How to Do a Hard Reset on an iPad Without the Cable

By John Granby

Reset your iPad to factory defaults without plugging it into your computer.
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The iPad is the most popular tablet device on the market today and offers a wide range of applications useful for small businesses. If you use an iPad in your business it may be necessary to reset the iPad to the factory settings. For instance, if you are passing the device between coworkers, they may want clear any personal information via a hard reset. Whatever the reason, iTunes and the USB cable are not needed to reset the iPad. A factory reset can be done quickly using the iPad's interface.

Charge your iPad completely. The reset can take some time and you do not want your iPad to shut down during the process.

Turn on your iPad, and tap the "Settings" icon.

Tap the "General" menu item in the left column if it is not already selected. You will know if it is selected if it is highlighted in blue and if the word "General" appears above the right column of the screen.

Scroll to the bottom of the "General" column, and tap "Reset."

Tap "Reset All Settings" to completely erase all your content and to reset the iPad to the same condition as if it came out of the box the first time you turned it on. If you have a passcode lock on your iPad, you will be asked to enter the code and then to confirm you want to reset.

Warnings

You should back up your iPad if you think you may want to restore the device with your information. Once the device is reset, you cannot recover the information.

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