How to Restore Your Data if You Need to Factory Reset to Fix iOS Software Problems

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Kelly Heffner Wilkerson

Categories: iPhone, iTunes | View Comments

I have some beta versions of a new tool for us, and I am having a heck of a time describing it. Here is the rundown:

  1. Sometimes software problems cause iPhone issues like severe battery drain, resetting, and other buggy behavior.

  2. The solution to this problem is a "factory reset," aka to erase all contents and settings from your phone, or to reinstall iOS completely.

  3. Often, restoring the iPhone from a backup will make the problem reappear. (This is due to the original issue being caused by some faulty settings or other problems that are saved into the backup.) So, the iPhone owner has no choice but to scrap the old data and start from scratch.

As part of working on Decipher Backup Repair, I've made modified versions of our program that will purge settings and various problematic files from the backup, so that a restore would not bring back the original software problem. I usually describe it as "like a factory restore, but you get to keep your data." My description usually results in a glazed-over look in the person I am talking to.

Anyone have better suggestions for a description?