Erase everything on iPhone. How to delete data from iphone. How to delete everything from iPhone. Other erasing methods

If you're selling or giving away your iPhone, it's best to erase all personal data from it. Firstly, you need to provide the buyer with a clean iPhone "as from the store." So that the new owner himself chooses which applications to download, which sites to bookmark, which social networks to register on, and so on. Secondly, a lot of personal information is stored on phones: browser history, passwords, bank card number. You can erase all data manually, but it will take a long time. What if you forget to delete something important? It's easier to figure out how to prepare an iPhone for sale, and quickly clean it up.

If you have important correspondence, records in the game, passwords or notes saved on your iPhone, you need to make a backup copy of them. To then download it to a new gadget.

iTunes on a computer

  1. Connect the device to the computer using a USB cable;
  2. Wait until the PC detects the presence of the gadget;
  3. If iTunes doesn't start automatically, open it manually. If you have another utility installed for working with Apple products, use it;
  4. The program will synchronize devices for some time;
  5. Click on the iPhone image at the top left;
  6. Go to the "Overview" tab;
  7. In the "Automatically create copies" section, click "Create". Before that, choose where to put the data: on a computer or in iCloud;
  8. Subsequently, you can transfer the information to the new iPhone. To do this, you will need to click on the "Restore from a copy" button (do not confuse it with just "Restore");
  9. Additionally, you need to save the purchased content. To do this, go to File - Purchases - Move purchases. So you can transfer purchased applications, music and videos to another device.

Without a computer

You can copy your data before selling the gadget without connecting to a computer. You need a Wi-Fi connection and a stable internet connection.

  1. Put the gadget to charge so that the battery does not run out during copying;
  2. Open settings;
  3. Sign in to iCloud
  4. Section "Backup";
  5. Move the "Backup" switch;
  6. Confirm the action. You will need to enter your Apple account password.

Sales preparation

Before selling the device, you must turn off all paired gadgets, exit all applications and turn off all networks.

Applications and Devices

  1. In the settings, go to the tab "Bluetooth";
  2. If there is something in the My Devices list, it must be cleared. To do this, tap on the "i" icons next to each item and select the "Forget" item.

If you have an Apple Watch, you should unplug that too.

  1. Put them next to the iPhone;
  2. On the iPhone itself, open the Apple Watch app;
  3. Section "My watch";
  4. Choose a model;
  5. Click on "i";
  6. Tap "Break Pair";
  7. Confirm the action. You may need to enter a password.

The same can be done in the watch menu:

  1. Go to Settings - General;
  2. Open the "Reset" subsection;
  3. Click Erase.

To prepare the device for transfer, you need to log out of some Apple applications. Through the options, go to the "Messages" ("iMessage") and "FaceTime" menu. In each section, turn off the toggle switch.

It will also be useful to log out of all applications in which you have accounts. Of course, if you clear the entire iOS system before selling, there will be no information about saved passwords on the iPhone. But you can also make sure.

iCloud and AppStore

To prepare the iPhone, you need to disconnect all Apple accounts from it.

Go to settings and open iCloud.

Scroll down the menu.

Click Sign Out (or Delete Account).

This will erase the information that was related to the iCloud storage (photos, documents, notes). She stays in the cloud. You can access it if you sign in to your profile on other devices.

  1. Now open the "App Store" section in the settings;
  2. Click Sign Out.

The new host will not be able to download or purchase apps using your account.

Reset parameters

Here's how to clean iPhone before selling and factory reset.

Via iTunes:

  1. Connect your device to PC. Open iTunes;
  2. Click on the iPhone icon;
  3. Go to the "Overview" tab;
  4. Click on the "Restore" button (do not confuse with "Restore from a copy");
  5. Confirm the action;
  6. Wait for the program to reset the settings.

Through the iPhone itself, the memory can be cleared like this:

  1. Go to settings;
  2. Tab "Basic";
  3. Click "Reset";
  4. Tap on "Erase content and settings";
  5. Confirm and wait.

If you no longer have an iPhone

If you gave away your iPhone and forgot to erase it, don't worry. At least the Apple ID can be unpinned.

  1. Go to the iCloud website;
  2. Enter your registration data;
  3. Press the green "Search" button;
  4. A map will appear. It will display the location of the gadget to which your login is attached. It will look like a dot;
  5. Click on it. A window will pop up with the "Delete" option.

The user ID will be unhooked.

When transferring your iPhone, it's best to reset it to factory settings. To prevent the new owner from using your personal information for personal gain. Now you know how to delete everything from an iPhone before selling it.

The question posed in the title, how to delete a deleted item from an iPhone, seems strange only to those people who have never used Apple technology and are not at all worried about this. The owners of "apple" devices are well aware that even if you erase photos or messages from the smartphone's memory, they still remain available, temporarily or permanently.

On the one hand, such storage allows you to correct a mistake: for example, you accidentally cleaned albums with photos, and then noticed that several important pictures were missing. On the other hand, the iPhone's memory is not rubber, and not completely erased SMS can cause an unpleasant situation, so it's better to learn how to properly clean your phone from unnecessary files.

