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Reset All Settings vs Erase All Content and Settings Guide
Your settings and data on iPhone needs to be managed by yourself. Read this guide Reset All Settings vs Erase All Content and Settings to choose the proper way.
By Dylan / Updated on July 14, 2023
Reset all settings Vs Erase all content and settings
I want to give my old iPhone 8 to my son, so what should I do to clear it. I found some options in Settings to reset my iPhone. Should I choose Reset All Settings or Erase All Content and Settings?
- Question from Apple Community
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There are many situations where you want to reset your iPhone settings or content. For example, after years of use, your iPhone may encounter some problems, you can factory settings your iPhone. If or want to sell your iPhone to others, you want to erase all personal data before selling.
Luckily, there are 2 options for resetting an iPhone: Reset All Settings, and Erase All Content and Settings. But lots of users don't know what the differences between "Reset All Settings" and "Erase All Content".
Refer to the following sections, which will demonstrate detailed information about the two operations. and help you to make the right decision.
Reset All Settings Vs Erase All Content and Setting: What should you choose?
Now you can read this part to know what how "Reset All Settings" and "Erase All Content and Settings" work, and you will know how to choose.
Section 1. What Does Reset All Settings do?
It literally means returning all the system settings on iPhone back to the status when it is manufactured. You can use most apps on iPhone as usual but sometimes you need to give permissions in Privacy Settings.
You might have noticed the option Reset Network Settings. It is used to fix some network issues like iOS update not connect to Internet. It is helpful, but the biggest problem is that this will let iPhone forget all the saved passwords of Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth connection history.
Why reset iPhone settings?
Reset All Settings could also fix other issues like iCloud backup stuck. If you have any problems with system issues, this could be a good solution.
But it is worth mentioning that the "Reset All Settings" option does everything that Reset Network Settings does. This would be terrible if you can’t remember the complicated passwords.
Section 2. What Happens When You Erase All Content and Settings?
If you select Erase All Content and Settings, it means you delete everything on iPhone including the settings and app data. This iPhone needs to be activated again then. It means you need to connect iPhone to Wi-Fi, sign in with your Apple ID, and then set up your iPhone like you get it for the first time.
Why choose "Erase All Content and Settings"?
Generally, there are 3 main reasons why people want to erase all data and settings on iPhone.
• Avoid data leakage before selling iPhone: When you have a new iPhone, you may want to sell your old device or give it to others. Completely deleting the data is necessary to avoid data being hacked by malicious intent.
• Free up iPhone storage: iPhone keeps increasing data every day. You may find your iPhone storage is full, you can delete content to make it fresh. To give insurance to your decision, you’d better backup iPhone to computer so that you could recover some useful information later.
• Restore iPhone backup: The third purpose of choosing to wipe your iPhone is to restore your iPhone from the previous iCloud backup. In fact, this is the only way to use your iCloud backup, because the option only appears after you set up iPhone.
If you feel that there are serious system problems or viruses on your iPhone, completely clean your iPhone in this way would save you from misgivings. What’s more, you could have other ways to remove iPhone data or rescue your iPhone.
Other ways to erase all content and settings on iPhone
Now you have known the difference between "Reset All Settings" and "Erase All Content and Settings". But sometimes, when you encounter some issue leading to malfunction, so you can reset it on your iPhone.
In addition, you should know that "Erase all content and settings" is the process of deleting all data, but it still has a chance to recover the deleted data. So here we would like to introduce another way to erase iPhone data.
Method 1. Erase iPhone data with iTunes
Some issues might stop you from erasing iPhone data on iPhone, but you could still do this on computer. iTunes would help you factory reset your iPhone on PC like you do that on iPhone. If you have an old iTunes backup, you could restore backup after setting up iPhone.
1. Download iTunes and connect iPhone to a computer with USB cable.
2. After the device icon appears in the upper-left corner, click it.
3. Click Restore iPhone to factory reset your iPhone.
Method 2. Completely wipe iPhone data with FoneTool (unable to recover)
FoneTool is a professional iOS eraser, which is able to completely wipe an iPhone data by overwriting the device. It is a common way to wipe an iPhone to avoid data recovery.
Besides, you can also use it to fix some unrepairable issues. It can help you to skip the setup guide, you can quickly use your iPhone.
Step 1. Download FoneTool and connect iPhone to computer with USB.
Step 2. Click Toolbox > Select Data Eraser on the home screen.
Step 2. Choose "Erase All Data".
Step 3. Check Automatically activate iPhone and ignore initial settings to quickly start using your iPhone later.
Step 4. Click the button Erase Data to clean your iPhone.
Conclusion
When you need to clear your iPhone, you might want to modify the settings or delete data. This guide gives you very useful advice to let you know Reset All Settings vs Erase All Content and Settings.
FoneTool is recommended because it erases your iPhone and protects your data at the same time.
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