Back Up Your Data With iCloud
Making a backup of your documents, settings, and other data on iCloud makes for a smooth transition to your new iPad. Just restore your data after you get the new one up and running. Here’s how:
To back up your iPad to iCloud before you wipe its data:
Tap the Settings icon. Select your Apple ID from the top of the Settings page, and then select iCloud from the right side of the screen. Choose iCloud Backup. Tap Back Up Now. If you haven’t enabled this feature, tap the switch next to iCloud Backup to turn it on. After your backup completes, check the date and time next to Last successful backup to ensure that the backup finished successfully.
How to Erase Your iPad’s Data
The most important part of preparing your iPad for sale is ensuring that you remove all traces of your identity from it. Don’t sell or give away an iPad without wiping its data first.
Tap the Settings icon. Select General. Choose Reset (or Transfer or Reset iPad in iOS 15). Tap Erase All Content and Settings. If you see a message that says you’re still backing up to iCloud, select Backup Then Erase to complete the backup first. Even if you recently backed up your iPad to iCloud, you may receive a prompt asking you to either perform another backup or proceed with the erasure. If you have a passcode (unlock code) enabled, enter it in the next window. Choose Erase when the pop-up menu appears. If you enabled restrictions, enter your restriction passcode. Confirm the erase a second time. Choose Erase again.
Look for the Hello Screen
Once the wipe and reset process begins, the screen goes blank for up to several minutes as the iPad wipes your data and restores it to its factory settings. You will likely see a progress bar showing the status of the wipe and reset process. When the iPad finishes the process, you see the Hello or Welcome Setup Assistant screen as if you were setting up the iPad for the first time.
If you don’t see the Hello or Welcome screen, something in the wipe process didn’t work correctly, and you need to repeat the process. Failure to do so may result in whoever obtains your iPad accessing your personal information and data.
