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Does erasing all content and settings prevent people from being able to still access your private information if you sell your phone?

Is was searching through trying to find if you can delete messages from spotlight search permanently without just unchecking them, then I found that all personal data can be recovered if someone gets your device even if you want to sell it. Is this true? And if so how can you erase them permanently?

iOS 6.1.4

Posted on Jul 25, 2013 1:14 PM

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Posted on Jul 25, 2013 1:21 PM

Erasing all Content and Settings or Restoring the device as new via iTunes wipes ALL data from the phone. The only people who can retrieve that data are very determined hackers who have specialized equipment that costs quite a bit of money (and the police).


Plus they wouldn't be able to get anything that would put your identity at risk. Your Apple ID would still require your password, your credit card information wouldn't show up in the iTunes or App Store (even if they could guess your password to get to that point), and unless you regularly text or email your social security number they wouldn't be able to get that either.


Not to mention that they would have to have your email password to recover the emails.


So don't worry, erasing all content and settings or restoring as new will prevent people from stealing your identity.

17 replies

May 5, 2014 7:56 PM in response to AAN2

is it possible to Recover data from an ipad after performing an "Erase All Content and Settings" operation? I got a new iPad as a gift from a close family member. He used iCloud to transfer everything from my old iPad to the new one. Then, he wiped using the erase all contents so it could be resold. Problem is, six months of work in iAnnotate did not get transferred. The fault is entirely mine for not having an alternate backup system since iAnnotate doesn't do iCloud and only recently added Dropbox.


But I am desperate to recover six months of hard work and would like to find out who can rebuild the encryption so the data can be recovered.

Sep 20, 2014 2:26 AM in response to Fleurynpens

is it possible to Recover data from an ipad after performing an "Erase All Content and Settings" operation? I got a new iPad as a gift from a close family member. He used iCloud to transfer everything from my old iPad to the new one. Then, he wiped using the erase all contents so it could be resold. Problem is, six months of work in iAnnotate did not get transferred. The fault is entirely mine for not having an alternate backup system since iAnnotate doesn't do iCloud and only recently added Dropbox.

If you delete your data only by clicking the deletion button, I promises it is still be recoverable by from iOS data recovery app. Simple deletion is not enough. Safewiper offers the most effective and safest data protection solution available by permanently wiping all personal data from the device and resetting system setting with just one click.


Guide: How to erase data from iPad, iPhone without recovery:

http://www.safewiper.com/tutorials/ipad-data-eraser.html

Does erasing all content and settings prevent people from being able to still access your private information if you sell your phone?

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