How to Reset iPhone: Soft, Hard, Factory Reset

There’s a moment every iPhone owner knows: the screen freezes, the app won’t close, and you’re left staring at a spinning wheel. Whether you’re dealing with a minor glitch or preparing to sell your phone, knowing how to reset your iPhone is essential.

iPhone models supported: iPhone 7 through iPhone 16 (and SE series) ·
Soft reset steps: 1 (press and hold side + volume buttons) ·
Force restart button sequence: Volume up, volume down, hold side (iPhone 8+) ·
Factory reset via Settings steps: 4 (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase)

Three reset methods, one clear distinction: data preservation.

The pattern: only one method deletes your data, making it critical to choose the right one for your situation.

How do I do a soft reset on my iPhone?

A soft reset — simply restarting the iPhone — is the safest first step when something feels off. It clears temporary memory without touching your data.

Steps for iPhone with Face ID (iPhone 8 and later)

• Press and hold either volume button and the side button simultaneously until the power-off slider appears.
• Drag the slider to turn off the phone.
• Wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears (Apple Support – official restart guide).

Steps for iPhone with Touch ID (iPhone 7, SE 2nd gen)

• Press and hold the top (or side) button until the slider appears.
• Drag the slider to power off.
• After 30 seconds, press and hold the top button to restart (Apple Support).

The implication: a soft reset is the lowest-risk action you can take. Use it before trying anything more drastic.

How do I force a hard reset?

When the screen is frozen and won’t respond to touch, a force restart can break the deadlock. It’s a hardware-level interrupt that doesn’t erase your data.

Force restart iPhone 8 and later

• Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
• Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
• Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears (about 10 seconds) (Apple Support – force restart guide).

Force restart iPhone 7 series

• Press and hold both the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake (side) button simultaneously.
• Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (Apple Support Communities).

Force restart iPhone 6s and earlier

• Press and hold both the Home button and the Top (or Side) button until the Apple logo appears (Apple Support – black screen troubleshooting).

The trade-off: a force restart can fix a frozen phone without losing data, but it’s not a solution for deeper software corruption.

How do I manually reset my iPhone? (Factory Reset via Settings)

A factory reset returns your iPhone to its out-of-the-box state, wiping all content, settings, and personal information. It’s the nuclear option, but sometimes necessary.

Back up before factory reset

• Use iCloud or a computer to back up your data first. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

Step-by-step in Settings

1. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Enter your device passcode when prompted.
4. Enter your Apple Account password to disable Activation Lock (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

What happens after erase

• The iPhone will restart and show the “Hello” setup screen.
• If you kept the eSIM, it remains active; if you erased it, you’ll need to contact your carrier to reactivate (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

The pattern: a factory reset is the only method that demands preparation. Without a backup, your photos, messages, and apps are gone permanently.

Can I factory reset my iPhone with just buttons?

Yes, but not alone — you’ll need a computer. Button-only resets put the iPhone into special modes that require iTunes or Finder to complete the erase.

Using Recovery Mode

• Connect iPhone to a computer.
• For iPhone 8 and later: press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side until the recovery mode screen appears.
• For iPhone 7: hold Volume Down + Sleep/Wake.
• On the computer, choose “Restore” to erase and reinstall iOS (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

Using DFU Mode

• DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is a deeper restore that doesn’t load the bootloader.
• For iPhone 8+: press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side for 10 seconds, then keep holding Side while pressing Volume Down for 5 seconds more, then release Side but keep holding Volume Down until the screen is black.
• Not all scenarios require DFU; use it only if Recovery Mode fails (Digital Trends – iPhone reset guide).

When to use each method

• Recovery Mode: standard for most factory reset situations when the iPhone won’t boot.
• DFU Mode: last resort for bricked devices or when a standard restore fails.

The trade-off: button-only methods are more powerful but require a computer and a cable. They’re not for casual use.

How do I reset my iPhone to a new user?

If you’re selling or giving away your iPhone, a factory reset alone isn’t enough — you must sign out of your Apple ID first to remove Activation Lock.

Sign out of Apple ID and iCloud

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out.
• Enter your Apple ID password to turn off Find My iPhone.
• Choose “Keep a copy” of your data if you want to back it up locally (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

Erase all content and settings

• After signing out, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
• Confirm the erase. The iPhone will restart and be ready for a new owner.

Prepare for new owner

• After the reset, the iPhone will show the “Hello” screen in multiple languages.
• No Activation Lock prompt should appear — if it does, you didn’t sign out of iCloud properly.

The implication: a successful transfer to a new user depends on one simple step — turning off Find My iPhone. Without it, the factory reset is incomplete.

Clarity: Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

After reviewing the research, here’s what we know for sure and what remains open.

Confirmed facts

• Force restart for iPhone 8 and later: Volume Up, Volume Down, hold Side until Apple logo (Apple Support – force restart guide).
• Factory reset path: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings (Apple Support – factory reset guide).
• Soft reset does not delete any data (Apple Support – official restart guide).
• eSIM may be erased during factory reset; carrier reactivation required (Apple Support – factory reset guide).

What’s unclear

• Exact button combinations for unreleased iPhone 17 models.
• Whether DFU mode is necessary for all factory reset scenarios — Apple’s documentation doesn’t clarify.

Expert perspectives

“If your iPhone is frozen or unresponsive, a force restart should be used instead of a normal restart.”

Apple Support – official iPhone restart guide

“A factory reset returns the iPhone to an out-of-the-box state by wiping all content, settings, and personal information.”

Digital Trends – iPhone reset guide

For anyone selling their iPhone, the choice is clear: sign out of iCloud, perform a factory reset, and ensure the new owner can set up without issues. Skip the sign-out step, and you’ve handed over a locked device.

Related reading: How to Scan With iPhone

Frequently asked questions