If you have set a strong passcode on your device, the good news is that the passcode also acts as part of your device’s encryption key, meaning that the data on your device is encrypted. When the Official Ways Don’t Workīut what do you do if you’ve tried all of Apple’s troubleshooting steps, and your device still won’t turn on or connect to your computer - and contains sensitive information that you want to be sure is not recoverable? If your device won’t even turn on, Apple also provides a few additional troubleshooting steps to take, like performing a force restart and making sure the device is charged. If the computer reset method doesn’t work, Apple also provides instructions on how to wipe the device by booting it into recovery mode. The same instructions also let you know what to do if you can’t get into the Settings app on your device: You can try to hook it up to your laptop or desktop device and perform a reset that way.

Apple provides instructions for iPhones and iPads, directing you to the Settings app, where you can perform a reset of the device (by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings).

You’ll need an iPhone or iPad that turns on just fine and that you can either navigate using the touchscreen or connect to your computer.

Erase iphone