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Settingly

Restart, recovery, backup, and transfer

Erase All Content and Settings

Most people call this wiping the phone completely.

This removes everything and returns the iPhone to the state it was in out of the box, which is what you do before selling or giving it away.

Available

This setting is present on your iPhone.

  • We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.

Where to find it - iOS 15 and later

  1. Settings
  2. General
  3. Transfer or Reset iPhone
  4. Erase All Content and Settings

What it does

All data, apps and settings are removed and the encryption key is destroyed. Activation Lock is cleared if you sign out of your Apple Account properly during the process.

What changes

When it is on

Not applicable. This is a one time action.

When it is off

Not applicable.

Should you turn it on?

Battery

No real change

Privacy

Helps

Performance

No real change

Cellular data

No real change

Storage

Helps

Out of the box: Never runs by itself.

Can cause real problems

Where this setting used to live

Apple moves settings between releases. This is every location we have on file.

  1. iOS 15 and later

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

  2. iOS 4 to iOS 14

    Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings

Questions people actually ask

How do I wipe my iPhone before selling it?
Back up, then Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings, and follow the prompts to sign out.

If it is not working

  • Back up first, and confirm the backup completed before erasing.
  • iOS offers a fresh iCloud Backup as part of the flow.
  • Signing out of your Apple Account removes Activation Lock. Without that, the next owner cannot use the phone.

Related settings