How to Wipe iPhone Data Permanently?

Summary: Do you want to erase everything on your iPhone? But fear that it could be recovered. Learn about the best tool that wipes iPhone data permanently and makes it unrecoverable by any recovery software.

Your iPhone is a trove of personal data — photos, videos, passwords, ID proofs, bank details, chats, messages, contacts, and a lot more— which, naturally, you don’t want to fall into other hands. That’s why you prefer to delete all the information on your iPhone before selling it to others.

But several iPhone recovery software can easily restore deleted data from an old or discarded iPhone. So there’s always a fear that someone could recover your iPhone’s data and misuse it.

Here’s a solution — permanently wipe iPhone data beyond the scope of recovery by any software.

How do you permanently erase data from your iPhone?

Manual deletion is one of the ways to remove data. But it can be easily recovered by iPhone features like restoring ‘Recently Deleted’ or recovery software.

Then, Apple suggests resetting the content and settings of the iOS device. It’s effective as the deleted data is not accessible directly on your iPhone. But this also does not completely erase your data from iPhone storage.

So to wipe iPhones permanently, specialized erasure software should be used. The iPhone data erasure tool destroys all information on your storage by overwriting, thus rendering it unrecoverable.

Methods to erase everything on iPhone

1. Reset content and settings on iPhone (data gets inaccessible but recoverable)
2. Use iPhone data erasure software – Stellar Toolkit for iPhone (permanently wipes iPhone’s data, unrecoverable)

Method 1: Reset content and settings on iPhone

Apple provides a factory reset feature in iPhone with the ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ option. This method lets you bring your device to default settings by erasing iPhone data.

Apple’s factory reset will delete all settings, passcodes, photos, videos, notes, contacts, call history, messages, search history, app history, and other data on your iPhone.

However, erasing your iPhone with the ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ option does not delete your data permanently. All the personal data on iPhone is still recoverable with the help of advanced iPhone data recovery software.

Steps to Factory Reset iPhone:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap and follow General > Reset.
3. Tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
4. A dialog box appears; click Erase Now.
5. Enter your Passcode and your Apple ID password when prompted. This will wipe iPhone completely and turn off the device.

Now your device is ready to use as new without any personal photos, videos, or other information.

Note: Back up your iPhone data on iCloud or iTunes before performing a factory reset. Even when you want to sell the iPhone, the old data remains in iCloud and iTunes. And you can access it anytime on your computer or new iPhone.

Method 2: Erase data permanently using Stellar Toolkit for iPhone

When you want to delete iPhone data permanently beyond the scope of any recovery software, use an iPhone erasure tool – Stellar Toolkit for iPhone.

The factory reset option by Apple does leave a chance of iPhone data recovery by using the software. But, Stellar Toolkit for iPhone software permanently resets iPhone. The software erases iPhone data from the storage drive by overwriting and setting it to the original default settings. The software leaves no possibility of recovering data by any means.

You can quickly remove iPhone’s settings, photos, videos, audio, music, contacts, messages, chats, installed apps, call history, reminders, search history, and other data.

The software works with all iPhones and iPads. It can wipe off data from iPhone 15, 14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11, XS MAX, XS, XR, X, 8, 7, 7s, 6s, 6 Plus, 6, 5s, 5c, 5, 4s, and 4. It supports iOS 6.0 and up to iOS 16.x.

Stellar iPhone erasure lets you completely wipe data from an unlimited number of iPhones with the software.

Additionally, the Toolkit can also recover lost, or deleted data from iPhone, iCloud, and iTunes in various data lost cases such as water-damaged iPhones , broken iPhones , stuck at Apple logos , and so on.

Key benefits

• Wipes complete iPhone data permanently
• Erases data from multiple unique iPhones
• Easy-to-use
• Compatible with all iPhones and iPads

Steps to erase iPhone data permanently with software:

Step 1: Download and run Stellar Toolkit for iPhone on your computer.

Step 2: Select Erase Data.

Step 3: Erase the iPhone Data screen appears. Click Next.

Step 4: Plug your iPhone into the computer when prompted.

Step 5: Click Erase.

