Reset All Settings vs Factory Reset: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between reset all settings vs factory reset on your iPhone can save you from accidentally deleting irreplaceable photos, messages, and files.

Your iPhone offers two reset options that sound similar but work very differently. One wipes your settings while keeping your data safe. The other erases everything and returns your device to factory condition.

In this article:

What Reset All Settings Does

Reset All Settings restores your iPhone’s system preferences to their default state without touching your personal content. When you use this option, iOS resets preferences like Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections, wallpaper, home screen layout, keyboard settings, privacy settings, and notification preferences.

Your photos, contacts, messages, apps, and app data remain completely untouched. After resetting, you’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi networks, re-pair Bluetooth devices, and adjust system preferences again, but you won’t lose a single photo or message.

This option takes a few minutes to complete. Your iPhone restarts during the process, and when it powers back on, all your content appears exactly as it was.

What Factory Reset Does

Factory reset, officially called Erase All Content and Settings, performs a complete wipe of your device. This option removes everything from your iPhone, including all photos, videos, messages, contacts, apps, app data, saved passwords, health data, and system settings. After the reset completes, your iPhone returns to the state it was in when you first took it out of the box.

The process permanently deletes all personal information. Modern iPhones use hardware encryption, which means erasing the device also destroys the encryption keys that protect your data. Without these keys, recovering the deleted information becomes virtually impossible, even with specialized recovery software.

A factory reset can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data your iPhone stores. The device restarts multiple times during the process.

When to Reset All Settings Instead of Factory Reset

Use Reset All Settings when your iPhone experiences software issues that don’t require deleting your data. This option works well for several situations.

If your Wi-Fi constantly disconnects or won’t connect to networks you’ve used before, resetting settings often fixes these connection problems. Bluetooth pairing issues with headphones, speakers, or your car also frequently resolve after a settings reset.

When apps behave strangely but reinstalling them doesn’t help, the problem might lie in corrupted system preferences. Resetting settings can restore normal app behavior.

If your iPhone feels sluggish and you’ve tried other troubleshooting steps, resetting settings sometimes improves performance by clearing out accumulated configuration issues.

Privacy concerns about which apps have access to your location, camera, or microphone can be addressed by resetting settings, which revokes all app permissions and lets you grant them fresh.

After an iOS update, if your device acts differently or certain features stop working correctly, a settings reset often resolves these compatibility issues without requiring a full restore.

When You Need a Factory Reset

Factory reset your iPhone when you face serious problems that other troubleshooting can’t fix, or when you need to prepare the device for a new owner.

If your iPhone crashes frequently, freezes on the lock screen, or gets stuck in boot loops, a factory reset might be necessary. These severe software issues often require starting fresh.

Before selling, trading in, or giving away your iPhone, always factory reset it. This protects your privacy by ensuring the new owner can’t access your personal information, saved passwords, payment methods, or private messages.

When switching to a new iPhone and no longer need your old device, factory reset it to free up your iCloud storage from its backup and remove it from your Apple ID.

If you forgot your iPhone passcode and have no way to unlock it, factory reset through recovery mode becomes your only option to regain access to the hardware.

Sometimes iOS updates cause persistent problems that basic troubleshooting can’t resolve. A factory reset followed by a fresh iOS installation can eliminate corrupted system files.

How to Reset All Settings on iPhone

Open the Settings app and tap General. Scroll down to Transfer or Reset iPhone and select it. You’ll see several reset options. Tap Reset All Settings.

Your iPhone prompts you to enter your passcode. Enter it and confirm that you want to reset settings. The device restarts automatically after a minute or two.

When your iPhone powers back on, you’ll notice your wallpaper has changed to the default, your Wi-Fi networks need reconnecting, and system preferences have returned to factory defaults. All your apps, photos, and data remain exactly where they were.

How to Factory Reset Your iPhone

Before starting, back up your iPhone to iCloud or your computer. This step is critical if you want to keep your data.

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Select iCloud and scroll down to Sign Out. This removes your Apple ID from the device and disables Find My iPhone, both required before erasing.

