how to reset the iphone but keep the esim?

Hello fabphone,

To erase an iPhone and keep the eSIM service just go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Then follow the on screen prompts and when you get to the option to erase or keep the eSIM, select to keep it.

Erase iPhone

Restoring an iCloud backup to the device would bring back whatever data is stored in that backup. Here's more info on what a backup contains: What does iCloud back up?

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup

There is no such thing as spyware that affects the iOS operating system. Restoring a backup does not cause any sort of harm to the device.

Cheers!

mmsedlacek wrote:

Hi. Might be my first time of posting in the discussions for the iPhone. I have my dad's old iPhone that is a 6S Plus. It's got a valid "SIM" card or eCard and is working and paid for each month still.

I'd like to reset the phone to a default and erase all personal data except for the "eSIM" stuff which I think is the phone configuration.

Your post is a bit confusing as the iPHone 6S does not support an eSIM. It only supports a physical SIM card.

I'd end up with a phone where all the personal data is gone but it could still make calls I guess (eSIM).

You'll end up with a phone with all of the personal data gone and a physical, removable SIM. But, that should be fine.

I did read or hear that the iPhone doesn't really have a removable SIM card so this simulated setup (eSIM) simulates configuring a phone to make calls and texts.

eSIMs are only supported on the iPhone Xs or newer. In the U.S., the iPhone 14 series has no physical SIM slots. However, iPhone 14 series phones purchased in other parts of the world do have at least on physical slot.

Here is Apple's advice for what to do if you're preparing a phone to be sold, traded or given away:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

That should walk you through what you need to do.

mmsedlacek wrote:

Hi there IdrisSeabright. Thank you. I didn't know. So is the SIM removable? I've seen them on other phones and they seem to be easily removed. From your comments, I'm not sure what to do.

Yup, the SIM on an iPhone is just as easily removed as it is on other phones:

Remove or switch the SIM card in your iPhone - Apple Support

1)Hook up to iTunes on my Windows PC.

2) Special keys... I think these for the 6S Plus -> Phone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation), and iPod

touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Home and the

top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see

the recovery mode screen.

3) Choose Restore I believe on iTunes when it pops up.

4) I think this will download and install a new firmware version maybe.

It sounds as if you've gotten the instructions on how to put the phone into recovery mode. You don't need to do that. You just need to restore it to factory state:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

My apologies for not including that earlier.

But I'm not sure what to do about the SIM card. If I do the above steps will it keep the phone and text capability once I go through the initial configuration of the restored phone? Or do I pull out the SIM card before doing the above steps? I'm just not sure.

You don't need to do anything with the SIM if you plan on using that same number and cellular plan. Just leave it in place.

Hi. Might be my first time of posting in the discussions for the iPhone. I have my dad's old iPhone that is a 6S Plus. It's got a valid "SIM" card or eCard and is working and paid for each month still.

I'd like to reset the phone to a default and erase all personal data except for the "eSIM" stuff which I think is the phone configuration.

Once the reset is done, I do not want to install any personal data but I simply want to add in the WIFI router info and still be able to make a call. I'll go ahead and use his icloud account most likely to backup the data before doing this reset and to restore whatever firware or configurations it might load over what's on there now.

If I read this article correclty, it sounds like this is exactly what I want to do. I'd end up with a phone where all the personal data is gone but it could still make calls I guess (eSIM). I did read or hear that the iPhone doesn't really have a removable SIM card so this simulated setup (eSIM) simulates configuring a phone to make calls and texts. I just don't want to have to contact Apple to get it to that if I screw up.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you. Matt

Hi there IdrisSeabright. Thank you. I didn't know. So is the SIM removable? I've seen them on other phones and they seem to be easily removed. From your comments, I'm not sure what to do.

1)Hook up to iTunes on my Windows PC.

2) Special keys... I think these for the 6S Plus -> Phone 6s or earlier, including iPhone SE (1st generation), and iPod

touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Home and the

top (or side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see

the recovery mode screen.

3) Choose Restore I believe on iTunes when it pops up.

4) I think this will download and install a new firmware version maybe.

But I'm not sure what to do about the SIM card. If I do the above steps will it keep the phone and text capability once I go through the initial configuration of the restored phone? Or do I pull out the SIM card before doing the above steps? I'm just not sure.

Thank you

Hi again. Thank you for the help. I read both articles you inserted with links. I think the closest for me is the article called, "Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings". But looking at the prompt when you do this on iTunes (on a PC) it says that "...all of your media and other data will be erased." I'm ok with the photos, notes, contacts, etc being removed. I'm ok with the "settings" that my dad had made being removed.

The only thing I'm not sure of is the "SIM" and having confidence that once the phone is initialized through the initial settings, after the above procedure, that the phone and text messages will still work. So basically you are saying that I can erase all my media and settings, start up the phone again as if it was new and once I get to the app screens (initial setup is completed) the phone and texting should work? I think you've sort of said that ("It will be fine."), right? :-) At that point, if I don't touch the WIFI settings, I will have a phone that has the default apps on it but the only thing that will work is texting and phones because nothing was erased related to making the phone and Message (texting) apps work with the SIM card. Does that make sense? I understand your comment that the SIM card is "untouched" but is the firmware configuration that AT&T helped with related to communicating with or through the SIM card still functional? I think you are saying yes. I don't want to have to call AT&T or Apple to re-set up the phone/text part if I don't have to. Hence my ONLY hesitation is this little part. Thanks!

mmsedlacek wrote:

Hi again. Thank you for the help. I read both articles you inserted with links. I think the closest for me is the article called, "Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings". But looking at the prompt when you do this on iTunes (on a PC) it says that "...all of your media and other data will be erased." I'm ok with the photos, notes, contacts, etc being removed. I'm ok with the "settings" that my dad had made being removed.

Back up the phone first if you want to keep things.

The only thing I'm not sure of is the "SIM" and having confidence that once the phone is initialized through the initial settings, after the above procedure, that the phone and text messages will still work.

I worked for a major U.S. cellular carrier for 20 years. Yes, the phone and text messages will still work after this procedure.

So basically you are saying that I can erase all my media and settings, start up the phone again as if it was new and once I get to the app screens (initial setup is completed) the phone and texting should work?

Yes, it will still work.

I think you are saying yes. I don't want to have to call AT&T or Apple to re-set up the phone/text part if I don't have to. Hence my ONLY hesitation is this little part. Thanks!

Yes, I'm saying "yes". ;-)

For anyone else reading: We are discussing a physical SIM, not an eSIM. eSIMs work differently.

Ok then! I'll be giving it a try. I think the only thing I want to backup is the pictures and I just used a PC to drag and drop the photos in the DCIM folder(s) to a backup drive.

Thanks for your patience and help. I will give that a try. The plan is to give the phone to our grandson. It still works great and takes good pictures.

Thank you.

Matt

mmsedlacek wrote:

Ok then! I'll be giving it a try. I think the only thing I want to backup is the pictures and I just used a PC to drag and drop the photos in the DCIM folder(s) to a backup drive.

Thanks for your patience and help. I will give that a try. The plan is to give the phone to our grandson. It still works great and takes good pictures.

Please be sure to post back if you have any problems!