How to Erase An Reset iPad to Factory Settings
Last Updated on April 20, 2023 by Jack RobertsonA friend asked me how to restore his iPad Mini to the factory settings as he planned to sell it and get a new iPad Pro. He told me that the old iPad was very laggy as it’s been used for years. Surely, I taught him how to do that. Now, he’s having fun with the latest iPad Pro.
For iPad users, having an laggy, disabled, or bugged iPad, restoring it to factory settings will always be the first option for you. While resetting it to factory settings, everything on this iPad will be erased, including errors, cache, data, and settings. So, you may continue to use this iPad like usual. Or if you plan to see it, a clean iPad will be perfect for sale.
So, iPad users, let's start to restore your iPad to factory settings if you plan to sell it or continue to use it.
Restoring iPad to Factory Settings
- A Warm Note: Things you Need to Do before Restore an iPad to Factory Settings;
- Method 1: Reset your iPad through Settings on the Device - The Easiest Way;
- Method 2: Restore your iPad to Factory Settings with iTunes or Finder - Perfect for Disabled iPad;
- Method 3: Restore your iPad to Factory Settings via Find My - Remote Reset;
- Bonus: The Safest Way to Restore your iPad to Factory Settings;
Things you Need to Do before Restore an iPad to Factory Settings
You know that restoring your iPad to factory settings will erase all the data and settings, right? So, before you start to reset your old iPad, make sure you back up all the important data. If you’ve already made a backup, you can start to restore your iPad now.
Back Up your iPad Before Factory Reset It
Here, I will give you a quick and flexible solution to back up the important data on your iPad, using echoshare iOS Data Backup.
Unlike iTunes and Finder which will back up all the data on your iPad, including those data you no longer need, echoshare iOS Data Backup will only back up the data that you select.
Being a considerate backup tool, it offers a selective backup feature which enables you to preview all the data on your iPad, select and save those important data only, which is different from iTunes and Finder’s blind and bundled backup.
In this case, when you recover this backup to your new iPad, you can save so much memory space on your iPad. It won’t be overloaded by caches or trashes that you don’t need. If you suffered from a laggy iPad before, well, this tool is so perfect to you.
Now, download it and let’s start to back up your iPad data.
Step 1: Prepare for the backup
On your computer, plug in your iPad and launch the program. On the program’s interface, choose iOS Data Backup & Restore - iOS Data Backup to start.
Step 2: Set up for the backup
Next, you’re available to choose from Standard or Encrypt mode.
If you have some very secret data like some private photos, videos, contacts, text messages that you don’t want anybody to peek at. Choose the Encrypt mode and set a password for your backup file.
For a regular backup, simply choose Standard mode to proceed.
Next, select the data you want to back up by categories. Tick the options as you need.
Step 3: Back up your iPad data
Lastly, decide on a folder on your PC to save this backup file, and start. The process will be done in a few minutes. Plug out your iPad and you’re ready to restore it.
Method 1: Reset your iPad through Settings on the Device
The easiest way to restore your iPad to factory settings can be easily found on the iPad itself.
Now, launch your iPad, no matter it’s an iPad, iPad Mini, or iPad Pro, you can always find the Settings app. Open it and tap the General option. Find Reset. And finally, tap Reset All Data and Settings. Enter your iCloud password if asked to.
That’s all. The reset will start immediately. Wait for the completion.
Method 2: Restore your iPad to Factory Settings with iTunes or Finder
Let’s say your iPad is disabled or has some system bugs that you cannot tap anything on your iPad screen. Don’t worry, that’s what iTunes and Finder are for.
Both of them are good for iPad users to factory reset an iPad on a computer. The only difference is that iTunes is for Windows PC and Mac that runs Mojave or earlier while Finder is available on Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey.
The steps are generally the same, simply follow the details below and restore your iPad to factory settings.
Steps of Resetting your iPad on PC/Mac
Step 1: Put your iPad in Recovery Mode
Now, power off your iPad, and plug it into your computer. Based on the model you’re holding, there’re different steps of entering Recovery mode.
- For iPad that has a Home button: Long press the Home button.
- For iPad that uses FaceID: Press and hold the Top button.
Release the button when you see the logo of Recovery mode.
Step 2: Restore your iPad to factory settings
Now, launch iTunes on your PC or launch a Finder window on your Mac. Next, a pop-up appears and asks you to Restore or Upgrade this Ipad. Choose Restore to complete.
Method 3: Restore your iPad to Factory Settings via Find My
If the iPad is not around or you don’t have a computer around while the iPad is disabled, try resetting your iPad via Apple’s Find My feature.
When you have logged in to your Apple account on the iPad and the Find My iPad is on, you can use another device to reset this iPad remotely.
First of all, take out the iPhone or iPad that you prepare. Locate the Find My app and launch that.
Second of all,click on the Devices tab below, find the iPad that you want to reset, tap on the icon of it.
Last of all, scroll down and tap on the Erase This Device option. Enter your iCloud password to confirm.
All set! This is how you use Find My to restore your iPad to factory settings remotely.
Bonus: The Safest Way to Restore your iPad to Factory Settings
For regular methods, the reset is actually not complete as they won’t erase the trace that your data leaves on the physical storage drive on your iPad. There’re chances that people with malicious thoughts can recover them with data recovery tools.
To stop that, you need a data eraser that’s powerful enough to remove all traces on this iPad. We’re talking about echoshare’s Data Eraser.
With it, you can one-click remove all the data and settings on this iPad from the system and physical drive.
After erasing data and settings, it will move to your physical drive and rewrite everything with code 1 and 2. So, if anybody wants to recover data from your iPad, all he/she finds is just random codes.
For a safer and more complete factory reset, click the button below and restore your iPad right away!
FAQs
If you do a factory reset via your device’s Settings app, it will be fast, like minutes or sometimes, seconds.
If you use iTunes or Finder to reset your device, it can take dozens of minutes as it needs to download the firmware that’s necessary to reset your device.