How to Reset an iPad: Settings Reset or Full Erase

To wipe an iPad clean without a computer, back it up, unlock it, and open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter the requested passcode or Apple Account password and confirm only when you are ready to delete its data. Physical buttons alone do not factory-reset an iPad.

If the iPad is locked, eligible models can offer an on-screen erase option instead. Recovery mode uses buttons plus a computer. A force restart uses buttons but keeps your data. Choose the route that matches your situation before proceeding.

Before You Erase

Erasing deletes the iPad’s local data and settings. Stop if you need information that has not been backed up or saved elsewhere. Check your existing backup before choosing an erase route; do not assume a locked iPad can create a new backup on demand.

Apple’s backup-methods guide explains iCloud and computer backups. Content already synced to iCloud can be separate from the backup. Verify that important photos, documents, and other data are available where you expect them, rather than assuming every item is included in a backup.

Your unlock passcode and Apple Account password are different. Keep the account details ready. If you cannot supply the linked account credentials, resolve that before erasing; a reset does not bypass ownership requirements. For a school or business iPad, contact its administrator.

Check an iPad Backup Before a Factory Reset

Before erasing a 9th-generation iPad or another iPad you can unlock, verify the backup you intend to restore. For iCloud, open Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup, enable Back Up This iPad if desired, tap Back Up Now, keep Wi-Fi connected and wait for a completed backup date/time. Our full iPad backup guide covers storage limits and computer alternatives. Check separately that important iCloud-synced photos/files are available; data already synced to iCloud can be separate from the backup. A backup switch that is on does not establish that the latest backup succeeded.

Then use the unlocked-iPad erase procedure below, checking the requested credentials, summary and confirmations, and wait for setup. The 9th-generation iPad has a Home button, so its force-restart or recovery-button method differs from no-Home-button models. Choose the buttons by the actual hardware, and the Settings path by its installed software: the older General > Reset route below applies only to older software. For a minor freeze, a normal restart or force restart retains data. To change an account or a few settings, consider the narrower operation rather than erasing everything. A reset does not bypass management or Activation Lock; the lost-device and transfer sections below explain their separate requirements.

How to Erase an Unlocked iPad in Settings

Use this route when you can unlock the iPad and use its screen. Apple’s current Erase iPad guide documents the following path:

1. Open Settings. Tap General, then Transfer or Reset iPad.
2. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Read the erase summary. The separate Reset options are not the same as deleting all content.
3. Enter the credentials requested. Supply the iPad passcode or Apple Account password when asked.
4. Review the cellular-plan choice if shown. An eSIM-capable iPad can offer keeping or erasing the eSIM. Keep the appropriate plan if you will continue using it; for a sale, follow the transfer guidance below. Erasing an eSIM can require your carrier to reactivate service.
5. Confirm the erase. Apple’s instructions use Continue; follow any remaining confirmation shown on your version. Let the process finish. The iPad returns to setup rather than retaining its previous apps and data.

Erase an Older iPad With the Reset Menu

On iOS or iPadOS 14 and earlier, open Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Apple documents this older route in its backup-transfer instructions. Verify your backup first, enter the requested credentials, and confirm only when ready to erase. Reset All Settings is a different option. An older iPad can retain ownership and provider-compatibility requirements even after erasing.

Can Buttons Factory-Reset an iPad Without a Computer?

No. Holding buttons can turn the iPad off, force it to restart, or put a connected iPad into recovery mode. Recovery mode does not present an on-device Erase All Content and Settings menu. That menu belongs to Settings.

If you only need to recover from a frozen screen, try a force restart:

• Without a Home button: quickly press and release the volume button nearest the top button, then the farther volume button. Hold the top button and release it when the Apple logo appears.
• With a Home button: hold the Home and top buttons together, then release both when the Apple logo appears.

These are Apple’s force-restart instructions. A restart does not delete the passcode or return the iPad to factory settings. If the touchscreen works again, unlock it before using the Settings erase route.

Erase a Locked iPad Without a Computer When Eligible

Apple’s on-device reset instructions require iPadOS 15.2 or later, Find My previously enabled, an active Wi-Fi or cellular connection, and the linked Apple Account password. First consider the previous-passcode option: on iPadOS 17 or later, a passcode changed within the last 72 hours may be recoverable without erasing. Our guide to resetting an iPad without its passcode covers that option and both erase methods.

The steps below delete data. On an eligible iPad running iPadOS 17 or later:

1. On the Unavailable lock screen, tap Forgot Passcode? when offered.
2. Select Start iPad Reset.
3. Enter the linked Apple Account password to sign out.
4. Review the confirmation and choose Erase iPad only when ready to delete the data and settings.
5. After the iPad restarts, follow setup and restore an existing backup if you have one.

iPadOS 15.2 and 16 use an eligible Erase iPad lock-screen option instead. If no erase option appears or its requirements are unmet, the button sequence does not create one. Use the computer route or ask Apple for help.

Use Recovery Mode With a Computer

Apple’s iPad recovery-mode guide uses Finder on a Mac or Apple Devices on Windows. Have a cable and internet connection ready.

