The Complete Guide on How to Reset iPhone 7

A hard reset, soft reset, reboot, restore, recovery. This confusing terminology is the last thing you want to wrestle with if your iPhone 7 isn’t working. That’s why we’ve simplified everything you need to know and put it in a single post. Here is the Complete Guide on How to Reset iPhone 7.

We all know that technology ain’t perfect. But that doesn’t make it any less infuriating when things go wrong. On top of that, we often need to wrestle with confusing and similar terminology on troubleshooting guides: reset, restore, reboot, restart, recover.

You’d be forgiven for questioning what it all means — especially since many of the terms are used interchangeably across the web. Even on Apple’s own website at times! What’s more, iPhone 7 has complicated matters with its solid-state Home button. No longer is it possible to use the time-tested method of holding the Sleep/Wake and Home button together to restart the device.

Fortunately for you, we’ve got it sorted. Read on below for clarity on the different ways to reset your iPhone. Learn the difference between each method and when each of them is required. Finally, we’ve laid out clear steps for how to complete all of the reset methods on an iPhone 7.

What more could you ask for?

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• iPhone 7 is Slow and Lags, How to Fix

Soft Reset iPhone 7

A soft reset is essentially the same as turning your device off and on again. Often referred to as a reboot or a restart, this procedure is a quick and easy troubleshooting step that works wonders on misbehaving software. The major benefit of a soft reset is that it shouldn’t pose any risk of data loss.

When to Soft Reset iPhone 7

Slow performance, unusual behavior, or any number of other software abnormalities can be remedied by a soft reset. By closing all applications, powering off, and restarting the iOS, iPhone 7 frequently eliminates small glitches in the software that were causing trouble.

How to Soft Reset iPhone 7

If possible, the best way to soft reset iPhone 7 is to switch the device off and on again manually. To do this, hold the Side button until a slider appears on screen to power off the device. Once iPhone 7 has finished turning off, press the Side button again to turn it back on.

However, if iPhone 7 is frozen or otherwise unresponsive, it’s possible to complete a forced restart instead.

Force Restart iPhone 7:

1. Press and hold the Side button
2. While holding the Side button, press and hold the Volume Down button
3. Keep holding both buttons until the device has completed its restart

Hard Reset iPhone 7

Unlike a soft reset, a hard reset deletes everything from the device. Settings, applications, messages, music, photos. Everything. Of course, if you have a recent iPhone 7 backup that shouldn’t be a problem for you. Otherwise, you should be sure to make one!

If you’re unable to make a new backup, you might still be able to recover some information over iCloud. Sign in to www.icloud.com to see what is stored online. You should find Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, and maybe some Photos. It all depends on the iCloud settings of your iPhone 7.

After completing a hard reset, iPhone 7 will act as though it is brand new. For that reason, a hard reset is frequently referred to as a Factory Restore.

When to Hard Reset iPhone 7

A hard reset is needed for any software problems that the soft reset didn’t fix. Once again that could be any number of issues, such as frequent crashes, unusual storage usage, or a frozen iPhone 7.

Alongside software errors, a hard reset is also recommended if you plan to sell or give away your iPhone 7. Completing a hard reset removes your private information and returns iPhone 7 to the Welcome screen. This protects you from data theft while providing a warm welcome for the new owner.

How to Hard Reset iPhone 7

There are two ways to hard reset the iPhone 7. If the device is responsive, you can restore it through the settings. Otherwise, it’s possible to complete a restore using iTunes — this method requires access to a computer running the latest version of iTunes.

Restore iPhone 7 using Settings:

1. On iPhone 7, go to Settings > General > Reset
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings
3. If prompted, enter your Passcode or Apple ID details
4. When finished, iPhone 7 will restart on the Welcome screen.

Restore iPhone 7 using iTunes:

1. Launch iTunes and connect iPhone 7 using a lightning-to-USB cable
2. If prompted, enter your Passcode and tap Trust This Computer on iPhone 7
3. Select iPhone 7 from the top left of iTunes and open the Summary tab
4. Click Restore iPhone, confirm Restore on the pop-up window
5. When finished, iPhone 7 will restart on the Welcome screen

Reset iPhone 7 using Recovery Mode

An iPhone 7 in recovery mode will show a black display with an iTunes logo in it. It cannot be used until it has been restored through iTunes. Much like a hard reset, recovery mode results in the loss of all data on the iPhone 7. Unfortunately, once iPhone 7 is in recovery mode, it isn’t possible to make a new backup. 

You should ensure you have a backup of your iPhone 7 before putting it in Recovery Mode.

When to use Recovery Mode on iPhone 7

Recovery Mode is another step up from a hard reset. It is a useful troubleshooting step for any software errors that could not be fixed by a hard reset. Unlike a hard reset, Recovery Mode can be entered without a functioning iPhone 7. 

Recovery Mode can be used for any circumstances that don’t allow a hard reset. For instance, if the Passcode is lost or forgotten, leading to a disabled device. Or if the touchscreen has stopped working, making it impossible to enter the settings or Trust This Computer on iTunes.

How to use Recovery Mode on iPhone 7

To reset iPhone 7 using Recovery Mode, there are two steps to complete: First, put the device into Recovery Mode; second, restore iPhone 7 using iTunes. To complete this process, you’ll need to use a computer running the latest version of iTunes.

You should make a backup of your device before putting it into Recovery Mode. It cannot be done afterward.

Put iPhone 7 in Recovery Mode:

1. Connect iPhone 7 to the computer and launch iTunes, in that order
2. Press and hold the Side button and Volume Down button
3. Keep holding both buttons while iPhone 7 restarts
4. Only release them when an iTunes logo appears
5. iPhone 7 is now in Recovery Mode

Restore iPhone 7 using iTunes:

1. Launch iTunes and connect an iPhone 7 in Recovery Mode
2. A pop-up window should appear saying “There is a problem with the iPhone.”
3. Click Restore and wait for the process to complete
4. When finished, iPhone 7 will restart on the Welcome screen

Now you know how to reset iPhone 7. With this knowledge, you can overcome even the most frustrating software issues. So long as you don’t encounter any physical damage, you should be just fine! 

Hopefully, this post helped has you out, clearing the muddy waters around hard and soft resets and making it just as easy to reset iPhone 7 as it was to do with your iPhone 4. If not, let us know your questions in the comments, and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Dan Helyer( Senior Writer )

Dan is a freelance writer based in South West England.

He spent two years supervising repairs as a Genius Admin for Apple Retail and uses that knowledge to keep our troubleshooting guides up to date.

Long before that, Dan turned to Apple products from a musical background. Having owned iPods for years, he bought a MacBook to learn sound recording and production. It was using those skills that he gained a first-class Bachelor of Science in Sound Technology.