Step 6: An Erase Process dialog box appears. Select Yes to start the erasing process on iPhone. Next, you can view the process progress bar.

Step 7: Once the process finishes, the ‘Data Erase Completes’ message box appears. Click OK.

Your iPhone is now reset as new without any personal information, passwords, or settings.

When should you erase iPhone data with software?

Your data is sensitive and can be easily exploited by someone. So before giving away your iOS device to its next owner, it is better to wipe it off completely so that no one can recover it.

You can use iPhone erasure software when you are-

• Selling an old iPhone
• Exchanging an old iPhone with a new one
• Donating an iPhone to someone
• Fixing technical malfunctions in your iPhone

Final Words

Stellar Toolkit for iPhone comes to the rescue when you want to be sure about your iPhone data privacy.

If you have to use your iOS device as new, give it away, donate, or resell, you must use the erasure software to wipe iPhone data permanently. It’s 100% secure and easy to use.

A free trial is available for Stellar Toolkit for iPhone; you may try it yourself.

How to find lost iPhone Backup files on Windows PC?

Summary: You have to restore iPhone data. But you cannot find backup files saved on your Windows PC or the backup files are unreadable. This post guides you to find iPhone backup on Windows PC and methods to restore it on your device.

You may get into a terrible iPhone data loss situation after a factory reset, stolen iPhone, jailbreak or physical damage to your device, etc. Backup is your only resort. But another shocker is waiting for you. You cannot find iPhone backup files once saved on your Windows PC.

Your backup files are not readable, and you have no clue how to access them.

In such a situation, keep calm and do not worry. If you have ever saved your iPhone backup on a Windows computer and are now unable to locate or access it, this post guides you to find an iPhone backup on a PC and how to restore it on your device.

Where are iPhone backups stored on Windows PC?

iPhone backups are safe copies of your complete device information. iTunes saves iPhone backup in the Users folder on a Windows computer. These backup files are not in a readable format. You can copy them but should never try to move files to a different drive, edit, rename or extract content. All such activities can ruin the backup files. However, you can make copies of your backup or delete backup that you do not require anymore.

Steps to find iPhone backup files on Windows PC:

• In the Search bar, enter %appdata% or %USERPROFILE% (if you downloaded iTunes from the Microsoft Store)
• Press Return
• Double-click these folders: Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup

You can also locate iPhone backup in Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11 by following Users > (username) > AppData > Roaming > Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

Cannot locate iPhone backup on Windows PC? Find and Restore data with iPhone data recovery software.

If you cannot find your iPhone backup data on your PC or cannot access the backup files, take refuge in third-party software – Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

How can Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone help you?

You can find, access, and restore lost iPhone backup files with Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. It is a secure tool that efficiently scans the computer to find your iPhone backup. The recovered iPhone backup files are in readable form, and you can either save them on your PC or iPhone.

When you can use the Stellar iPhone data recovery solution

• You are unable to locate your iPhone backup files
• Your backup files are either lost or deleted.
• You cannot access iPhone backup files on Windows PC
• Not able to restore backup on your old/new iPhone

How can Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone recover lost backup files from PC?

The iPhone Data Recovery Tool by Stellar is a do-it-yourself software that quickly recovers complete iPhone data in a readable form from your Windows PC.

You can recover all your lost photos, videos, contacts, messages, Safari bookmarks, Call history, Reminders, Voice memos, Notes, WhatsApp, Kik, WeChat, Viber messages, etc.

It also offers a Deep Scan if your desired iPhone information is not recovered after the first scan. A deep scan does a comprehensive scan of the selected device or backup to recover every bit of lost or deleted backup information.

Benefits of Stellar iPhone Data Recovery

• Recovery of deleted or lost backup files
• Recovers data in a readable format
• Option to restore only that data from backup which you want to be in your iPhone
• Allows to save recovered backup on computer or iPhone

Step-by-step recovery of lost iPhone backup on Windows PC with Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch the software.

Step 2: On the home screen, select Recover from iPhone. The scanning process begins.

Step 3: After scanning, all the files on your iPhone are listed.

If you do not see the required files in the list, choose Deep Scan. It will scan for the backup stored on your computer system.

