Last Updated on August 21, 2025
Learn how to permanently erase data and settings from your iPhone storage to keep your personal information secure. Follow these steps to wipe your iPhone clean and start fresh.
If you’re planning to sell or give away your iPhone, or simply want to start fresh with a clean slate, it’s important to permanently erase all data and settings from your device. This guide will show you how to do it step-by-step, using your iPhone, a Mac, or a Windows PC. We’ll also provide some tips for backing up your data before erasing your iPhone, so you can restore it later if needed. Keep reading to learn how to wipe your iPhone clean and keep your personal information secure.
If you want to permanently erase all data and settings from your iPhone storage, you can follow these steps:
- Backup your iPhone: Before you erase your iPhone, make sure to backup all your important data to iCloud or your computer, so you can restore it later.
- Turn off Find My iPhone: You need to turn off Find My iPhone before you erase your device. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone, and toggle off the switch.
- Erase all data and settings: Go to Settings > General > Reset, and select Erase All Content and Settings. You will be asked to enter your passcode, and then confirm the erasure.
- Confirm the erasure: Once you confirm the erasure, the process will begin, and it may take several minutes to complete. Your iPhone will be reset to its factory settings, and all your data and settings will be permanently erased.
- Wait for the erasure to complete: Once the erasure is complete, your iPhone will restart and display the setup screen. You can set up your iPhone as a new device, or restore it from your backup.
Note that the data erased by this method is not recoverable, so make sure to backup all your important data before proceeding with the erasure.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- Launch iTunes or Finder (on macOS Catalina or later).
- Select your iPhone from the list of devices.
- Click on the “Restore iPhone” button.
- In the pop-up window, click on “Restore” again to confirm.
- Wait for iTunes or Finder to download and install the latest iOS software on your iPhone.
- When prompted, choose the option to set up your iPhone as new or restore from a backup.
This process will completely erase all data from your iPhone’s storage, including your apps, contacts, messages, and media files. It will also install the latest version of the iOS software on your device. The erasure is permanent and irreversible, so make sure to back up all your important data before proceeding with the process.