How to hard reset an iphone 6s

There are multiple ways to reset your device if you are experiencing issues. The first step is to power cycle/restart your device.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

• Power cycle/restart your device
• Perform a soft reset
• Reset network settings
• Perform a factory data reset 


Power cycle/restart your device

Press and hold the Side button until the slider appears, then select and drag the Power icon to the right. To turn back on, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s




Perform a soft reset

If a power cycle/restart does not resolve your issue, perform a soft reset. Press and hold the Side button and Home button until you see the Apple logo.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s




Reset network settings

If you are having connectivity issues, you can try resetting your network settings. This will delete all network settings, returning them to factory defaults. From the home screen, select theSettings app > scroll to and select General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > select Reset > Reset Network Settings > select Reset Network Settings again to confirm.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s


Perform a factory data reset

If you are still having issues with your device, you may need to do a Factory data reset (Master reset). This will reset all settings to their defaults and erase all data stored on iPhone, including your contacts, messages, and music.

1. From the home screen select the  Settings app.

Note: iPhone cannot be used while data is being erased. iPhone will instantly and securely erase all data, and then restore settings to their factory defaults. After iPhone reboots, it will display the "Connect to iTunes" screen. If you have backed up your device to iTunes or iCloud, you may be able to restore personal data back to iPhone, if desired. Wi-Fi or a wireless data connection is required to re-activate iPhone after a reset. Learn more from the Apple support articles Back up your iPhone and Erase all content and settings on your iPhone.

2. Scroll to and select General, then scroll to and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s

3. Select Erase All Content and Settings to reset device, then select Continue.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s

4. Select Finish Upload Then Erase or Erase Now. 

How to hard reset an iphone 6s

5. Select Erase iPhone to confirm.

Note: If you have a passcode, you will be prompted to enter your passcode to complete the reset. Enter your Apple ID password then select Erase. If you can't update or restore your iPhone with the steps above, for instructions on how to put your device in recovery mode and set it up again, click here.

If you have an iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or iPhone X, press the volume-up button, then volume-down, then the Power button. If you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, press and hold the Power and volume-down buttons for 10 seconds. If you have an iPhone 6S or earlier, press and hold the Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds.

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Resetting your Apple iPhone is one of the best solutions to fix faulty settings or remove a troublesome app from your device. There are a few different ways to go depending on whether you know the passcode or not. In this how-to guide, we show you how to reset an iPhone with and without a password.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

How to soft reset an iPhone
How to hard reset an iPhone
How to factory reset an iPhone
How to unlock an iPhone without a passcode

How to soft reset an iPhone

A soft reset basically means turning an iPhone device off and then on again. This process reboots your phone’s software without affecting the data stored in it, so there’s no need to back up your iPhone data first.

How to soft reset an iPhone 8 and later

  1. Press and hold down the right-side button and one of the volume buttons until the power-off slider appears. While both the volume buttons work, holding the volume-down button ensures you don’t accidentally take a screenshot.
  2. How to hard reset an iphone 6s
    Press and hold the right-side button and a volume button at the same time (Source)
  3. When the slider appears, release the buttons and drag the slider to turn your device off. It should take around 30 seconds for your iPhone to turn off.
  4. Next, turn on your iPhone by pressing and holding the right-side button until you see the Apple logo.

How to soft reset an iPhone 7 and earlier

  1. To soft reset an iPhone SE (2nd generation), 7, or 6, hold only the right-side button until the power-off slider appears.
  2. How to hard reset an iphone 6s
    Press and hold the right-side button (Source)

How to hard reset an iPhone

An unresponsive iPhone requires a hard reset, also known as a force restart.

How to hard reset an iPhone 8 and later

  1. Press and quickly release the volume-up button (upper left).
  2. Press and quickly release the volume-down button (lower left).
  3. Then, press and hold the side button (right).
  4. Release the side button when the Apple logo appears on the screen.
How to hard reset an iphone 6s

Hard reset an iPhone 8: Volume-up, volume-down, and side buttons (Source)

How to hard reset an iPhone 7 and earlier

  1. Press and hold the volume-down button and the sleep/wake button at the same time.
  2. How to hard reset an iphone 6s

    Press and hold the volume-down and sleep/wake buttons at the same time (Source)
  3. Hold until the screen goes dark and the Apple logo appears.
  4. Release the buttons and wait as the phone restarts.

Note: iPhone 6S (or earlier) and iPhone SE models use the sleep/wake and home button to start a hard reset.

How to hard reset an iphone 6s

Press and hold the home and sleep/wake buttons at the same time (Source)

How to factory reset an iPhone

Returning your iPhone to its factory default settings is the most drastic method of resetting your device. It’s very important to back up your data before factory resetting your iPhone so you don’t lose important information. A factory reset is a good idea if you’re planning to sell your phone or experiencing issues such as freezing or glitching.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Click General.
  3. From there, scroll to the bottom and tap Reset.
  4. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
  5. You’ll be asked to confirm the action. Once you have, your iPhone will take a few minutes to erase all settings and content and reset to its factory default state.
How to hard reset an iphone 6s

Open Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings (Source)

How to unlock an iPhone without a passcode

The reset methods covered so far in this article require you to enter your password and unlock your iPhone. Putting your phone into recovery mode, however, allows you to erase a lost iPhone passcode and set up a new one.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Turn off your iPhone using the soft reset process (but don’t turn it back on).
  2. Connect your iPhone to a computer that has iTunes installed using an iPhone-compatible USB cable.
  3. Hold the side button (iPhone 8 and later), the volume-down button (iPhone 7/7 Plus), or the home button (iPhone 6S, SE) while connecting your iPhone to the computer.
  4. How to hard reset an iphone 6s
    Use the side button for iPhone 8 and later (Source)
    How to hard reset an iphone 6s

    Use the volume-down button for iPhone 7/7 Plus (Source)

    How to hard reset an iphone 6s

    Use the home button for iPhone 6S and earlier (Source)

  5. Don’t let go of the said buttons until the recovery mode screen appears on your iPhone, then let go. Turn off your iPhone and start the process again if you see the passcode screen.

  6. How to hard reset an iphone 6s

    Use a compatible cable to connect your iPhone to a computer (Source)
  7. Find your device in the Finder or iTunes, and choose Restore when prompted to either restore or update.

  8. How to hard reset an iphone 6s
    Click Restore to allow the computer to start the restore process (Source)
  9. Once the process is complete, disconnect the iPhone from the computer. Then, set up and use your iPhone.

Use software to protect your device

Keeping your iPhone secure and in good working order is critical to extending the life of your device and protecting personal or corporate data.

Is your company looking for the best way to manage all employee devices—computers, tablets, mobile phones—to maintain IT security and prevent costly cyberattacks? Software Advice can help you find the best endpoint security software to fit your needs.

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How do I factory reset an iPhone 6S?

Perform a factory data reset.
From the home screen select the. Settings app. ... .
Scroll to and select General, then scroll to and select Transfer or Reset iPhone..
Select Erase All Content and Settings to reset device, then select Continue..
Select Finish Upload Then Erase or Erase Now..
Select Erase iPhone to confirm..

How do I factory reset my iPhone 6S without passcode?

iPhone 6S & older: Press and hold both the Side and Top buttons. Hold these down until the iTunes connection recovery mode screen appears. Now move across to your PC, and select the “Restore” button in iTunes. The system will ask you to confirm this action, as it deletes all the data on your phone.

How do I force my iPhone to factory reset?

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Do one of the following: Prepare your content and settings to transfer to a new iPhone: Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions. When you finish, return to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Erase All Content and Settings.