Step 4: Select and save the recovered iPhone data at your desired location. You can save it on your iPhone if you want to restore backup data on your device or save it on your computer.

Wrapping Up

Losing iPhone data after factory reset, jailbreak, being stuck in a boot loop or physical damage, etc., can get messier when you cannot find or retrieve information from iPhone backup files saved on your computer. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone significantly relieves such data loss situations.

This iPhone utility not only finds the lost iPhone backup files on Windows PC, but it also makes them readable and allows you to save/restore them to your iPhone or computer. Moreover, it lets you selectively transfer iPhone data on your iPhone rather than complete a backup.

You can download the free trial version to evaluate its performance. It is undoubtedly not going to disappoint you.

How to Reset iPhone without Losing Data?

Summary: Sometimes, resetting an iPhone is essential to fix minor issues like iPhone crashing, freezing, or getting stuck at the Apple logo. But the iPhone reset process can delete important data and settings on your device. Read this post to learn smart ways to reset your iPhone without data loss. Moreover, you can also download this quick tool to reset your iPhone without losing data.

“Yesterday, my iPhone stopped working suddenly. I have been trying multiple ways to fix it since then; even tried the force reboot method. Should I simply reset my iPhone? How do I do it without losing my device data?”

Resetting an iPhone can sometimes become a necessity, whether due to sudden freezing up of your device, software glitches, or slow performance. Often, when your iPhone gets stuck on the Apple logo or suddenly crashes, you can reset your iPhone to fix this minor issue.

A factory reset is also necessary if you want to sell your iPhone and want to start fresh. When resetting your iPhone, it will become an empty slate with no pictures, contacts, videos, downloaded applications, playlists, or anything else. An iPhone reset restores your iPhone to its initial configuration and original factory settings.

However, be careful with this method as resetting your iPhone deletes all files & settings on the device.  For those looking to reset iPhone without losing their precious data, this blog is the answer. Let’s read on to find some simple ways to do so while keeping our data intact.

How to reset your iPhone without Losing Data?

Before starting, it’s crucial to back up your iPhone data to avoid losing important files and folders. You can back up your iPhone using iCloud, iTunes, or Finder on Mac or PC.

Next, follow the step-by-step instructions on resetting an iPhone using iPhone Settings, iPhone erasure software, and iTunes.

Method 1: Reset iPhone Without Losing Data via Settings

To reset iPhone without losing data, you need to use the ‘Reset’ feature in your iPhone. This feature has different options on how you would like to reset- whether through the ‘Reset All Settings’ or the ‘Reset Network Settings’ option.

The Reset All Settings option will remove or reset privacy settings, keyword dictionary, location settings, etc., to default. At the same time, Reset Network Settings will remove previously used networks and VPN settings. Resetting the Network Settings will turn off the cellular data roaming and remove previously used Wi-Fi settings of your iPhone.

Moreover, no data or media is deleted from iPhone when choosing the Reset All Settings or Reset Network Settings option.

Steps to Reset iPhone Using the ‘Reset All Settings’ option

• On the iPhone, navigate to Settings > General.
• Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Click Reset options.

• Next, click the Reset All Settings option.
• Then enter the iPhone passcode.
• Now, click Reset All Settings. This process will take a couple of minutes to reset the privacy settings, keyword dictionary, location settings to default, but will keep the rest of your data fully secure.

Method 2: Reset iPhone via Stellar Toolkit for iPhone Tool

Sometimes, the ‘Reset All Settings’ option doesn’t solve your iPhone issue. In such a case, try resetting the iPhone with the help of trusted software. Stellar Toolkit for iPhone  is a secure and professional tool that can help you reset your iPhone to fix various iOS issues without losing data.

Also, you can also use Stellar Toolkit for iPhone to fix iOS related issues like- iPhone crashing, stuck at the Apple logo, etc.

This tool’s ‘Repair iPhone’ feature will first download the fresh copy of the iOS version present in your device from the official website. Then it will install the freshly downloaded iOS version on your iPhone after removing the existing one from your device. The software will reset your iPhone, making it seem new without removing or deleting your data.

