iPhones and iOS itself have come a long way. A few years ago, it was recommended that you hard reset/factory reset your iPhone once every six months to ensure it keeps running smoothly. Thankfully that’s no longer the case. However, if for some reason you are looking to hard reset or factory reset your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max and wondering what the steps are, follow this guide.

What Does it Mean to Hard Reset iPhone 12?

First, it is important that you are clear about what a hard reset is. Also known as a factory reset, it basically resets your iPhone to the way it was when you first purchased it. This means your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro will be formatted during the process and all data stored on it will be completely erased. You are essentially restoring the device back to its factory settings.

Ideally, it is recommended that you hard reset/factory reset your iPhone only when you are selling it or passing it to someone. Otherwise, for most intents and purposes, a simple restart of the phones is enough to solve any issue that you are facing.

Note that a hard reset and hard reboot are two different things. The latter is simply forcing your iPhone to do a reboot, while the former will reset it entirely. You should restore your iPhone to factory settings if you are selling it or passing it to a friend or family.

Backup Your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max

Since hard resetting your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max will wipe it clean of all data, it is recommended that you create a backup of all your data before proceeding with the reset process.

There are two ways you can do this: iCloud and iTunes. The first one will backup all the data on your iPhone, app data, documents, photos, and more to iCloud. However, this process requires that you have enough free storage space on iCloud and access to a fast Wi-Fi connection.

As for the iTunes method, it requires you to have access to a PC that has iTunes installed. You will have to manually connect the iPhone to your PC using a Lightning cable.

You can find the steps to backup your iPhone to iCloud or using iTunes here.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max

Step 1: Go to Settings -> General -> Reset on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro.

Step 2: You will find various reset related options here like resetting only the settings, network settings, keyboard dictionary, and location & privacy. Select the Erase all Content and Settings option.

Step 3: You will be prompted to create a backup and then erase the device or erase it right away. If you select Erase Now, you will have to enter your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro’s passcode for confirmation purposes. Apple will display a warning suggesting that all your content on the device will be deleted. Confirm your decision.

Hard Reset iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max Using PC or Mac

For some reason, if you are unable to perform a factory reset on the iPhone then you can do the same using Mac or iTunes on PC. Go through the steps below to hard reset the iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro using PC or Mac.

Step 1: On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone using a data cable.

Step 3: If a message asks for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen steps.

Step 4: Select your device when it appears on your computer.

Step 5: Click Restore iPhone. If you have enabled Find My iPhone then, you will need to turn off the service on the device before you can click Restore.

Step 6: Open the Settings app on the iPhone and go to Profile.

Step 7: Select Find My > Find My iPhone and disable the service.

Step 8: The device will ask for an Apple ID password for authentication. Add that and turn off the Find My iPhone function on the device.

Step 9: Go back to PC or Mac and click Restore again to confirm. Your computer erases your device and installs the latest iOS software.

After this, your Phone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro will show the Apple logo and reset itself. The entire process will take a minute or two after which your iPhone will automatically reboot and show the ‘Hello’ setup screen. From here, you can either set up your iPhone 12 Pro as new or restore the iCloud or iTunes backup that you had created before deciding to hard reset your device.

Facing any issues while trying to hard reset or factory reset your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro? Drop a comment and we will help you out.