What is the most secure way of wiping iPhone 4?

php111 · Nov 15, 2012, 03:52 PM

Hey everyone,

Yes, this iPhone will be re-used again after performing this. What is the really most secure way of wiping/erasing the entire iPhone 4 as if it came out of the manufactured again? Will someone please post instructions and details as well. I'm not sure if Erase All Conent and Settings will take care of my original questions? I read that could take several of hours? In my case while performing it that way, it only takes a few minutes. I won't do it that way if and only that won't erase the phone to manufactured settings. I have the iPhone 4 with iOS 6.0.1.

Thank you,

JayLenochiniMac · Nov 15, 2012, 04:28 PM

Erase all contents and settings will do just fine but be sure to turn iMessages off first.

php111 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:33 PM

I always keep iMessanger off, so why does that method doesn't work for me? It takes less then a couple of minutes which doesn't seem right, or does it?

tymaster50 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:33 PM

just restore it in iTunes stop actin scary lol

Mr Hill · Nov 15, 2012, 04:36 PM

Restore in iTunes works best. I bought a phone from someone and it still had some pics on there after they erased all content and settings from the phone.

php111 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tymaster50

just restore it in iTunes stop actin scary lol

I'm not acting scary. Should I put it in DFU first using redsn0w then use iTunes to restore?

qckslvrsiete · Nov 15, 2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by php111

Hey everyone,

Yes, this iPhone will be re-used again after performing this. What is the really most secure way of wiping/erasing the entire iPhone 4 as if it came out of the manufactured again? Will someone please post instructions and details as well. I'm not sure if Erase All Conent and Settings will take care of my original questions? I read that could take several of hours? In my case while performing it that way, it only takes a few minutes. I won't do it that way if and only that won't erase the phone to manufactured settings. I have the iPhone 4 with iOS 6.0.1.

Thank you,

As I understand it, (and someone more technical than myself can correct this or explain it better) older iPhones without encryption took several hours to wipe because they were literally going through and erasing the data on the phone. With the newer iPhones having encrypted data, it only takes a few minutes because basically when you erase content and settings, the encryption key is scrambled so that the old data cannot [easily] be read, rendering all your contents and settings effectively unsuable without physically erasing the data sectors.

As an extra "just in case" step whenever I sell my phones, I go ahead and fill the phone to capacity with huge (~4gb) blank mp3 files to actually overwrite the physical data on the phone and then erase content and settings all over again. I repeat this process three or four times. I don't know if it does anything, but it gives me a bit more peace of mind, and only takes about 20-30 minutes longer.

tymaster50 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by php111

I'm not acting scary. Should I put it in DFU first using redsn0w then use iTunes to restore?

Just plug it into iTunes and press restore and set-up as new. There.

NT1440 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by php111

I'm not acting scary. Should I put it in DFU first using redsn0w then use iTunes to restore?

I don't know why you'd waste your time using a program for DFU when you can do it in under 15 seconds manually.

That said, if you're really concerned just format it a few times.

Do you have NSA or FBI level people after you? If not you're way far and away overthinking this. No one is going to disassemble the phone and hook it up to extremely sensitive equipment to try to salvage some of your data.

qckslvrsiete · Nov 15, 2012, 04:40 PM

I should add that I believe encryption became a feature on iPhones beginning at the 4. I remember the erasing process for my 3g taking literally four or five hours.

tgi · Nov 15, 2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hill

Restore in iTunes works best. I bought a phone from someone and it still had some pics on there after they erased all content and settings from the phone.

NSFW pics?!

tymaster50 · Nov 15, 2012, 04:42 PM

yeah dude relax you're an average guy, nobody wants your info (not to sound harsh) just restore it and be done with it.

Mr Hill · Nov 15, 2012, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgi

NSFW pics?!

Haha yeah she actually had a few.

Nov 15, 2012, 03:52 PM	#1
php111 macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2011	What is the most secure way of wiping iPhone 4? Hey everyone, Yes, this iPhone will be re-used again after performing this. What is the really most secure way of wiping/erasing the entire iPhone 4 as if it came out of the manufactured again? Will someone please post instructions and details as well. I'm not sure if Erase All Conent and Settings will take care of my original questions? I read that could take several of hours? In my case while performing it that way, it only takes a few minutes. I won't do it that way if and only that won't erase the phone to manufactured settings. I have the iPhone 4 with iOS 6.0.1. Thank you,
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 04:28 PM	#2
JayLenochiniMac macrumors 68040 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Sanfrakota	Erase all contents and settings will do just fine but be sure to turn iMessages off first. __________________ Home iMac 27" 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 Work iMac 24" 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme Mobile iPad 2 & iPhone 5
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Nov 15, 2012, 04:33 PM	#3
php111 Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2011	I always keep iMessanger off, so why does that method doesn't work for me? It takes less then a couple of minutes which doesn't seem right, or does it?
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 04:33 PM	#4
tymaster50 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: New Jersey	just restore it in iTunes stop actin scary lol
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Nov 15, 2012, 04:36 PM	#5
Mr Hill macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC	Restore in iTunes works best. I bought a phone from someone and it still had some pics on there after they erased all content and settings from the phone.
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 04:40 PM	#10
qckslvrsiete macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2010	I should add that I believe encryption became a feature on iPhones beginning at the 4. I remember the erasing process for my 3g taking literally four or five hours.
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 04:42 PM	#12
tymaster50 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: New Jersey	yeah dude relax you're an average guy, nobody wants your info (not to sound harsh) just restore it and be done with it.
	0