A factory reset removes most of your personal data, but not always everything
A factory reset wipes your device back to the state it left the factory — deleting your photos, messages, installed apps, accounts, and settings. On phones and tablets, this usually means your personal files are gone. On computers, the outcome depends on whether you choose to keep or remove the Windows or macOS installation itself.
The catch: factory resets do not always delete everything in a way that makes recovery impossible. Deleted files can sometimes be recovered with the right software, especially on computers. If you are selling the device or giving it away, a factory reset alone may not be enough to protect your privacy.
Key Takeaways
- A factory reset removes your photos, messages, apps, accounts, and personal settings from your device.
- On phones and tablets, factory reset is usually permanent for practical purposes, but computer files can sometimes be recovered with recovery software.
- If you plan to sell or donate the device, a factory reset is the first step, but you may want to take additional steps for security.
- Cloud backups and accounts linked to your device (like Google or Apple ID) may survive a factory reset unless you remove them first.
What gets deleted on phones and tablets
On iPhones, iPads, and Android phones, a factory reset removes nearly everything you added to the device after you first set it up. This includes photos and videos stored locally, text messages, email accounts, installed apps, browsing history, saved passwords, and custom settings like wallpapers and notification preferences.
The device will still have its operating system (iOS or Android) and the apps that came pre-installed from the manufacturer. Your phone number and carrier information remain tied to your SIM card, not the phone itself, so those are unaffected.
One important detail: if you have a Google account on an Android phone or an Apple ID on an iPhone, the factory reset does not automatically remove those accounts from the device. You will need to sign out of them before resetting, or the device will ask you to sign back in after the reset completes. This is a security feature to prevent theft, but it means your account information is still connected to the hardware.
What gets deleted on Windows and Mac computers
On a Windows PC, a factory reset can mean different things depending on which option you choose. Windows 10 and 11 offer "Reset this PC," which can either keep your Windows installation and remove only your files and apps, or remove everything including Windows itself. If you choose to remove everything, the drive is wiped and Windows is reinstalled from scratch.
On a Mac, the process is called "erase and reinstall" and works similarly — it removes your files, apps, and accounts, then reinstalls macOS. Unlike Windows, you cannot keep macOS and remove only your personal data; the two happen together.
The critical difference from phones: on a computer, deleted files are not immediately unrecoverable. The operating system marks the space as available for new data, but the old files remain on the drive until something else writes over them. Data recovery software can often retrieve these files if the drive has not been heavily used since the reset.
What survives a factory reset
Cloud backups and online accounts often survive a factory reset because they live on the manufacturer's servers, not on your device. If you have iCloud backups on an iPhone or Google Drive backups on an Android phone, those files remain in the cloud even after the reset. You can restore them to a new device or the same device after signing back in.
Similarly, if you have a Microsoft account on Windows or an Apple ID on a Mac, those accounts and their associated data (email, calendar, contacts) are stored online. A factory reset does not delete them — it only removes them from that particular device. You can sign back in and access them again.
If you have linked a smartwatch, fitness tracker, or other device to your phone, those connections are erased from the phone itself, but the linked device still has its own data. You will need to re-pair them after the reset.
Permanent deletion versus recovery
On phones and tablets, a factory reset is permanent for most users. The data is overwritten in a way that makes recovery extremely difficult without specialized forensic tools. If you are simply clearing your device for personal reasons, a factory reset is sufficient.
On computers, the situation is different. A standard factory reset does not physically destroy the data — it just marks the space as reusable. If you use data recovery software within days or weeks of the reset, you can often retrieve files like documents, photos, and emails. The longer you use the computer after the reset, the more likely the old data gets overwritten.
If you are selling or donating a computer and want to prevent recovery, you have two options: use a secure deletion tool that overwrites the drive multiple times before resetting, or use full-disk encryption (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac) before the reset. Encryption makes the data unreadable even if someone recovers the files.
How to prepare before a factory reset
Before resetting any device, back up anything you want to keep. On phones, use iCloud (iPhone) or Google Drive (Android). On computers, use cloud storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, or copy files to an external drive.
Sign out of accounts you do not want linked to the device after the reset. On iPhones, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. On Android, go to Settings > Accounts and remove the accounts you want gone. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Your Info and sign out. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Login Items and remove accounts.
If you are selling the device, remove any payment methods, stored credit cards, or saved passwords. On iPhones, go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay. On Android, go to Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Payments & Subscriptions. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Payment Options.
Factory reset versus other deletion methods
A factory reset is different from simply deleting individual files or clearing your cache. When you delete a photo or email, it goes to a trash or recycle bin where you can still recover it. A factory reset removes everything at once and empties that trash automatically.
If you only want to clear space or remove a few apps, you do not need a factory reset. You can delete apps individually, clear your browser cache, or remove photos one by one. A factory reset is the right choice only when you want to return the device to a blank state.
On phones, you can also use "Erase All Content and Settings" (iPhone) or "Factory Reset" (Android) to do a complete wipe without keeping anything. On computers, the "Reset this PC" or "erase and reinstall" options do the same thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a factory reset remove viruses or malware?
A factory reset removes most malware because it deletes all installed apps and files where malware typically hides. However, some sophisticated malware can hide in the device firmware or bootloader, which a standard factory reset does not touch. For phones, a factory reset is usually sufficient. For computers with suspected serious malware, consider using a bootable antivirus tool before resetting.
Can I recover files after a factory reset on my phone?
On iPhones and Android phones, recovery is extremely difficult without specialized forensic software. Your best option is to restore from a cloud backup if you have one. If you do not have a backup, the data is effectively gone for practical purposes.
What happens to my phone number after a factory reset?
Your phone number stays with your SIM card, not your phone. After a factory reset, your phone will still have the same phone number when you insert the SIM card. If you removed the SIM card before resetting, you will need to reinsert it afterward.
Do I need to do anything special before selling a used computer?
A factory reset is a good start, but for a computer you are selling, consider using a secure deletion tool or enabling full-disk encryption before the reset. This prevents buyers from recovering your old files with recovery software. On Windows, BitLocker is built in. On Mac, FileVault serves the same purpose.
Will a factory reset remove my Windows or macOS license?
Your Windows license is tied to your Microsoft account or hardware, depending on which version you have. A factory reset does not remove the license, but you may need to sign back in with your Microsoft account to reactivate Windows. On Mac, your macOS license is tied to your Apple ID and will reactivate when you sign in after the reset.