How do I Reset my iPhone without losing everything?

Resetting iPhone without losing data is possible by performing a reset that doesn't erase your content, such as settings reset, or by backing up your iPhone before a full reset. Here's how to do it step by step.

Firstly, you can reset your iPhone's settings without affecting your personal data. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Here, you can select "Reset All Settings." This action resets system settings like Wi-Fi networks and passwords, privacy settings, and wallpaper to their defaults, but your personal data, such as apps, photos, and music, remains untouched.

If you're looking to give your iPhone a fresh start while keeping your personal data safe, backing up your device before performing a factory reset is crucial. Use iCloud or iTunes to back up your iPhone. For iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. For iTunes, connect your iPhone to a computer, open iTunes, select your device, and click "Back Up Now."

After backing up your data, you can proceed with the factory reset by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. This will remove all personal data, apps, and settings from your iPhone, making it like new. However, since you've created a backup, you can restore your data during the iPhone setup process by choosing to restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup.

Finally, after the factory reset, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone. When you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, select "Restore from iCloud Backup" or "Restore from iTunes Backup" depending on your backup method. Sign in with your Apple ID and choose the most recent backup to restore your data to your iPhone. This way, you can reset your iPhone without losing your personal information and data.

Ah, the good ol' "reset iPhone without losing everything" iPhone dilemma. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Here's how I managed to pull it off:

1. Backup, backup, backup: First things first, I made sure to back up my iPhone. I didn't want to risk losing any precious photos, messages, or apps. So, I hooked it up to iTunes or iCloud and let it do its thing.

2. Settings, here I come: Next stop, the Settings app on my iPhone. It's like the control center of the whole shebang.

3. General, let's get serious: Once I was in Settings, I scrolled down and tapped on "General". That's where all the heavy-duty stuff hangs out.

4. Tap that Reset button: Keep on scrolling until you see "Reset". It's like the big red button that says, "Press me if you dare." So, I dared and tapped on it.

5. Choose your reset method: Here's the crucial part. I opted for "Erase All Content and Settings". Sounds scary, I know, but stick with me.

6. Confirmation time: My iPhone wasn't about to let me do something this drastic without a confirmation. So, I entered my passcode and said, "Yep, let's do this."

7. Wait for it: Cue the suspenseful music as my iPhone went into reset mode. The screen went dark, the Apple logo appeared, and I held my breath.

8. Hello, setup screen: After what felt like an eternity (but was probably just a few minutes), my iPhone greeted me with the setup screen. It was like meeting an old friend after a long journey.

9. Restore from backup: This is where the magic happened. I chose the option to restore from my backup, selected the latest one I'd made, and let my iPhone work its magic.

10. Sit back and relax: With a sigh of relief, I watched as my iPhone sprung back to life, complete with all my apps, photos, and messages intact. Crisis averted!

And that, my friend, is how I reset iPhone without losing everything. It's a bit nerve-wracking, sure, but with the right backup and a steady hand, you can pull it off like a pro.

What about the part where it says my apple cards, etc. will all be deleted??? I use my apple card for all of my online purchases - will it disappear? Will it come back with the restore from back up?

Regarding your data…

1. If you have an iCloud or iTunes latest backup, then there is nothing to worry about. Just restore from it, else...
2. If You have synced your data to iCloud, then what you will get back is what you have synced to iCloud and uploaded to iCloud Drive;
   1. The information that is synced and stored in iCloud, like Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Mail*, Notes, Voice Memos, Messages*, shared photos, iCloud Photos*, Health data*, call history*, and files* you store in iCloud Drive.
   2. *-If you had turned on Messages in iCloud, iCloud Photos, Mail, Health data, call history under iCloud, and files you store in iCloud Drive your content is automatically stored in iCloud and is available on all devices that use the same Apple ID
3. You have imported your Photos & Videos to Mac/PC then they are safely residing there on Mac/PC
4. You have uploaded some of it to Cloud Drives using the Files app (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox, Flickr, box, AmazonDrive, Adobe Creative Cloud etc). The data remains there.
5. If you have not backed up or do not have the latest backup, nor imported nor you have synced or uploaded your data to cloud drives prior to the situation that you are in, then I am sorry, all your data is lost.

