Does iPhone hard reset delete photos?

Answered by Ricardo McCardle

Performing a hard reset or factory reset on your iPhone will delete all the photos stored on the device. When you initiate a hard reset, it essentially restores your iPhone to its original factory settings, erasing all data, including photos.

Photos are typically stored in the device’s internal memory or on the iCloud storage if you have enabled iCloud Photo Library. However, a hard reset wipes all data from the device, including any photos that have not been backed up. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you have a backup of your photos before proceeding with a hard reset.

To back up your photos, you can use various methods such as:

1. iCloud Backup: Enable iCloud Photo Library and ensure that your photos are being synced to your iCloud account. This way, your photos will be backed up in the cloud, and you can restore them after performing a hard reset.

2. iTunes Backup: Connect your iPhone to a computer with iTunes installed and create a backup of your device. This will include your photos, and you can restore them later.

3. Third-party Backup Solutions: There are several third-party apps and services available that can help you back up your photos. These apps provide additional storage options and allow you to sync your photos across multiple devices.

It’s important to note that a hard reset should only be performed when necessary, such as troubleshooting software issues or preparing to sell your device. If you are looking to free up storage space on your iPhone without losing your photos, there are alternative methods you can consider, such as deleting unnecessary apps, clearing cache, or transferring your photos to a computer or external storage device.

A hard reset or factory reset on your iPhone will indeed delete all the photos stored on the device unless you have backed them up prior to the reset. It is always recommended to have a backup of your important data, including photos, to avoid any potential loss.