Although the iPhone 11 is generally quite reliable, like all iPhones, there may come a time when you need to perform a hard reset on yours. For example, in case of a noticeable slowdown, booting issues, or unresponsiveness, a hard reset may be necessary.
Fortunately, a hard reset on iPhone 11 isn’t challenging. You can use the side buttons of your iPhone to manually do a hard reset or use third-party software alternatively. The second option is also a way around it when you’ve forgotten the iPhone password.
Let’s introduce you to two effortless techniques showing you how to hard reset your iPhone 11 to get it up and running again.
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Is Hard Reset the Same As Factory Reset on iPhone 11?
Though it may be somewhat misleading, the two are not the same. And mixing up hard reset and factory reset often leads to data loss. So, it’s a good idea to know the difference between the two before resetting your iPhone 11.
A hard reset is a system reboot that completely shuts off and restarts the device, halting all background processes and memory usage. It’s also called a force restart since it helps when regular restarts don’t work.
As part of the complete shutdown process, it will erase any temporary app data stored on the device, but it won’t delete any of your personal information stored on it.
Unlike a hard reset, a factory reset is a software reset that completely wipes all data stored on the device, including your settings and personal information. This includes the OS settings and apps. It resets the device to its factory settings as if it were brand new.
How to Hard Reset iPhone 11 Manually?
Hard resetting your iPhone 11 manually is super straightforward and requires you to press certain buttons at the same time. Here’s what you have to do:
- Locate the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons on the sides of your iPhone 11, as well as the Power (Sleep/Wake) button.
- Then press and release the Volume Up button quickly.
- Now press and release the Volume Down button quickly.
- Next, press down and hold the Power (Sleep/Wake) button until your iPhone 11’s screen goes black and the apple logo appears.
- Finally, let go of the Power (Sleep/Wake) button, and your iPhone 11 will reboot.
Once it does, the hard reset will be complete, and your iPhone 11 will start up as usual.
What If the Screen Gets Stuck on the Apple Logo?
Sometimes, hard resetting an iPhone 11 may get stuck on the Apple logo, most likely due to a massive software glitch. This usually happens when you were having trouble accessing your phone normally in the first place.
To fix it, you’ll need to put your phone into “recovery mode
.” But be aware that doing so is like doing a factory reset, which means losing all your data.
Hence, you should only attempt this method when your phone isn’t running at all, and you have a backup of your data.
- Connect your iPhone to a computer with the newest version of iTunes using the provided lightning cable.
- Open iTunes on your computer.
- Force restart your connected iPhone using the steps outlined earlier.
- This time, however, keeps holding the buttons even when the Apple logo appears. Wait until the ‘Connect to iTunes’ screen indicating recovery mode appears.
- Now, select your iPhone 11 on iTunes.
- iTunes will show a message telling you your iPhone 11 has entered Recovery Mode.
- You can now select between updating or restoring your iPhone’s software to solve whichever problem you’re having.
If you, for some reason, want to exit recovery mode, just press and hold the side button until your phone reboots.
How to Hard Reset iPhone 11 Using Third-Party Software?
If you don’t want to use the physical buttons on your iPhone 11 to initiate a hard reset, nothing stops you from using third-party software.
After all, software such as ReiBoot – System Repair (iOS) simplifies the whole process and can even help you bypass iPhone 11 lock screens if you’ve forgotten your password.
Here’s how you can do that.
- Download ReiBoot from this link
. Then install it on your Windows or Mac computer and launch it.
- Now, hook up your iPhone 11 with your computer using a Lightning cable.
- When the software recognizes your device, click “Enter Recovery Mode” from the main window.
- Your phone will now enter recovery mode, displaying the “Connect to iTunes” screen.
- Finally, click “Exit Recovery Mode” from the main interface to complete the hard reset of your iPhone.
Contrary to regular recovery modes, this method won’t delete your data, which is a huge plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have further queries regarding hard resetting your iPhone 11, the following answers to the most frequently asked questions might help.
Does a Hard Reset Erase Everything from iPhone 11?
No, a hard reset, also called a force restart, won’t erase any of the data stored on your device unless done through recovery mode, as highlighted earlier. It will only remove temporary app data stored on it.
Can I Hard Reset My iPhone 11 Without iTunes?
Yes, you can hard reset your iPhone 11 without iTunes. The method outlined at the beginning of the article only requires physical button presses to hard reset the device. Alternatively, you can use third-party software to do the job.
When Problems Does Hard Reset Solve on iPhone 11?
A hard reset shuts down, restarts your iPhone 11, and eliminates any temporary app or system data that could be causing the issue. This includes memory leaks, frozen or unresponsive apps, reboot loops, an update gone wrong, and system crashes.
When Should I Consider Factory Resetting My iPhone 11 Instead of a Hard Reset?
A factory reset should only be considered a last resort if all else fails. It’s meant to be used to get the phone back to its original condition, but it comes with the cost of losing all data stored on the device.
Is Hard Resetting an iPhone 11 the Same As DFU?
No, they aren’t the same thing. DFU stands for Device Firmware Upgrade, a more extreme measure than hard resetting. It requires a deeper reset used mostly for downgrading to an earlier version and troubleshooting a system failure.
Conclusion
Hard resets are the bane of iPhone users’ existence, especially when you only have them to rely on for troubleshooting problems with your device. But as you can see, it’s super easy to do it on the iPhone 11.
As long as you don’t have several apps and programs running simultaneously, the process should take no more than a few minutes and will help keep your iPhone running smoothly. Hopefully, our comprehensive guide on how to hard reset your iPhone 11 has been of help to you. As a final tip, always back up your device before you attempt any reset to ensure your data is always safe.