During this time, the device displays the Apple logo and a progress bar.' - Apple This process can take several hours, depending on the storage capacity of your iPhone or iPod touch. This process takes just a few minutes.ĭevices that overwrite memory: Overwrites user settings and information, writing a series of ones to the data partition.

The time this process takes will vary by device:ĭevices that support hardware encryption: Erases user settings and information by removing the encryption key to the data. 'When you opt to “Erase All Content and Settings,” the process can take up to several hours. Apple states the encryption keys are removed (which doesn't take long) and then a series of ones are written to the entire data partition, which is why it takes a couple of hours to complete the process. This is not to say your personal data is safe if your iPhone is lost or stolen, due to the way Apple have implemented this encryption, however that is the subject of another blog post, the important thing here is all the your personal data that is stored on the iPhone, is strongly encrypted, therefore by merely deleting the encryption key securely from the iPhone (and everywhere else), will render all the personal data inaccessible.īuilt into the iPhone iOS is an option to erase all the data on it and restore it to factory conditions. The 3GS and above iPhone models comes with built in hardware encryption by default (not that you can switch it off), namely the iPhone uses AES-256 encryption, which encrypts all data stored on the iPhone to a strong industry accepted standard. If your old iPhone is a 3GS or an above model, then securely erasing your personal data is simple enough. This data erasing advice and method also applies to the iPad and iPod Touch

So unless you are putting your iPhone through an industrial crusher, you really need to ensure you erase all the data from it before passing it on, this post explains how. Like any smartphone, the iPhone hoards all types of sensitive information about you, not just your embarrassing ABBA playlist and dodgy drunken pictures from the weekend, but all your Emails including access to future mails, username and passwords for websites and social media, and even sensitive financial information such as bank account and credit card details are often stored. Ensuring all your precious personal information is securely removed from your old iPhone is an essential step to take before trading in or selling your old iPhone on eBay. It seems like every year Apple release a better 'must have' version of the amazing iPhone, sparking a rush to upgrade by the masses.

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