IOS 15.2 is full of features big and small. In addition to features like Digital Legacy and App Privacy Report, there's another feature we've been waiting for; Completely wipe and reset a locked iPhone without first connecting to a Mac or PC.
This new feature will come in handy if you or someone you know has forgotten your password. If you've tried to enter your password a few times, your iPhone will lock you out for a while and you'll see a security lock screen.
Previously, resetting or deleting an iPhone in this location was complicated. If you lock your iPhone, you must put your iPhone in DFU restore mode and then restore it via iTunes on Windows, or Finder on Mac. Now, however, you can reset your iPhone using a small "Erase iPhone" button in the lower right corner. This also works on the iPad and iPod Touch.
There are still restrictions on deleting locked iPhones
However, to do this, your device needs to be connected to wifi or a cellular network. Also, this is not a free pass to deactivate the lock. You'll still need the Apple ID and password you use to set up your device — so, thankfully, this isn't a free pass to reset a stolen iPhone.
How do I reset or delete a locked iPhone
The process is simple:
Wake up the iPhone and enter any password. Once Apple registers your failed request, a "security lock" screen will appear. If you don't see the screen right away, repeat the process a few times.
Click the "Delete iPhone" button in the lower right corner; click ok again.
Type in your Apple ID password and log out of your Apple ID on your iPhone(the one connected to the device).
Click the "Erase iPhone" button to completely erase all data and settings on your iPhone.
Give it some time. When your iPhone reboots, it will be brand new.
Now you can follow on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone.We want you to have an iCloud backup or an offline backup, so you can restore your data and you can be up and running at any time.
Also, this time, make sure you use a password that you can remember.
As we mentioned at the top, for this feature to work, you'll need to be connected to wifi or a cellular network. If you can't do that, you'll need to restore the iPhone using classic recovery mode on a PC or Mac.
