The iPhone 17 Pro Max can be reset in three different ways depending on what’s wrong: a force-restart for an unresponsive screen (no data loss), an Erase All Content and Settings from inside iOS 19 for a full factory reset, or a recovery-mode restore through a computer when the phone won’t boot. Apple uses the same button combination as recent iPhones, so if you’ve reset an iPhone 8 or later, this will be familiar.

⚠ Back up first. A factory reset wipes everything — photos, messages, app data, Apple ID sessions. Open Settings → [your name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. Confirm the backup completed before proceeding. Note: Activation Lock requires the original Apple ID password to set up the phone after reset, so make sure you remember it.

Watch the procedure (video tutorial)

Method 1: Force restart (no data loss)

Use this when the 6.9-inch screen is frozen, an app is unresponsive, or the phone won’t wake up. It’s the equivalent of yanking the battery and does not erase any data. Note that on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the **Action Button** (left side, above the volume buttons) does NOT enter the reset combo — only Volume Up, Volume Down, and the Side button. Similarly, the **Camera Control** button (right side, below the Side button) is not part of any reset combination.

Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the Side button on the right side of the phone.
Keep holding until the Apple logo appears (around 10 seconds). Release the button.

Method 2: Erase All Content and Settings (when iOS 19 works normally)

This is Apple’s official factory-reset method, equivalent to a full wipe. Use it when selling the phone, transferring to a new owner, or troubleshooting persistent issues.

Open Settings.
Tap General.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
Review the summary of what will be erased and what’s backed up. Tap Continue.
Enter your device passcode, then your Apple ID password to turn off Activation Lock.
Tap Erase iPhone. The phone will restart and begin the wipe — typically 5–15 minutes.

Method 3: Recovery mode restore via computer (when iOS 19 won’t boot)

Use this when the iPhone 17 Pro Max is stuck on the Apple logo, locked out from too many failed passcode attempts, or otherwise unbootable. You’ll need a Mac (running Finder on macOS Catalina or later, or iTunes on older versions / Windows) and a USB-C cable. Important: a recovery-mode restore requires re-entering the Apple ID linked to the phone (Activation Lock).

Connect the iPhone 17 Pro Max to your computer with a USB-C cable.
On a Mac, open Finder and select the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the sidebar. On Windows, open iTunes (or the Apple Devices app).
With the phone still connected, do the recovery-mode button sequence: press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button.
Keep holding the Side button — even past the Apple logo. Wait until you see the recovery-mode screen (a cable icon pointing at a computer).
On the computer, a dialog will appear with options to Update or Restore. Click Restore. (Update tries to keep your data; Restore wipes everything and reinstalls iOS 19.)
The computer will download the latest iOS 19 version and reinstall it on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. This takes 15–30 minutes — don’t disconnect the cable.

After the reset

The phone will boot to the “Hello” setup screen. You’ll be asked to sign in with the Apple ID that was previously associated with the device — this is Activation Lock and Apple cannot bypass it. Once signed in, you can restore from an iCloud or computer backup, transfer from another iPhone via Quick Start, or set up as new. Apps re-download from the App Store automatically; some app data (Messages, Health) restores only from iCloud Backup, not from a transfer.

Troubleshooting

The Side button doesn’t enter recovery mode — phone keeps booting normally

Most common cause: releasing the Side button too early. The button must be held continuously through the Apple logo and until the recovery-mode screen (cable icon) appears — this can take 15+ seconds total. Start over and hold longer.

“iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (4013/4014/4005)”

This is usually a cable or USB-port issue. Try a different USB-C cable, plug directly into the computer (not a hub), and on Mac restart the computer before retrying. If the error persists, the phone may need DFU mode restore — same procedure but you hold the buttons longer to enter Device Firmware Update mode.

Stuck on Activation Lock after reset — forgot Apple ID

Apple cannot bypass Activation Lock without proof of ownership. Recover the Apple ID via iforgot.apple.com using your recovery email or trusted phone number. If you bought the phone used and the previous owner didn’t sign out of iCloud, the phone is permanently locked unless they remove it from their account — contact them.