How to Delete Deleted Items from iPhone

Complete removal of photos

Along with the update to iOS 8 in 2014, a new folder appeared on Apple's smartphone called "Recently Deleted". Of course, there were more changes, but it was this addition that made life difficult for users who could not understand why, after deleting pictures, there was no more space on the phone.

It's been two years since the album was added, but some iPhone owners continue to be surprised to learn that now the procedure for destroying photos has been split into two separate procedures.

There are three options for interacting with snapshots:

  • Tap "Select" in the right corner and check those images that you want to permanently delete.
  • Click "Delete All" to completely clear the album.
  • Select "Restore All" to return the snapshots to their original location.

Only after clearing the "Recently Deleted" album can we say that the images have been deleted from iPhone memory. You can not clear the album manually, but simply wait until the photo storage time expires. Each image lies in memory after deletion for 30 days, after which it is automatically erased.

Erase SMS without leaving traces

Another serious problem is the display of messages that you have erased. It looks something like this:

  1. You delete an SMS that you do not need.
  2. Launch the built-in Spotlight search and write the word that was in the SMS.
  3. You see the deleted message in the search results.

Only the first line is displayed, but this is also enough to conclude that the SMS has not actually disappeared, but is stored somewhere in the bowels of the iPhone. How to get rid of this scourge?

Instead of shutting down the app, you can run Check Result: Messages should no longer appear when searching for a word in Spotlight. If you are very worried about the content of the SMS, then you can turn on the paranoia to the maximum and make a backup copy after deleting the messages. In this case, you will be sure that if you restore the iPhone from a copy, then unnecessary messages will not come back.

Complete destruction of data

If you are going to sell the iPhone, then simply deleting the data will not be the best method of pre-sale preparation of the device. To prevent the new owner from recovering any information, you need to perform a settings and content reset.

The procedure will have to be confirmed twice: the system must make sure that you really want to destroy the information. If Turn On iPhone is enabled in Settings, you'll need to enter your Apple ID key to unlock Activation Lock.

After disabling the function, an apple will appear on the screen, which will hang until the files are destroyed. The procedure lasts from 2 to 15 minutes depending on the amount of data. The phone is cleaned, you can give it to another person.

Remember that by creating a backup, you save almost all the information that was on the iPhone to your computer or cloud storage. Accordingly, if you restore from a backup, then the deleted data will return to the place where you erased it from. If you want to forget about the erased information forever, then update or delete backups after clearing the smartphone's memory.

Devices from Apple do not lose popularity and in the "used" state. But in order not to get into trouble with personal pictures or private correspondence leaked to the network, you need to know how to delete everything from an iPhone before selling it. After all, each phone is tightly integrated with other services of the company, it will not work just like that. In the worst case, you may lose all contacts and other data that was placed in iCloud. Therefore, to save your nerves, we will analyze step by step what needs to be done and how to correctly delete information from your iPhone (the model does not affect, you can also 4, 5, 5s, 6, and 7) before selling.

Disable smartwatch from iPhone

According to the manufacturer's recommendation, the first thing to do before any removals is to unpair the iPhone from the Apple Watch before selling it. To perform the procedure, bring the devices to each other, otherwise it may not work. Then follow in sequence:

The system will ask for confirmation. After that, a backup of the watch settings will be automatically created, and then the pairing information will be deleted.

Note: For more information on how to clean the watch itself, see Apple Help: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204568

Backup smartphone before sale

Before you erase the contents of the iPhone's memory and its settings before selling, it is imperative to back up. If something goes wrong in one of the following steps, you can reverse the process and start over. Yes, and to transfer the settings to a new device, you need a fresh copy of the data. Let's start:

The process may be delayed if a long time has passed since the last synchronization. Before selling, make sure it has ended and the copy date has been updated before completely cleaning your iPhone.

The alternative is to use iTunes. Again, this must be done before resetting the iPhone before selling. The procedure will be as follows:


If you forgot the password to your Apple ID and by entering it incorrectly brought it to blocking, and you didn’t make copies before, there’s nothing left but to reset your iPhone to factory settings. Detailed instructions are in the official help ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306 ). Consider how to reset an iPhone before selling it without a password and login using the 7th model as an example:


Account deactivation

Now let's figure out how to unlink the used Apple ID from your iPhone before selling. If iOS on the device has been updated to 10.3 or later, then everything is done in just a couple of clicks. Open the subsection of your ID in the settings menu, then find the "Log out" button and click on it. The system will ask for a password, after which it remains to click on the shutdown confirmation.

But in older versions of the OS, the method of how to untie iCloud and other services from an iPhone before selling is somewhat different:


Important: do not try to delete all contacts from your iPhone 4, 5, 5s, 6 at once without first disconnecting from the cloud and logging out of your account, as you will simply lose them. All necessary cleaning will be carried out by following this instruction.

Deleting information via phone

After logging out of your accounts, before selling, you need to delete the data from your still iPhone, since there is no need to leave them to the new owner. Without leaving the settings, go to the main section. In it, select reset, and then specify the erasing of content and settings.


