The main reason iPhone performance is degrading is the reduction in free space in the device’s memory. The slow operation of the applications indicates that the gadget requires a "spring cleaning". It’s easy to erase iPhone content and settings. What is this procedure, you will learn a little lower. The process is quite simple, but as a result you will get free megabytes, if not gigabytes of memory.
How to clean iPhone
The process of cleaning the system is simple, and this can be done globally by deleting all the applications you have ever used, or selectively by erasing only those programs and files that you no longer need. There are various ways to do this:
- Erase the content and settings of iPhone 4s or another model.
- Uninstall programs in iCloud.
- Remove applications from the working display on the smartphone.
- Remove applications from the Main menu, the "Storage" section.
- Recover smartphone via iTunes.
Some of these methods allow you to update the system and get a perfectly "clean" device. However, it should be borne in mind that after system recovery, you will need to configure the data from the backup again on iTunes or iCloud. Remember to make a copy before erasing iPhone content and settings. What this will give is described below. Removing programs through the main menu of the device makes it possible to do this selectively. We will discuss each option in more detail below.
How to back up
Before proceeding with the reset of content and settings, it is necessary to prepare a backup copy of the data stored on the smartphone. You can do this using the iTunes program, then, if necessary, you can really restore all important information to your phone. You can create a backup in different ways, or rather, in two.
Method 1
In the context menu of the App Store you need to select "File", then - "Devices", then - "Back up".
Method 2
In the upper left corner, click on the iPhone icon, then the “Browse” section, then press the “Create a copy now” button.
Keep in mind that it will not be possible to restore all information, only:
- Phone book.
- Notes.
- Photo.
- Messages and call archive.
- Telephone and network settings.
Applications, games and music cannot be restored!
Delete settings and content on iPhone
Erase iPhone content and settings - what does this mean? This action, as a rule, is carried out before the sale or when the smartphone hangs heavily, and the process consists of several steps:
- In the smartphone’s main menu, go to the “Settings” section, then “Basic”.
- Move to the bottom of the list and press the "Reset" key. This section allows you to select the following actions:
- Delete all settings. In this case, all changes made in the device settings are erased. The screen saver, password for unlocking and more will also be reset.
- If you erase iPhone content and settings, what will be deleted? This action will lead the smartphone to restore the factory settings, erase all photos, videos, downloaded applications, music, contacts and all other information.
- Delete keyboard dictionary.
- Erase network settings. All network settings of both the mobile operator and the saved Wi-Fi connections are deleted.
- Reset geolocation alerts.
- Delete Home settings.
How to remove content and settings
To reset the parameters, you must perform five actions:
- Enter the iPhone settings, then go to the Main menu.
- Select the “Reset” line.
- Find the "Erase content and settings" key. iPhone asks for a lock password if it was previously installed on the smartphone.
- Confirm the deletion action. Remember: this process is irreversible!
- Important! When the “Find iPhone” function is active, it should be turned off, and only then start the uninstall process. It usually takes 2 to 15 minutes.
Performing the removal process, it is recommended to connect the device to the power supply, since the battery charge will decrease by at least a quarter.
Uninstall apps in iCloud
This method requires an internet connection. To complete the removal process, you must:
- Using an Internet browser, go to the iCloud website and log in using your account.
- Launch the Find My iPhone app.
- In the “All devices” tab, select your smartphone.
- A window with a list of actions will appear on the right, you need to select "Erase iPhone".
- Confirm the operation.
Important! The manufacturers have installed a special activation lock that does not allow erasing data from the smartphone until the Apple ID password is entered.
The removal methods described above can be classified as radical when absolutely all information is erased. Our task is to clean up the phone's memory for good performance, so methods with selective cleaning of the content are quite suitable.
Removing programs from the smartphone’s display
You can do this in two ways - from the basic settings of the smartphone via iTunes or from the desktop of the smartphone.
The easiest and fastest way is to remove programs from the desktop. For this:
- Hold your finger on the application icon for 2-3 seconds.
- After she starts to move, a red X will appear in the corner.
- Click on this cross and the application will be deleted.
To exit the deletion mode, just click on the "Home" button once.
Removing applications from the Main menu, section "Storage":
- Go to Settings.
- Further “Basic” - “Statistics” - “Storage”.
- Click the icon of the desired program, after which all information about it will open.
- Press the "Delete" key and confirm the action.
Reset via iTunes
Erase iPhone content and settings - what does it mean and how to do it? You can also reset your smartphone using iTunes. Before you begin, you must turn off the Find My iPhone feature.
- Connect the smartphone to the computer using the USB cable and launch iTunes from the computer.
- Information on the connected device will appear in the upper left corner of the browser.
- Go to the "Overview" section and press the "Restore iPhone" key there. Please note that the “Restore from copy” button is located nearby, it is intended to restore a previously created copy and has nothing to do with restoring factory settings.
- Confirm the action.
Passwordless recovery
So, the situation: I wanted to erase the content and settings of the iPhone, forgot the password! What to do? All the instructions described above will not come in handy if you forget your Apple ID password, as you won’t be able to confirm certain actions or disable the Find iPhone program. In this case, you can reset the settings using Recovery Mode. In order to enter this mode, do the following:
- Turn off the device and wait a few minutes.
- Press the “Home” button and, without releasing it, connect the smartphone to the PC using the USB cable.
- The Home button needs to be held until the cable and the iTunes launch icon appear on the iPhone display. The appearance of the latter means that you have entered the mode. The Home key can be released.
After starting Recovery Mode on the computer, you need to start iTunes and press the "Restore iPhone" key. This way you can erase iPhone content and settings without an Apple ID password.
Hard Reset Function
Hard Reset, or hard reboot, is used in case the device freezes completely when the smartphone does not respond to any commands for a long time (more than 5 minutes), and holding the Home button for 5 seconds also does not give a result.
To erase content and settings (iPhone freezes), what should I do?
If you find a problem, do the following:
- Hold and hold the Home and Sleep buttons simultaneously until the iPhone turns off.
- Turn on the phone with the “Sleep” key.
- Next, wait until the reboot process is completed, and you can safely continue the steps to restore the factory settings.
Safari Browser
Most of the smartphone’s storage space is occupied by photos, videos, and music. However, there is another memory absorber - this is the Safari web browser. It functions in this way: in order to force the loading of previously visited pages, it simply puts all the site data in a temporary storage. On the one hand, it is very convenient, as it saves Internet traffic, but constantly clogs up memory. However, there are ways to reduce the size of the cache by clearing it from time to time.
How to clear Safari cache on iPhone:
- In the Settings program, find Safari.
- To eliminate temporary files, select “Delete Cookies and Data”.
- To delete information about individual sites, select "Add-ons", then - "Site Data". This section stores all the information Safari browser, the amount of data for a particular site. To delete data from a specific portal, click on the "Change" button, and then click on the red circle next to the site name.
- Confirm removal.
To erase all the information you need to click on the "Delete all data".
As you can see, there are no difficulties when removing applications from the iPhone. Following the instructions in this article, you can easily clean your device from unnecessary applications and improve its performance.