What does credentials mean

Means different things in different situations.

Exactly where/in what situation are you see the term?

Please quote the exact complete sentence with an explanation

of what you are trying to do when the term comes up.

You need to provide more information before someone may offer a solution.

It can mean different things.

Credentials for computers and Internet use can be for loging into a Website with your name, email, passwords and/or passcodes.

Creaditials can refer to needed online backing app info or banking info needed to determine who you are

Credentials can refer to personal info, like your name, address, social security number/driver's license info, passport info,

Credential can refer to anyone working for any company that needs special credentials to work there or public service departments, like police, fire, any type of government security personnel.

The word credentials have many different meanings, but generally refer to some sort of personal infor or credible and trusted identification information.

Proper meaning here.

Tap the link below.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/credentials

If you reset all settings, then ANY iOS/iPad settings and any app settings will need to be re-inputted

Your Apple ID and Apple ID password login info, passcodes, App Store purchasing data, Mail app settings, all sorts of various settings, like Notifications settings, third party app settings and/or login info settings , and the like, that were all reset to default, factory settings when you did the reset.

You have some work to do, now.

Best of Luck to You!