How to format the mobile: backup and erase data

Although it is a time that many times we do not want to arrive, fortunately, restoring a mobile phone to its factory settings can be a less cumbersome process than what traditionally formatting a PC has meant. Let’s see the main options. In addition, we will start from the essential advice so that you put personal data safe with the corresponding backup copies. It is not necessary to remember that deleting the mobile data will also mean eliminating any installed application, photo taken or configuration that we had.

Save your data

Before deleting the data from the smartphone, we can always make a backup copy from the phone to continue keeping everything that we had been storing. This option is in the device settings, without the need to install complex applications or processes. Google offers us 15 GB of free space , which is linked to the Android account. Therefore, to carry it out, we must follow the following steps:

1. First, we enter the device Settings.
2. We locate the section called System.
3. Then we access Backup.
4. And finally, we tap on Create backup now.

We can do this whenever we want to manually, although to make the automatic backup on Android phones we just have to touch the top option where it says ‘ Google One Backup ‘. By itself, the device will take care of it by itself when the smartphone is connected to a Wi-Fi network and it has been idle or charging for two hours.

In addition, in the ‘Backup information’ section we will see what each one occupies. We will even see if it is synchronized with another app such as Google Photos, which is responsible for making the backup for multimedia files.

In the case of the iPhone , we will do it through iCloud. To start doing them in the Apple cloud we will need to follow these steps on our iPhone:

1. Enter the Settings section.
2. Tap your account> iCloud.
3. There, we must access Copy in iCloud. Inside, we will activate the backup.

Once we have done this, the backup of your apps and data will start automatically when your phone is plugged into the power, locked and connected to a Wi-Fi network.

On an Android

If you are going to sell your phone because you have bought a new one or you want to give it to a relative, it is time to delete your data and everything you save on your smartphone. If you had an Android mobile, these will be all the ways you will have at your disposal to do it. However, some will be easier than others, and it will even take more or less.

The classical way

This system is the fastest and should be done when the device does not present any serious malfunction . It can be done from the phone’s own settings and the process will not take more than a few minutes. Then the mobile will turn on again and we will have to configure everything from scratch.

To do this, and although it depends on each model, we go to Settings > System > Reset options > Delete all data (although these steps will vary depending on the customization layer of your Android phone). In some devices this option may be within the Security settings.

In addition, this same method can be even more accessible, that is, much faster. If we have a search box in the Settings menu, we will only have to write Reset, Restore or Delete data to find this tool in the easiest way.

From recovery mode

This method is widely used both by technical service professionals and by all those users who install ROMs from the MicroSD card. In addition to resetting our device, it also allows us to clean the cache. To enter and format the mobile from this mode, we will have to use a combination of keys that varies in each model: press the power button and the volume down key at the same time. In all of them we will have to turn off the terminal and turn it on using the previous key combination. Once inside, we will select the option ‘ Wipe Data / Factory Reset ‘ to proceed to erase the smartphone.

From the PC

This method requires the Fastboot software to be installed, in addition to the drivers for your mobile. To use this method we will have to follow several steps so that the reset of the phone is successful:

• Boot the device in fastboot or bootloader mode. Generally, with the phone turned off, (simultaneously holding down the power and volume down buttons). We will have to keep them on until the mobile starts.
• Next, we will have to connect the phone to the PC with the USB cable and wait for the driver installation to complete.
• We run the ADB and Fastboot tool and enter the command ‘fastboot devices’ and press the ‘Enter’ key. Then a string of characters and then the word ‘fastboot’ will be displayed, confirming that the device is supported and ready to receive commands.
• Finally we will have to enter the command ‘fastboot erase userdata’ by which the progress of the reset will begin and will show the word ‘finished’ at the end. Now we just have to restart the computer and proceed to configure it again, using the ‘fastboot reboot’ command.

Google does it to you

If our objective is to format the mobile because we have lost it or we simply want to use an alternative method, we can do it from the Google Find My Device tool. We will have to log in to Google with the same account that we have on our smartphone, and go to the previous link. In the lower option, which we can see in the following image, we can proceed to format the mobile.

On an iPhone

As in Android smartphones, we find different alternatives with which to zero any Apple mobile. It will only take a few seconds. Although, we already warn you that the simplest and most effective option will be from the iPhone itself. Although, we leave you more options so you can choose for yourself.

From the settings

You can carry out the restoration process from the iPhone itself. Although, as we said, there are several ways to make it possible. Also, there are different soft reset options where you can restore certain settings. But, the one that we are interested in knowing at this moment is how to eliminate an Apple mobile completely. To do this, you must follow the following steps from your phone:

1. Head to Settings > General > Transfer or reset iPhone .
2. Here, we will find some reset options, but if you want to delete all the content you must click on the option Delete content and settings .
3. Click on Continue . You may be required to enter the device’s security code or your Apple ID password to finally format the phone. In addition, it will show you everything that will be removed from the smartphone.

With iTunes or Finder

You can also restore your Apple phone from a PC . In the event that you have a Windows or Mac computer with macOS Mojave or earlier, you must carry out this process from iTunes .

1. Disable the Find My iPhone tool from Settings> Your account> Find.
2. Connect the phone to the computer with a USB.
3. Open iTunes and click on the icon of your mobile.
4. Now select the option ‘Restore’. Here you will likely need to enter your device’s security code or Apple ID password.

On the other hand, if you have a Mac with a version macOS Catalina or later , you must use the Finder to be able to restore your iPhone from the PC:

1. Deactivate the option to search for the iPhone from the smartphone Settings> Your profile> Search.
2. Connect the terminal to the Mac via cable.
3. If the message ‘Trust this computer?’ Appears, click OK.
4. Open a Finder window.
5. In the right part of the window you will see that your device appears, click on it.
6. Click on the ‘Restore’ option, enter the security code of your iPhone or the password of the Apple ID when required.
7. Finally, click ‘Restore’ again to confirm.

From Find my iPhone

Finally, we bring you a method that you can do to remotely format your mobile from another device, be it a computer, tablet, etc. To achieve this, you will have to do the following:

1. Under Find My iPhone on iCloud.com, click the phone you want to format. To do this, click on All devices.
2. Click on ‘Erase iPhone’.
3. Also, you will need to enter your Apple ID password. If you are not using a trusted browser, answer the security questions or enter the verification key that you will receive on your device. On the other hand, if you are using your own PC and you said that you confirmed that it is trustworthy, you may not have to put any password to delete the data from your iPhone.