Step by step guide to format your iPhone safely

Our iPhones run on the operating system that we update regularly for new features and improvements. This operating system is the framework that contains everything that our iPhone manages. Therefore, whether it is to resolve some errors or simply to sell or give away our old iPhone, it may be convenient for us to format our iPhone. Let’s see when and how to do it.

Format old iPhone to save it

The reasons for formatting our iPhone can be basically two. The first is that we want sell or give away the phone and we want to remove all settings, personal data and other information. A necessary step so that the recipient of our old iPhone can use it as their own. The second is that we need to correct an error with the system. This is a rare case, but it’s always nice to know that we have this resource to eliminate any irregularities. A very useful resource for older phones like iPhone 6, 6s, 7 and 8 with some major software updates already done.

Here it is important to say that it is not the same Clear content and settings from our iPhone Settings > General > Restore than to format it completely using a computer. Formatting iPhone with our Mac or PC removes the whole operating system and installs it again, so the process is more complete and efficient. Having said that, let’s see how to format our iPhone.

How to format our iPhone using a Mac with macOS Catalina or above

In macOS Catalina, Apple separated the iTunes app into three: Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV. He also moved the management of our iPhone to the app Finder, which is the one we will use for the restore. Before starting the restore process, we need to open the application Settings on our iPhone, tap our name at the top and choose Log out. Then the steps to follow are as follows:

1. We open the app Searcher on our Mac.
2. We connect the iPhone to the Mac.
3. If the message appears Trust this computer? We answer in the affirmative and enter the passcode of our iPhone.
4. We touch our iPhone in the Finder sidebar, under the section Pitches.
5. We click on Restore iPhone …
6. We play again on Restore to confirm.

After the process the iPhone will restart and display a big “Hello” on the screen. At this point we can set it up again if we want to keep using it or turn it off to sell or give it away.

How to format our iPhone using Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier or Windows PC

In case we want to use a Mac with macOS Mojave or an earlier operating system or a Windows PC we will use iTunes app to format iPhone. As before, we have to open the app Settings on our iPhone, tap our name at the top and choose Log out, then the exact steps to follow are as follows:

1. We open the app itunes on our Mac or PC.
2. We connect iPhone to Mac or PC.
3. If the message appears Trust this computer? We answer in the affirmative and enter the passcode of our iPhone.
4. We touch the button in the shape of an iPhone that appears in the upper left part of the window, just below Song.
5. We click on Restore iPhone …
6. We play again on Restore to confirm.

As before, the iPhone will go through the process, during which we cannot unplug it, and it will give us the option to set it as a new iPhone or turn it off when done.

Easy no? Restoring an iPhone, whether old or new, whether to correct a specific error or to give away or sell our old phone, always follows the same steps. A process that will leave it like the first day we released it, with no configuration, no personal files, no accounts, from the factory.