Erase an iPad mini from Settings, then confirm the Hello screen before selling, gifting, or trading it in.
Before a sale or trade-in, knowing how to erase an iPad mini protects your photos, messages, apps, files, and Apple Account from the next person who touches it. The built-in erase tool wipes personal content from the tablet and returns iPadOS to the setup screen.
Back up anything you want to keep before you wipe the iPad mini. Erasing the tablet does not remove photos, notes, or files already stored in iCloud, but it does remove the local copies, app data, Wi-Fi networks, downloads, and device settings from the iPad mini.
What Happens When You Erase An iPad Mini?
Erasing an iPad mini removes your content and settings from the tablet and returns it to factory setup. The next owner should see the Hello screen, not your Home Screen or Apple Account.
The erase process is stronger than deleting apps one by one. A manual cleanup can leave signed-in apps, saved browser data, email accounts, or paired accessories behind, while Erase All Content and Settings removes the device-level data in one pass.
Erasing an iPad mini is also different from Reset All Settings. Resetting settings keeps your apps and media; erasing removes them from the tablet.
Erase An iPad Mini Before A Sale Or Trade-In
An iPad mini should be backed up, signed out, and wiped before it leaves your hands. That sequence preserves your data and clears the setup barriers the next owner would otherwise hit.
- Back up the iPad mini with iCloud or a computer if you want to restore its data later.
- Open Settings, tap [your name], then tap Sign Out if you are preparing the tablet for another person.
- Return to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings, then tap Continue.
- Enter the device passcode and Apple Account password if iPadOS asks for them.
- On a cellular iPad mini, choose whether to keep or delete the eSIM. Delete the eSIM when the tablet is going to someone else.
- Wait until the iPad mini restarts to the Hello screen.
The Hello screen means the wipe finished and the tablet is ready for setup. Do not set it up again unless you plan to keep using it.
Use Settings When The iPad Mini Still Opens
The Settings method is the simplest wipe when you know the passcode and can open the Home Screen. Apple lists the same path in its factory reset steps for iPhone and iPad.
Use this method when the touchscreen works, the battery can hold enough charge, and you can enter the passcode. Plug the iPad mini into power if the battery is low, because an interrupted erase can leave the device stuck until it is restored with a computer.
| Situation | Use This Method | Watch For This |
|---|---|---|
| You know the passcode | Settings erase | Apple Account password may still be requested |
| You are selling the tablet | Sign out, then erase | The next owner should see the Hello screen |
| You are trading it in | Erase from Transfer or Reset iPad | Remove cases, SIM cards, and screen locks first |
| The iPad mini has cellular service | Choose the eSIM option during erase | Delete eSIM for resale; keep it only for your own reset |
| Settings will not open | Computer restore | Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes is needed |
| You forgot the passcode | Computer erase flow | Activation Lock can still require the Apple Account |
| The tablet belongs to a school or employer | Ask the device owner first | Management profiles can reapply after a restore |
| You only want to fix Wi-Fi or layout | Reset, not erase | Apps and media stay on the tablet |
Use A Computer When Settings Will Not Work
A computer restore erases the iPad mini and installs a fresh copy of iPadOS. Use it when Settings is frozen, the tablet will not finish the erase, or the passcode screen blocks normal access.
On a Mac, use Finder. On Windows, use the Apple Devices app; if that is not available, use iTunes. Older Macs using macOS Mojave or earlier also use iTunes.
- Update the Mac or PC, and install the Apple Devices app or iTunes if needed.
- Connect the iPad mini to the computer with a USB or USB-C cable.
- Open Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.
- Select the iPad mini when it appears on the computer.
- Click Restore iPad, then click Restore again to confirm.
- Leave the cable connected until the iPad mini restarts.
If Restore iPad is blocked because Find My is still on, sign out on the iPad mini first or use the Apple Account tied to that device. The screen should land on Hello after the restore finishes.
Remove These Before Handing It Over
Physical items and account links matter after the software wipe. A clean handoff means the buyer or trade-in center gets the bare tablet, not your service, accessories, or account history.
Check the iPad mini one last time before boxing it. This takes less than two minutes and catches the small things people forget.
| Item To Check | Action | Done When |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Account | Sign out or enter the password during erase | Setup no longer asks for your account |
| eSIM | Delete it for sale or trade-in | The cellular plan is not left on the tablet |
| SIM card | Remove the tray card if your model has one | No carrier card stays inside |
| Local downloads | Erase the device | Files stored only on the tablet are gone |
| Cases and screen protectors | Remove them for trade-in inspection | The tablet body is visible |
| Setup screen | Stop at Hello | No Apple Account, apps, or Home Screen appears |
Can You Erase It Without The Passcode?
An iPad mini cannot be erased from Settings without the device passcode. A computer restore can erase the tablet, but Activation Lock may still ask for the Apple Account that was used on it.
Activation Lock is not a normal password prompt you can skip. If you bought a used iPad mini and it asks for someone else’s Apple Account during setup, the seller must remove the device from their account before you can use it.
For a tablet owned by a school or employer, do not wipe it as if it were a personal device. Managed iPad models can be tied to organization controls that return after the restore.
Leave The Tablet On The Hello Screen
The iPad mini is ready to hand over only when the Hello screen appears and no personal account is visible. That screen tells you the erase reached the setup stage.
- Back up anything worth keeping.
- Sign out of the Apple Account if the iPad mini is leaving your hands.
- Erase through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad.
- Use a computer restore only when Settings is unavailable.
- Delete the eSIM for sale or trade-in.
- Stop at Hello, power the tablet off, and pack only the accessories you intend to include.
A buyer or trade-in desk can start setup from there. Your apps, messages, browser data, downloads, and local files should no longer be available on the iPad mini.
References & Sources
- Apple.“How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.”Lists the current Settings path, eSIM choice, passcode step, Apple Account step, and Hello screen result for erasing an iPad or iPad mini.