1. Disconnect the iPad and power it off. With a Home button, hold the top button; without one, hold the top button and either volume button. Drag the power slider and wait a minute.
2. Connect the iPad to the computer. Without a Home button, quickly press the nearer volume button, then the farther one, then hold the top button. With a Home button, hold Home and the top or side button together.
3. Hold through the Apple logo until the computer-and-cable screen appears, then release.
4. Select the iPad in Finder or Apple Devices and choose Restore when offered Restore or Update. This erases its data, settings, and passcode.
5. Wait for completion and the Hello setup screen. If downloading takes over 15 minutes and the iPad exits recovery mode, let downloading finish, then repeat the recovery sequence.

If you cannot borrow a computer or complete the buttons, ask an Apple Store or authorized service provider for help.

Prepare an iPad for Its Next Owner

Back up and transfer what you need first. Apple’s sale and trade-in checklist includes signing out, checking for an unfinished repair before trade-in, and canceling or transferring an applicable AppleCare plan.

If the erase flow asks about an eSIM when selling, choose to erase it and contact your carrier about transferring service. Complete the authenticated erase and leave the iPad at setup for the new owner rather than signing back in. A Hello screen shows that setup is ready; if setup still requests the previous owner’s account, resolve Activation Lock before handing it over.

To change the owner, start with your own data and account access, then leave setup to the recipient. There is no ownership change accomplished merely by renaming the iPad. Apple’s iPad handoff guide gives the preparation sequence:

1. Verify your backup or completed transfer. Open important files on your replacement device or in their saved location before erasing the old iPad.
2. Open Settings > [your name] > Sign Out. Follow the prompts for your version, with your Apple Account credentials ready. Signing out while keeping data is not a completed handoff; finish the erase procedure above.
3. Complete the erase and check activation. Leave the iPad at Hello. Have the recipient begin setup and confirm that it does not request your Apple Account credentials.
4. Let the recipient use their own account. Do not sign back in with yours or give them your account password. Review the agreed accessories and any AppleCare transfer separately.

Apple’s Activation Lock checks for a used iPad explain that a passcode Lock Screen or Home Screen means the device has not been erased. If setup asks for the previous owner’s account, that owner must resolve the association before the transfer is complete. A Hello screen alone is not a substitute for checking the activation prompts.

If the iPad Is Lost or Already Given Away

If it was given away, ask the new owner to erase it. If lost or stolen, Apple’s Find Devices erase instructions let you sign in at iCloud.com/find, select the correct iPad, choose Erase This Device, and follow the prompts. A previously configured Find My connection is necessary. On an iPhone, the related low-battery option is covered in how to enable Send Last Location in Find My iPhone. An offline request waits until the device comes online; before it erases, the request can be canceled with Stop Erase Request.

A remote erase leaves Activation Lock enabled. Keep a lost device associated with your account to protect it. For an ownership transfer, resolve the account association through the legitimate owner; erasing and removing a device are separate actions.

For an iPad you legitimately sold or gave away, Apple’s Find My transfer instructions distinguish erasing from removing the device. If a remote erase is needed, wait until it completes, then use Remove This Device and confirm removal to release Activation Lock. An offline iPad waits for a connection. Apply this transfer process only to a completed handoff; keep a lost or stolen iPad associated with your account.

Reset iPad Settings Without Erasing Your Content

If you want to restore settings rather than delete photos and apps, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset. Choose Reset All Settings, read the confirmation, supply the requested passcode, and confirm when that is the intended change. Apple says this resets settings including networks, the keyboard dictionary, location, privacy and Apple Pay cards; it does not delete data or media. Back up first if you may want to recover your prior settings. See Apple’s settings-reset guide.

For one issue, choose the narrower option on the same Reset menu: Reset Network Settings, Reset Keyboard Dictionary, Reset Home Screen Layout, or Reset Location & Privacy. Network reset removes saved networks and non-managed VPN settings, so have your connection details ready. Afterward, check the affected setting and reconnect if necessary. Erase All Content and Settings is the separate factory-reset procedure above. A force restart also differs from resetting settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does erasing delete my photos from iCloud?

Erasing the device does not delete its content from iCloud. Manually deleting synced photos, contacts, or documents while signed in can delete them from iCloud and other connected devices. Use the erase procedure rather than individually deleting synced content to prepare an iPad for sale.

Will a factory reset remove Activation Lock?

The authenticated Settings erase used for a transfer turns off Find My and Activation Lock. A remote erase retains the lock, and a recovery-mode restore does not provide an ownership bypass. If setup requests the linked account, use the owner’s credentials or Apple’s Activation Lock help, including support with proof of purchase where applicable.

Can I undo an erase or restore my saved data?

There is no ordinary undo that returns erased local data. Recovery depends on what was backed up or synced beforehand. During setup, select From iCloud Backup on the apps-and-data transfer screen, or use Restore Backup in Finder or Apple Devices for a computer backup. An encrypted backup needs its password. Apple’s backup restoration guide explains both routes.

Start by deciding whether you need a restart, an unlocked-device erase, or a forgotten-passcode recovery. Confirm that your data and account access are ready before choosing any erase confirmation.