Stellar Toolkit for iPhone is compatible with the latest iPhone 14, 13, 12, and below series and even all iPad versions, such as iPad Air, iPad Mini, and others.

 

Step-by-Step: How to reset iPhone with Stellar Toolkit for iPhone:

Step 1: Download Stellar Toolkit for iPhone on your Mac or Windows PC and connect your iPhone to the system using a USB cable.

Step 2:  Select Repair iPhone module from the launch screen of the software.

Step 3: On the Repair iPhone screen, click the Next button.

Step 4: Click on the iPhone icon.

Step 5: Click the Download button to download the latest iOS or iPadOS version of the firmware file. If you have already downloaded the firmware before, select Import.

Step 6: After downloading the firmware file, click the Repair button to start repairing.

Step 7: Once you receive the message —The repairing process of the selected iOS device is completed, click OK.

Restart your iPhone to see if the iOS issues are resolved.

Method 3: Reset iPhone Without Losing Data via Recovery Mode

To reset your iPhone, you can use iTunes or Finder app. You need to use Mac or Windows PC to access the recovery mode of your iPhone and reset the device. This method will erase all your device data, so take a backup of your iPhone before proceeding.

Steps to reset iPhone via Recovery

• Open iTunes on your Mac or Windows system.
• Connect your iPhone to the computer and then put your iPhone into Recovery Mode .
• Once your device has entered the Recovery Mode, a message ‘you’re in Recovery Mode’ will pop up. Click OK.

• Click on your iPhone when it appears in iTunes, then click Summary.
• Now, select the “Restore iPhone” option on the right pane.

• Click Restore to confirm. It might take a while for your iPhone to reset; don’t disconnect your device from the computer until the reset process is completed.

• Once the restore process is complete, set up your iPhone as new or restore it from a backup.

Conclusion

You can factory reset your iPhone without fearing data loss by trying different methods mentioned in this blog. Reset All Settings/ Reset Network Settings feature of iPhone can reset your device; however, it may not always work. You can even use iTunes to reset your iPhone, but you will lose all your device data.

Or use the ‘Repair iPhone’ feature of Stellar Toolkit for iPhone software to permanently reset your iPhone without losing data. This tool can repair iOS issues like iPhone crashing, Black Screen of Death, and iPhone stuck at the Apple logo.

Download the free trial version to evaluate the features of the software.

 

FAQs

How to remotely erase iPhone data?

If your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can protect your iPhone data from misuse by remotely erasing its data using the iCloud website.

How to restore or set up your iPhone after reset?

Use an iCloud backup to restore your iPhone after a factory reset.

Solved: Photos Disappeared from iPhone Suddenly

‘I noticed that over 500 old photos from iPhone 11 have disappeared and now only the recently shot pictures are showing! I lost almost all of my best memories saved in my phone. I am sure I did not delete them. Where did the pictures disappeared from iPhone? How do I get back photos missing from iPhone? Please help.’

Photos suddenly disappearing from iPhone or random photos missing from Camera Roll or Gallery is a common complaint. Usually, photos get disappeared after iOS update, iPhone reset/restore, or when the device storage is full. You may also lose pictures after installing any new software, or jailbreaking. Sometimes, running an iPhone cleaning software without checking what it is deleting on your iOS device can also result in loss of photos.

The situation is stressful, even more when you don’t have any copies or backup of lost photos.

So how to recover the missing or lost photos on iPhone? This post shares the effective methods to get back the missing photos from Camera Roll, Gallery, or iCloud on your iPhone.

In any such sudden photo loss situation, the best solution is to use a secure photo recovery tool for iPhone that can recover photos lost due to any reason. Besides, there are free methods that might restore disappeared photos from iPhone, which you should try once.

Method 1: Restart your iPhone

If your photos suddenly disappeared from iPhone, first restart the iOS device. Then open the Photo app, Camera Roll, or Photo Stream to see if the missing photos are showing or not.

You can check here the steps to restart your iPhone model .

Method 2: Restore photos from Recently Deleted folder on iPhone

You might have accidentally deleted the photos on iPhone. Check and recover the photos from the ‘Recently Deleted’ folder of your Photos app.

