How do I Erase All Content and Settings without cellular or wifi?

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How do I Erase All Content and Settings without cellular or wifi?

Old iPhone I wish to recycle, WIFI is dead, no SIM, no Internet connection.

When I go in to General, Reset, Erase All Content and Settings, it prompts me to login to my iCloud account, and fails with "Verification Failed The Internet connection appears to be offline."

Other answers I've seen for this suggest going in to iCloud to remove the device, but that won't help as there is no way to connect this device to the Internet.

How do I solve this "feature"?

iPhone 4

Posted on Jun 12, 2019 7:37 AM

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Answer 1

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ChrisJ4203

Level 10

237,727 points

Jun 12, 2019 7:44 AM in response to notDavis

Connect the device to the computer and iTunes and restore it that way. Follow the instructions here, What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Jun 12, 2019 7:45 AM in response to notDavis

The suggestion of going to iCloud to remove the device should be done from a computer or another device, not the one you are trying to erase. So it having no internet connection is irrelevant.

You will have to do this, regardless now, as the only other way to resolve this, is to use iTunes on a computer, but once the restore is complete, the iPhone will be activation locked unless you have previously removed it from iCloud.

Basically, log in to the iCloud.com website from a computer or other device using the iCloud account on the old iPhone, and then use the Find my iPhone App there, to erase it, and remove it from your account. iCloud: Remove your device from Find My iPhone

You can then use iTunes on a computer, to restore the iPhone to factory condition by following the steps here: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

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How do I Erase All Content and Settings without cellular or wifi?

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