Why Resetting Your Tech To Factory Settings is Worth It

Following the Let Loose Event last month, I wasn’t planning to replace my 2020 iPad Pro, primarily because it was still working, but also because I wasn’t sure which iPad to get next.
Anyway, a few days after the event I noticed that the battery started to drain heavily, and I honestly started to think that the iPad was on its way out. But then I remembered that I had much older iPads that hadn’t suffered the same fate and still worked perfectly fine.
I didn’t really want to reset the iPad to factory settings as setting it up and downloading all the apps again was putting me off, but I decided to do it anyway.
I’ve now been using the iPad for a couple of days and the battery life is absolutely fine.
It just goes to show that sometimes starting fresh is the best option!
Important note before you reset your devices
Resetting a device to factory settings isn’t as glamorous as it sounds, especially as you need to think about backing up the data you have on that device.
After all, you don’t want to lose your precious photos, documents or any other files you may have.
When I reset my iPad to factory settings, I knew that most of my files are stored in iCloud and Google Drive, but I double-checked anyway just to make sure that was the case.
If you are resetting a MacBook or a computer, I highly recommend creating a manual backup of all your files on an external storage device such as an external hard drive. There is no such thing as too many backups, in fact, I would even go as far as saying that you can’t call it a backup until you have at least 3 copies on 3 separate devices.
If you are a Mac user, Time Machine does a pretty good job of creating backup images of your Mac, but I still recommend backing up your files just to be on the safe side.
If you don’t feel comfortable backing up your data yourself or resetting your device to factory settings yourself, I highly recommend visiting your local computer repair shop.
Benefits of a factory reset
Now that we have the important information out of the way, let’s discuss some benefits of resetting your device to factory settings, starting with the fact that it puts your device into a clean state.
Resetting your device to factory settings will wipe away accumulated clutter such as temporary files and app data, and it will remove any unwanted apps or software.
Even though I didn’t have many apps installed, I was surprised to find apps on my iPad that I hadn’t used for years!
Resetting your iPad to factory settings will also give your device a performance boost. It will free up storage space and get rid of any apps that could be causing slowness on your device.
Back to my iPad, the primary cause of the battery drain was that there were apps running in the background that I didn’t use. If you put all of these apps together, they all add up in terms of battery usage.
Resetting can also give your device a security boost, as the wipe can erase any potential security threats such as viruses and malware.
When to consider a factory reset?
You’re probably wondering why I haven’t reset my iPad sooner, and actually that’s a pretty good question.
I always tend to leave factory resets as a last resort, mainly because of all the work that may need to be performed after the reset, but also because there may be a simple fix which will sort the situation.
But sometimes, starting fresh is the best option and I only tend to try it when the system is extremely slow, when I see crashes and freezes.
I also take this option when I can see errors and bugs, particularly with the system and system apps, or if I suspect a malware infection.
If you are planning to sell your device, it’s also important to wipe it and reset it to factory settings.
At the time I had the iPad Pro, I don’t think that I ever had to reset it to factory settings, so I guess that fed my decision to reset it.
Final Thoughts
To summarise this article, resetting your device to factory settings can seriously improve its performance of your device and resolve any issues you may be seeing.
But it is crucial, that you back up any files you may have on that device, even if you already have them backed up in the cloud. I always follow the principle that you can’t call it a backup until you have at least 3 copies in 3 different locations.
Personally, I only tend to recommend factory resets as a last resort, but sometimes that’s the most sensible option.