To reset settings on an iPad without deleting your apps, photos, or files, open Settings, tap General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset, and choose Reset All Settings. Pick Reset Network Settings instead if you only need to fix Wi-Fi or other connection problems. Don’t choose Erase All Content and Settings unless you want to wipe the iPad.
This guide follows Apple’s iPad User Guide page Reset iPad settings to their defaults and its support article Reset All Settings on iPhone or iPad.
Before You Reset
- Restart first. Apple says that if your device has issues with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other system features, you should restart it first and reset all settings only if that doesn’t help. Apple calls a full settings reset “rarely necessary.”
- Back up if you want your old settings. Apple suggests a backup so you can restore your previous settings if the reset doesn’t fix the problem. See how to back up your iPad to iCloud.
- Selling the iPad? Apple says to use Erase All Content and Settings instead. See how to wipe an iPad clean.
How to Reset All Settings on iPad
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPad.
- Tap Reset.
- Tap Reset All Settings, then confirm.
Result: Your iPad’s settings return to their defaults. Apple says your photos, messages, apps, and documents aren’t deleted.
What Reset All Settings Changes
Apple lists these settings as removed or restored to their defaults:
- Wi-Fi networks, passwords, and VPN configurations
- Bluetooth pairings and Apple Watch pairings
- Face ID and Touch ID settings
- Apple Pay cards
- Home Screen layout and wallpaper
- Keyboard dictionary
- Display & Brightness, Sounds & Haptics, notification, and accessibility settings
- Location Services, Privacy & Security settings, and previously trusted computers and accessories
According to Apple, nothing in these categories gets deleted: photos, videos, and music; apps and app data; messages and call history; contacts and calendar events; documents and files; and downloaded content.
What to Do After the Reset
Apple says you’ll need to set a few things up again:
- Reconnect to Wi-Fi networks. See how to join a Wi-Fi network on iPad.
- Pair your Bluetooth devices.
- Pair your Apple Watch, if you use one with the iPad.
- Set up Face ID or Touch ID.
- Adjust your other preferences, such as wallpaper, sounds, and notifications.
Result: Once you’ve reconnected and adjusted your preferences, the iPad works as before with your data intact.
How Reset Network Settings Is Different
Reset Network Settings is narrower. Apple’s guide says it:
- Removes all network settings, including previously used networks and VPN settings that weren’t installed by a configuration profile or device management (MDM)
- Renames the iPad back to “iPad”
- Changes manually trusted certificates, such as for websites, to untrusted
- May turn off cellular data roaming on Wi-Fi + Cellular models
- Turns Wi-Fi off and back on, which disconnects you from the current network
Result: Apple notes that the Wi-Fi and Ask to Join Networks settings stay on. VPN settings installed by a profile or MDM survive this reset. To remove those, Apple says to go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management.
The Other Reset Options
- Delete All eSIMs (Wi-Fi + Cellular models): Apple says this deletes every eSIM on the iPad, so you’ll need a new eSIM or a physical SIM to get cellular service again. Skip it unless your carrier tells you to use it.
- Reset Keyboard Dictionary: erases only the words you’ve added by rejecting suggestions.
- Reset Handwriting Style: returns custom handwriting preferences to their defaults.
- Reset Home Screen Layout: puts the built-in apps back in their original layout.
- Reset Location & Privacy: resets Location Services and privacy settings to their defaults.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Reset All Settings delete my photos?
No. Apple says no data or media is deleted, including photos, videos, music, apps, messages, and files. Only settings change.
What’s the difference between Reset All Settings and a restart?
A restart turns the iPad off and on and keeps every setting. Reset All Settings returns your settings to their defaults. Apple recommends trying a restart first. A force restart is another option for a frozen iPad.
Related Guides
- How to set or reset your iPad passcode
- How to update your iPad
- How to turn off the passcode on iPad
- How to make text bigger on iPad
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.