How to Factory Reset iPhone without iTunes? Complete Guide!

"Help!!! Is it somehow possible to reset your iPhone without iTunes? My iPhone 6s is frozen and I don't want to use iTunes, it sucks and is hard to use. Can someone tell me how to reset the iPhone without iTunes? Thanks a lot!

Many people encounter such problems and wonder if it is possible to reset the iPhone without iTunes. Here I should say, yes! And I will show you how to reset your iPhone without iTunes in this article. First of all, let's see some of the most prominent reasons why you would need a factory reset on your iPhone:

1. Fixing a malfunctioning iPhone device
2. Removal of viruses and deleting of files
3. Configuring the device to its default settings
4. Clear memory space on your iPhone
5. To remove personal details and information from your iPhone before selling it or giving away the device
6. If upgrading when one wants a fresh start
7. When sending your iPhone for repairs

Part 1: How to back up data before factory reset (Avoid data loss)

The factory reset will clear all your iPhone data and settings. So, if you don't want to lose your iPhone data, you'd better back up your data from your iPhone before factory resetting your iPhone. Here you can try Wondershare Dr.Fone, an easy-to-use and flexible tool that allows you to back up and selectively export your iPhone/iPad/iPod data you want in 3 steps. And you can also preview your data before backup. As for more details, you can get them from the below box. For more creative videos, please go to  Wondershare Video Community

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Part 2: Using a third-party tool to reset the iPhone without iTunes

Without using iTunes there are other applications that one can use for factory reset their iPhone as discussed earlier. Dr.Fone - Data Eraser (iOS) is one of the best software which made it so easy to factory reset an iPhone. This software comes with a good, clear, and easily understandable interface for easy reset of their iPhone.

Dr.Fone - Data Eraser (iOS)

Easily Delete All Data from Your Device

• Simple, click-through, process.
• Your data is permanently deleted.
• Nobody can ever recover and view your private data.
• Supports ALL models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
• Fully Compatible with the latest iOS version.

Available on: Windows Mac

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Part 3: Hard reset iPhone without iTunes

Make sure you carefully follow the given below steps:

For iPhone 8 or newer iPhone

1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
2. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side (Power) button until you see the Apple logo.
4. Wait for the device to restart, and the main screen will appear again.

For iPhone 7/7 Plus

1. Firstly, press and hold both the Sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo.
2. You can release both buttons after the Apple logo appears.
3. Wait for a few seconds until your iPhone boots up and you will see the home screen.

For other iDevices

1. Press and hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.
2. Once you see the logo, let go of the buttons.
3. Once your iPhone reboots itself, you're done with this process.

Part 4: How to factory reset iPhone without iTunes

This method is also a quick one and does not need to be near a computer until when syncing your data with your computer, hence no need to use iTunes. Now, let's check the steps below to factory reset the iPhone:

1. Directly go to "Settings" > General > Reset.
2. Select the "Erase All Content and Settings" option.
3. Enter your password and tap on "Erase iPhone".

Note – Before resetting your iPhone make sure that you back up your iPhone, and save it on your computer because this process will delete all saved files and data on your iPhone.

Part 5: How to factory reset iPhone without iTunes on Mac

In case you are a Mac user using a MacBook running on macOS Catalina, don’t worry at all because you use Finder to restore your iPhone without iTunes. This feature of macOS works exactly like iTunes but the interface and features are more optimized. 

It can also help you sync your iPhone’s data with your MacBook using a USB cable or over Wi-Fi. Moreover, you can also fix the normal system issues of the iPhone with the Recovery Mode feature of Finder. Follow the simplified step-by-step instructions to factory reset your iPhone without iTunes using Finder: 

Instructions: Take an Apple-certified USB cable and use it to attach your iPhone to your MacBook. Afterward, access the Finder from the “Dock” of your MacBook and choose your iPhone from the left sidebar. Tap the “Restore iPhone” from the “Software” to initiate the process of restoring the iPhone without iTunes.

Part 6: How to factory reset iPhone without iTunes on Windows PC

Don't worry if you have a Windows PC or laptop because we will provide a powerful iOS toolkit to help you restore your iPhone or fix malfunctioning iOS devices. Wondershare Dr.Fone is one of the top-recognized iOS system repair tools and can fix more than 150+ issues. These issues include the iPhone's Black Screen, Stuck in Recovery Mode, and White Screen of Death.

It even supports iOS 17 to assist all users who want to try the latest features because beta versions always have bugs and can cause different issues. This iOS specialized toolkit can also help you upgrade or downgrade the iOS version without using iTunes. To factory reset your iPhone without iTunes, go through the following step-by-step instructions of Wondershare Dr.Fone:

Dr.Fone - System Repair (iOS)

Repair iOS System Errors Without data loss.

• Only fix your iOS to normal, no data loss at all.
• Fix various iOS system issues stuck in recovery mode, white Apple logo, black screen, looping on start, etc.
• Downgrade iOS without iTunes at all.
• Works for all models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
• Fully compatible with the latest iOS version.

Available on: Windows Mac

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Step 1: Open the System Repair Tool Options

Initiate the process by connecting your iPhone to the Windows PC/laptop and launching the Wondershare Dr.Fone toolkit. Afterward, tap the “System Repair” option from the “Toolbox” tab and confirm the device type as iOS.

Step 2: Proceed with the Required Repairing Mode

On the System Repair screen, choose the “iOS Repair” feature and select the desired repair mode according to your requirements. Standard Repair can help you in fixing the iPhone’s basic system issues, and Advanced Repair can help you fix all the severe problems but will factory reset the iPhone completely.

Step 3: Start Repairing the iPhone Issues

Afterward, you will have to enable Recovery Mode and download the required firmware for your iPhone. Wondershare Dr.Fone will start downloading and verifying the firmware that you have requested. Once the verification process is completed, press the “Repair Now” button to resolve all iPhone problems.

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Part 7: Useful tips on factory resetting an iPhone

1. Factory reset protocol is effective using both iTunes and without using iTunes. When using iTunes to reset your iPhone, you just need to connect your iPhone to your PC unit using your original cable and then restore your device. iTunes will download the device software file and restore your device on its own. You can even reset the iPhone without Apple ID.
2. After resetting your device you can set up your device as new or use any one of the previous backups for it. If you restored an iOS device that has cellular service, it will activate after you finish setting up your device.
3. Before starting the factory restores process, one should take backups of the most important information in their computer, and then only they should proceed. If using the iTunes restore method, one ought to eventually back up their iPhone via iTunes, and you could choose the setting you like, for instance; choose "Set up as a new iPhone" to start afresh with factory settings. Small changes that iPhone won't restore at times, check for more information in the new post.
4. Accidentally, if you lose the data on your iPhone due to wrong deletion, jailbreak, factory settings restore, software update, losing iPhone, or breaking your iPhone, you may need to restore your iPhone to find the lost files back, see how to do that here: how to recover iPhone data
5. Luckily, for those with iOS 8, it is easy for them to reset the iPhone without iTunes. You can restore your iPhone to its factory settings and set it up, all without a computer.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, one has to know that when the factory reset is completed you got two choices – sync or restore a backup. Syncing refers to the transfer of essential information that at the moment exists in your PC unit. After a successful factory reset and with the new settings, all of your text and SMS messages will be deleted. In addition to that, the entire data specific to third-party apps is going to be lost as well.

Carefully read everything before resetting. In hasty, sometimes results lead to the loss of data. Once you have stored your files on your PC, you can start the process of deleting or resetting your iPhone without iTunes.

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