Steps to recover photos on iPhone from ‘Recently Deleted’:

• On your iPhone, click to follow Photos > Albums.
• Scroll down to Utilities and click Recently Deleted.
• Look for your missing photo, tap on it and choose Recover. If there are multiple photos, click on ‘Select’ followed by ‘Recover’.

Note: Photos deleted on iPhone stay in your ‘Recently Deleted’ folder only for 30 days, after which they are permanently removed from the iOS device.

Method 3: Unhide photos on iPhone

Photos disappeared from iPhone can be in the hidden folder in Photos app. Simply, check the Hidden folder on your device and unhide the required photos.

• Open Photos app on iPhone.
• Click on Albums.
• Under Utilities click on Hidden folder. In case you don’t see the ‘Hidden’ folder, go to ‘Settings’ of your iPhone. Click on ‘Photos’ and toggle on ‘Hidden Album’.
• If you see the disappeared photos, select and click on the ‘Share’ button (the arrow icon).
• Next, tap Unhide to move the pictures to their original location on iPhone.

Method 4: Enable iCloud Photos

iCloud Photos store images in iCloud and syncs them to your iPhone, iPad, iCloud.com, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. This means that any changes done to pictures library on one device will show up on your other iOS devices as well. If the photos are disappearing from iPhone only, may be the iCloud Photo is not synced or turned on. So enable iCloud Photos to get back the disappeared pictures on iPhone.

Steps to enable iCloud Photos on iPhone:

• Turn on Wi-Fi of your iPhone.
• On iPhone, navigate to Settings.
• Click on your name and tap iCloud > Photos.
• Toggle on iCloud Photos.

Now check if the missing photos are showing up on iPhone or not.

Method 5: Recover iPhone photos from iTunes backup

If you have created iTunes backup, restore the disappeared photos on iPhone from it. However, this will replace your existing iPhone data with iTunes backup data.

Steps to recover photos from iTunes:

• Connect your iPhone to computer.
• Launch iTunes.
• Select your iPhone under the device list and click on Summary.
• Click Restore Backup.
• In the Restore from Backup box, select the backup date that contains your photos.

• Click Restore. Wait until the process finishes and your iPhone restarts. All your disappeared photos will be recovered on iPhone.

Method 6: Restore photos from iCloud Backup

You can restore the previous iCloud backup that has the missing photos. However, like iTunes, this method will also replace the current data on your iPhone.

Steps to recover disappeared photos from iCloud:

• On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset.
• Click on Erase all Contents and Settings. In the dialog box, choose Erase Now.
• On the Apps & Data screen, click Restore from iCloud Backup. Enter your Apple ID. In case you have forgot your Apple ID, click here to know how to recover it.

• Select the recent backup and click Restore. The lost photos should now appear on iPhone.

Method 7: Recover lost photos with an iPhone data recovery software

The advanced iPhone recovery software — Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone, can restore photos lost, deleted, or missing due to any reason. Whether your photos disappeared from iPhone after update, due to low storage, or any other reason, the software can recover in all situations.

The biggest advantage of using the software is that it doesn’t remove your existing iPhone data. Further, the software shows the preview of the recoverable photos. Hence, its easy to select and recover only the required disappeared pictures from Camera Roll, iCloud Photo Library, Gallery, or those shared on chat messages, etc. Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is compatible with the latest iPhone 14/13/12/11, iPad, and iPod touch.  The software supports recovery from the latest iOS 16 and older versions.

Quick steps to recover disappeared photos from iPhone:

• Download Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on PC or Mac.
• Connect your iPhone to computer.
• Launch the software and select Recover from iPhone option from the left panel.

• Select the Camera Roll or Photo Stream from where the photos have disappeared and click Next to the start the scanning process.
• Now preview the recoverable photos, select them, and click Save to restore on iPhone or computer.

Note: You can also recover the lost photos from backup by choosing Recover from iCloud backup or Recover from iTunes backup , options in the software.

Conclusion

When you find suddenly photos disappearing from iPhone try any of the above 7 methods to get back the lost pictures. However, of all we recommend solutions Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone software is quick and easy to use. It is also of great help when you don’t want to recover from iCloud or iTunes backup that removes the existing data on iPhone.

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