If you previously activated Find My iPhone, you will need to confirm the action by entering your Apple ID password. Likewise, if a password has been set on the device or to restrict actions, the system will prompt for it. Please note that performing these steps is not the same as clearing the cache, because the data on the iPhone will be completely erased.

Jailbreak, unbinding from the operator

If the device was tied to a telecom operator, then it may be necessary to unlock it (from the English unlock) and, if necessary, perform a jailbreak. Keep in mind that both of these actions require at least minimal experience, so it's best not to do them at random. If possible, contact a specialist (but not Apple).

polishing

Take care of the appearance of the smartphone: gently wipe the case with a damp but well-wrung soft cloth. Speakers/microphones can be cleaned with a toothbrush and Q-tip - just don't get them wet! Connectors can be gently cleaned with a toothpick.

Cleanup if you no longer have the phone

Have you sold your phone and suddenly remembered that you didn't delete data from it? Correct the situation immediately:

  • contact the buyer and ask him to perform manual cleaning;
  • use remote wipe through Find My iPhone or iCloud (you need the service to be activated earlier).

If both options are not suitable, at least change the password to your account. Then the new user will not be able to change or delete your data from the cloud. Also disable the cards linked to the device via Apple Pay.

Today, many people want to sell the iPhone. They do this for various reasons. Some users need funds to buy some device or something completely different. At the same time, people who are disappointed in the device often want to sell a smartphone.

If you want, for example, to sell your iPhone, you must first delete all information

Regardless of the reason, every such person needs to know how to delete everything from an iPhone so that their personal photos, data, and more do not fall into the wrong hands. Find out on our portal how delete photos from iphone or delete music from iPhone separately.

To implement the plans, you need to use the only correct way.

Delete information from iPhone

This method is implemented when the phone is in the hands of the user. However, you must first disconnect your Apple device from your iCloud account. This action is performed if the device is controlled by iOS 10 or a newer OS version.

So, the owner of the phone will have to carry out the following operations:

  • Disconnect from the Watch if it has been paired before.
  • Take care of backing up your data.
  • Sign out not only from iCloud, but also from the AppStore and iTunes.

Note! At this stage, for iOS 10.3 or a newer version of the OS, you must first open "Settings", and then find the "Sign Out" item. Then you need to enter your Apple ID password and tap on the "Turn off" button.

If a person’s device is controlled by iOS 10.2 or an older version of the OS, then in this case a section called “Settings” opens.

Then iCloud is selected, and then the "Exit" button is pressed. After that, you need to tap on it again, which will allow you to activate the "Delete from [device]" key. Next, you will need to enter your Apple ID password. Then you need to open "Settings" again and select the "iTunes Store and App Store" section.

Then you will need to specify your Apple ID and only after that click on the "Log out" button.

  • On the settings screen, select the "Basic" section. Then go to "Reset" and press the key that says "Erase content and settings."

Select Reset from the smartphone menu

  • This may require you to enter an ID, as well as provide a password if you have previously activated Find My iPhone.
  • If necessary, specify the device password and restriction passcode. After that, be sure to tap on the "Erase [device]" button.

Reset all data from your smartphone

  • Contact your mobile operator to help you switch services to another owner of the device.
    Such, at first glance, a complicated instruction will help get rid of all personal information on a popular Apple device. After that, it can be safely sold or given to another person for use.
  1. Launch the Photos app and tap Albums → All Photos.
  2. Scroll to the very bottom of the album and click "Select" in the upper right corner.
  3. Swipe from the photo in the lower left corner to the last photo in the same row on the right. Then, without lifting your touch, swipe up until you have selected all the images. They will stand out in rows, which will speed up the process.
  4. Click on the trash icon in the lower right corner and confirm the deletion.

After that, the pictures will be moved to the Recently Deleted album, from where the system will permanently delete them within 40 days. You can go into this album and delete everything manually at any time by clicking "Select" → "Delete All". Or you can restore: for this you will need to click "Select" → "Restore All".

Using Image Capture on Mac


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  1. via USB and start Image Capture. This utility can be quickly found through Spotlight search on Mac.
  2. On the left panel of Image Capture, click on the iPhone icon.
  3. Wait until the pictures are displayed on the right side of the window, and select them using the Cmd + A combination.
  4. Click on the round red icon in the lower left corner and confirm the deletion.
  5. When the pictures disappear from Image Capture, you can turn off the iPhone - they will no longer be on it either.

Using File Explorer on a Windows PC

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB and go to File Explorer.
  2. Double-click the iPhone icon in File Explorer and navigate to the DCIM subfolder. If there is no smartphone icon in File Explorer, install iTunes and log in to the program using your Apple ID.
  3. Open subfolders inside DCIM, select pictures inside them and delete them.
  4. When you're done, the photos you deleted on your computer will disappear from your iPhone.

By resetting iPhone to factory settings

If you want to delete pictures before selling the unit, this is the best method. Resetting the device will remove all pictures and other personal data from the device, after which you can safely transfer the device to a new owner. Ours will help you reset your iPhone in a few minutes.