How to Safely Erase Your iPad Before Selling or Recycling

Follow these steps to securely wipe your iPad, sign out of iCloud, and remove all personal data before passing it on to a new owner.

1. Back up your current data. Open Settings and tap your name at the top of the sidebar. Select iCloud, then tap iCloud Backup and choose Back Up Now to ensure your data is saved to the cloud.
2. Sign out of iCloud and the App Store. Return to the main Settings menu and tap your name. Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted to turn off Find My iPad and remove your account data.
3. Initiate the erasure process. Navigate to Settings, tap General, and select Transfer or Reset iPad. Tap Erase All Content and Settings to launch the factory reset assistant.
4. Confirm with your passcode. Enter your iPad device passcode if prompted by the system. The device will perform a final verification to ensure all security locks are disabled.
5. Complete the factory wipe. Tap Continue on the confirmation screen to allow the iPad to restart and wipe its internal storage. The Apple logo will appear while the cryptographic keys are destroyed and the operating system is reset to default.
6. Verify the reset. Once the process is complete, the iPad will display the Hello screen in multiple languages. If you see this screen, the device is successfully erased and ready for a new user.