To reset iPhone without losing everything, you need to create a backup before resetting. Here are the steps to reset iPhone:

1.Back up your iPhone: You can back up your iPhone using iCloud or iTunes. To back up via iCloud, go to "Settings" > "iCloud" > "iCloud Backup" > "Back Up Now." To back up via iTunes, connect your iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, and select "Back Up Now."

2.Turn off Find My iPhone: Go to "Settings" > "iCloud" > "Find My iPhone" and turn it off.

3.Reset iPhone without losing everything: Go to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Erase All Content and Settings."

4.Restore your iPhone from backup: Once the reset is complete, follow the on-screen prompts to set up your iPhone. When prompted, select "Restore from iCloud Backup" or "Restore from iTunes Backup," depending on your backup method.

5.Wait for the restore to complete: This process may take time depending on the size of your backup. Ensure that your iPhone remains connected to the Wi-Fi during the process.

Once the restore process is complete, your iPhone will be restored to the backup you created, and you will have access to all your data and settings just like before. It's essential to remember that resetting your iPhone erases all data, passwords, and settings; hence it's crucial to have a backup before the reset.

To reset iPhone without losing everything, the first step is to back up your device to iCloud. To do this, ensure your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Then, go to "Settings," tap on your name at the top, and select "iCloud." Scroll down to "iCloud Backup" and make sure it's turned on. Finally, tap "Back Up Now" to start the backup process. Ensure your device stays connected to Wi-Fi during this process to avoid any interruptions.

Once your iPhone's data is securely backed up to iCloud, you can proceed with the reset process. To reset your iPhone, go back to "Settings," then "General," and scroll down to find "Reset." Tap on "Erase All Content and Settings." If prompted, enter your device's passcode or Apple ID password. Confirm that you want to erase the device. Your iPhone will then begin the reset process, which can take a few minutes to complete. After the reset, the iPhone will restart as if it were new, with no personal data on it.

After resetting your iPhone, you'll have the option to restore your data during the setup process. When reaching the "Apps & Data" screen, select "Restore from iCloud Backup," and sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID. Choose the most recent backup to ensure all your latest data is restored to your device. Following these steps will allow you to reset your iPhone without losing your personal information, keeping your data safe and sound while giving your iPhone a fresh start.

Everything on your phone will be deleted during a factory reset.

Everything will be restored if you have a current backup.

But, the first question here might be why you feel that you need to erase your phone.

If you are unsure of your abilities with a reset and restore, an authorized Apple service shop can really help here. You can find a list of authorized shops in your area using this link:

Find Locations

Striana2006 wrote:

Lost it and then found it 5 years ago want to recover data

OK. So what’s your question?

If you can’t remember the passcode or the device has been disabled, any data that was on it that wasn’t backed up or stored elsewhere is gone.

txsunshine49 wrote:

I have an iPhone 13 and 14 Pro that are both locked with a Phone Unavailable message on front. I don’t know the Apple ID or password. Anyone know how?

You don't! The Apple ID should not be difficult to find since most people have a limited number of email addresses that they would use. To help with finding the ID that you may have used, follow this support article.

If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support

After that, you will need to do is reset the password on the Apple ID.

Do you know if it is possible to selectively restore data? I would like a clean sweep. I want to keep all my photos and all my contacts already live on Google cloud so I’m fine there. I just want to clean out all the apps upon apps upon apps, and then selectively re-download ones that I go looking for. So it’s more of a declutter operation, than a pure backup and restore. Any guidance?

thanks 🙏🏻

I have an iPhone 13 and 14 Pro that are both locked with a Phone Unavailable message on front. I don’t know the Apple ID or password. Anyone know how?

The phone(s) are going to be useless unless the correct Apple ID and Password used to originally set up the phone are known.

An Apple ID is almost always an email address

Find Locations

phone needs reset n

Tap Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings

Lost it and then found it 5 years ago want to recover data