# Reset an iPhone 4S without the iTunes account creds **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147 "2014-01-07T17:37:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/1 "2014-01-07T17:37:06Z")
We had a rather odd thing happen at work this past month. One of our employees died suddenly of a massive heart attack (he was only 47 ☹ ). We’ve been dealing with that for the past few weeks, but now things have settled down. There is an issue, though. The techs iPhone, like all our iPhones, is set up with his personal iTunes account. It is, however, a work phone. Normally you can easily reset an iPhone to factory default and get rid of all of the personal information, but in this case we can’t figure out any way to do it since the phone is locked with his account. We called Verizon and they claim there is no way to do this (really?). Haven’t tried Apple yet, but thought I’d see if any 'dopers know a way to reset the thing if you don’t have the iTunes account information. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/2 "2014-01-07T17:53:19Z")
From [here](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1212?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US): > [@](#): > > Alternatively, place the device in recovery mode and restore it to erase the device: > > 1. Disconnect the USB cable from the device, but leave the other end of the cable connected to your computer’s USB port. > > 2. Turn off the device: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears, then slide the slider. Wait for the device to shut down. > > 3. While pressing and holding the Home button, reconnect the USB cable to the device. The device should turn on. > > 4.Continue holding the Home button until you see the Connect to iTunes screen. > > 5.iTunes will alert you that it has detected a device in recovery mode. Click OK, and then restore the device. It worked for us in a similar situation. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/3 "2014-01-07T17:55:17Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > From [here](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1212?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US): > > It worked for us in a similar situation. We can’t connect it to iTunes since we don’t know his creds at all. Unless I’m missing something, that seems to be what they are doing in that link. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/4 "2014-01-07T18:03:44Z")
> [@XT](#): > > We can’t connect it to iTunes since we don’t know his creds at all. Unless I’m missing something, that seems to be what they are doing in that link. You don’t need his creds to do that. Just make sure the device is completely turned off, then press the home button and hold it while you plug the cable in. You’ll have to hold the button for what seems like an unusually long time, but after awhile iTunes will pop up this: [http://cdn.iphonehacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/recovery\_mode\_alert.png](http://cdn.iphonehacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/recovery_mode_alert.png) and you’ll be able to wipe it and restore it to factory settings. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/5 "2014-01-07T18:07:50Z")
Ok, I’ll give it a shot. I assume I can use any computer with iTunes on it, I don’t need to have it be one of the computers that it was synched too, correct? Because we don’t have access to any of the computers he synched it to before. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/6 "2014-01-07T18:11:54Z")
Right. The only thing is it all his data will be gone. It will be like a new iPhone synced to whatever computer you use. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reset-an-iphone-4s-without-the-itunes-account-creds/678147/7 "2014-01-07T18:14:45Z")
That’s exactly what we are trying to do. Thanks. 🙂