After signing out, go back to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

If you skipped signing out of iCloud, iOS prompts you to enter your Apple ID password now. Enter it to proceed.

Your iPhone asks you to confirm the erase. Tap Erase iPhone and enter your passcode if requested. The device begins the reset process, which can take 10 to 30 minutes.

During the reset, your iPhone displays a progress bar and may restart several times. Don’t interrupt this process by turning off the device or pressing buttons. When finished, your iPhone shows the Hello screen as if it were brand new.

What Stays and What Goes

Understanding exactly what each option affects helps you choose correctly.

Reset All Settings Keeps:

All photos and videos
All messages and call history
All apps and app data
All contacts and calendars
All saved passwords
All downloaded music and files
All Health and Activity data

Reset All Settings Removes:

Wi-Fi network passwords
Bluetooth paired devices
Wallpaper and home screen layout
Privacy and location permissions
Notification settings
Keyboard dictionary
Display and brightness settings
All other system preferences

Factory Reset Removes Everything:

All personal data and media
All apps and their data
All settings and preferences
All accounts and passwords
Everything on the device

A factory reset leaves your iPhone exactly as it came from Apple, with only iOS installed and no personal information remaining.

Before You Factory Reset

Take these steps before performing a factory reset to avoid losing important data and to ensure the process goes smoothly.

Back up your iPhone to iCloud or your computer. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now for iCloud backup. For computer backup, connect your iPhone and use Finder on Mac or iTunes on Windows.

Verify your backup completed successfully. Check the backup date and time in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup to confirm it shows today’s date.

Sign out of iCloud to disable Find My iPhone. This prevents Activation Lock, which would require your Apple ID password after the reset. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out.

If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, unpair it first. Open the Watch app, select your watch, tap the info icon, and choose Unpair Apple Watch.

Remove your SIM card if you’re selling the device or giving it to someone on a different carrier. The SIM tray is on the side of your iPhone and requires a SIM ejector tool or paperclip to open.

Common Misconceptions About Reset All Settings vs Factory Reset

Many iPhone users confuse these two options or believe myths about what they do. Here’s what you need to know.

Reset All Settings does not slow down your iPhone. Some people worry that resetting will harm performance, but the opposite is often true. Clearing corrupted preferences can actually improve speed.

Factory reset does not downgrade your iOS version. If your iPhone runs iOS 26, it will still run iOS 26 after the reset. You’ll simply go through the setup process again.

Both options are safe to use and won’t damage your iPhone. Apple designed these features specifically for troubleshooting and device preparation.

You don’t need to factory reset before every iOS update. Only reset if you encounter problems. Regular updates work fine without wiping your device.

Factory reset makes data recovery extremely difficult but not guaranteed impossible. For maximum security when selling your device, ensure you’re signed out of iCloud and have erased the device through Settings. This encryption-based erasure provides strong protection.

What to Do After Each Reset

After resetting all settings, reconnect to your Wi-Fi network by going to Settings > Wi-Fi and selecting your network. Re-pair Bluetooth devices through Settings > Bluetooth. Adjust other preferences like wallpaper, notification settings, and privacy permissions as needed.

After a factory reset, your iPhone displays the setup assistant. Follow the on-screen instructions to select your language, connect to Wi-Fi, and either restore from backup or set up as new.

If restoring from backup, sign in with your Apple ID and choose which backup to restore. Your iPhone downloads your apps, photos, and settings. This process can take an hour or more depending on how much data you have.

If setting up as new, you’ll configure your iPhone from scratch. Install apps from the App Store, sign in to your accounts, and set up features like Face ID or Touch ID.

The decision of which action you’re going to chose comes down to one simple question: do you need to keep your data?

If you want to keep everything on your iPhone and only fix a settings-related problem, use Reset All Settings. This option solves most software issues without the hassle of backing up and restoring.

If you need to completely wipe your iPhone for resale, gift, or to fix severe software problems, use factory reset. Just remember to back up first if you want to keep your data.

When in doubt, start with Reset All Settings. You can always factory reset later if the simpler option doesn’t solve your problem. This approach minimizes the risk of losing data unnecessarily.