How to Restore iPad (and iPad Mini) to Factory Settings

By in Mobile. Updated on .

Either it’s for resolving a system issue, wiping your device clean for selling or gifting, or for sending your device for repairs, there can be any reason to restore your iPad to its factory settings.

In this post, we are going to show you some methods to restore your iPad to factory settings. These methods include factory resetting right through the iPad, the Mac, or via iTunes through a step-by-step guide that makes it easy for anyone follows.

First, Backup Your iPad

If the existing files and data on your iPad are important, then it is recommended that you do a backup first.

There are several ways to back up your iPad; you can either do a backup to iCloud or a backup to your Windows or Mac.

Check out our article on how to backup your iPad.

3 Ways to Restore iPad to Factory Settings

There are several ways to restore the iPad mini to its factory settings. You can do it with your Mac or Windows PC or directly on the iPad itself, with the latter being the easiest and most straightforward method.

1. Do it on the iPad itself

You can restore iPad to its factory settings right on the device itself. Here’s how to do it.

Instructions:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Under General, scroll down and tap “Transfer or Reset iPad”.
    3. transfer or reset iPad
  3. Tap “Erase All Content and Settings” on the next screen.
    4. erase all content and settings
2. Do it with a Mac

You can also restore iPad to its factory settings with a Mac. This requires your Mac to be running macOS Catalina (10.15) or later.

Instructions:

  1. Connect your iPad to your mac. Tap “Trust” if required.
  2. Launch the Finder app.
  3. Under Locations on the sidebar, click to select your iPad.
  4. In the General tab, click “Restore iPad…".
    5. mac restore factory settings

This will erase all existing data on your iPad and install the latest iPadOS. The iPad will automatically restart once it’s done restoring to factory settings.

Note: If you’re signed into Find My, you need to sign out before you can click "Restore".
3. Do it with the iTunes app

If you are using a Windows PC, or running Mac with macOS Mojave (10.14) or earlier, then iTunes app will be required.

Instructions:

  1. Connect your iPad to your computer.
  2. Launch iTunes app.
  3. Click the device button on the top left corner of the iTunes app.
    4. device button
  4. Click “Summary” under “Settings”.
    5. settings
  5. Click “Restore” and follow the onscreen instructions.
    6. restore ipad

How to Restore Your iPad When it’s Locked

Now, for some reason, if your iPad (or iPad mini) is locked and you’d want to restore it – you can.

Enter the app called Joyoshare iPasscode Unlocker. It allows you to reset your iPad, restoring it to its factory setting even if you forgot your passcode or the apple ID associated with the device. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

Instructions:

  1. Download and install Joyoshare iPasscode Unlocker on your PC. Connect the iPad to the PC via USB cable, then choose “Unlock iOS Screen” to start.
    2. step 1
  2. Select the correct iPad model and follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPad into DFU mode. Once done, click the right arrow to continue.
    3. step 2
  3. Your device’s information will be shown on the app. Click the Download button to download the firmware package for the device.
    4. step 3
  4. Once it’s done, click the “Unlock” button to initiate the restoration of your iPad. Note: This will erase all its existing settings and content on the device.
    5. step 4

To summarize, this app allows you to do the following:

  • Factory reset iPad without passcode and Apple ID
  • Unlock MDM and Screen Time without data loss
  • Support all iOS devices and iOS versions (iOS 16 included)
  • Rescue your device from different lockup scenarios

How to Restore Your iPad from Backup

Restore from iCloud

If you just did a factory reset on your iPad or just got a brand new iPad and intend to restore it from your existing iCloud backup, this is for you.

Follow the steps below to restore your iPad with an existing backup on iCloud.

Instructions:

  1. Set up your device by following the prompts on your iPad’s screen till you reach the "Apps and Data" screen.
  2. Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID.
  3. Go to "Choose Backup" and select the iCloud backup for your iPad. (You may need to update your ipadOS, or iOS.)
  4. Lastly, you will need to sign in with your Apple ID to restore your apps and data to your iPad.
Restore with Finder app

If your Mac is running on macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer, you can use the Finder app to restore iPad from its backup.

Instructions:

  1. Connect your device to your Mac using the USB cable, then launch the Finder app.
  2. Look for your device under "Locations" on the left side and click "Restore Backup".
  3. Here, select the required backup and then click "Restore".
  4. Once your iPad restarts, wait for it to sync.
Restore with iTunes

If you a Windows user, or running macOS Mojave (10.14), you can restore data on your iPad the iTunes app.

Instructions:

  1. Launch iTunes and connect your iPad to your computer via a USB cable.
  2. Click the iPad icon on the upper left corner and then click the Restore Backup option.
  3. Here, select the required backup and click "Restore".
  4. Once your iPad restarts, wait for it to sync, after which you can disconnect the cable.
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