages, but clears system preferences (Wi‑Fi, privacy, layout, etc.).
  • A network or other partial reset only targets specific things like Wi‑Fi and cellular settings, not your personal data.

Think of it like this: some resets just rearrange your room, others empty the room but let you reload everything from a storage locker (backup).

Types of resets (and what you lose)

1. Reset All Settings

This is the “safe” reset when you’re troubleshooting but don’t want to lose your stuff.

What is affected:

  • Wi‑Fi networks and passwords.
  • Bluetooth pairings, VPN and APN settings.
  • Privacy and location permissions.
  • Home screen layout, display and sound preferences, keyboard dictionary tweaks.

What is not deleted:

  • Photos and videos.
  • Messages, contacts, emails, notes.
  • Installed apps and their data.
  • Your Apple ID and iCloud account on the device.

So if you tap “Reset All Settings,” the phone feels freshly configured but your personal content remains.

2. Erase All Content and Settings (Factory reset)

This is the “nuclear” option that people use before selling, giving away, or fully troubleshooting a device.

What happens:

  • All user data is removed from the phone: photos, videos, messages, call history, mail, health data, and app data are deleted from local storage.
  • All downloaded apps are removed.
  • Settings are returned to default.
  • The phone stays on its current iOS version; it doesn’t roll back to the iOS it had when you first bought it.

Afterward:

  • The iPhone boots to the setup screen as if it were new, asking for language, region, Wi‑Fi, Apple ID, etc.
  • During setup, you can choose to restore from an iCloud or computer backup, or set it up as a new device.

Apple notes that once the device is erased with this method, the previous data isn’t realistically recoverable for normal users, which is why it’s recommended before selling the phone.

3. Other partial resets you might see

Your iPhone offers more granular reset options that sound scary but are much lighter than a full wipe.

Common ones:

  • Reset Network Settings : Clears Wi‑Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, VPN and APN configs; does not touch photos, apps, or messages.
  • Reset Keyboard Dictionary : Removes any custom words you added or that iOS learned over time.
  • Reset Home Screen Layout : Puts Apple’s default layout back, moves built‑in apps to their original places; your apps remain installed.
  • Location & Privacy reset: Resets app permission prompts so apps will ask again for location, camera, microphone, and similar access.

These are useful if one area is glitchy (for example, Wi‑Fi breaking constantly) and you don’t want to touch everything else.

What you should do before resetting

If you’re thinking “what happens if I reset my iPhone” because of bugs or because you’re selling it, prep matters more than the button you press.

  1. Back up your iPhone
    • Use iCloud Backup or a computer (Finder/iTunes‑style backup).
 * Make sure the backup completes _right before_ you erase, so recent photos and chats are included.
  1. Check what’s synced vs. local
    • iCloud Photos, Contacts, Notes, and similar items will re‑sync after you sign back in.
 * Anything only stored locally in an app that doesn’t use cloud sync may be permanently lost without a backup.
  1. Turn off Find My and sign out before selling
    • For sale/trade‑in, you typically sign out of Apple ID and disable Find My iPhone so the next person can activate it.

Example: someone on Apple’s forums described backing up to iCloud, erasing all content and settings, then restoring from that backup during setup to get all their data back on a clean system.

Why people reset (and what to expect afterward)

Users usually reset their iPhone when:

  • It’s laggy, freezing, or apps crash a lot.
  • Wi‑Fi or cellular connections keep failing.
  • They’re prepping it for resale or giving it to a family member.

What you can expect:

  • A factory reset often clears software glitches and can make the phone feel smoother again.
  • After restoring from backup, most of your environment (apps, layout, messages, photos) returns, though you may need to re‑enter some passwords or re‑grant permissions.

Forum & “latest news” angle

Recent guides and forum threads still treat “Erase All Content and Settings” as the standard safe way to wipe your device before selling or doing a deep troubleshoot, with the understanding that a recent backup makes it low‑risk. Tech blogs from early 2025 also emphasize that you won’t roll back iOS by resetting; you stay on your current version, which matters now that major updates are tightly linked to security features and app compatibility.

TL;DR – If you reset your iPhone…

  • Reset All Settings : You keep your stuff, lose your custom settings.
  • Erase All Content and Settings : Phone is wiped clean, but you can restore everything from a backup if you made one first.

Bottom line: the reset itself doesn’t have to be scary, as long as you decide which level you actually need and make a solid backup beforehand.

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