How to reset iPhone 4s can be done in two different ways. One type reset is called a soft rest and you can use it to free up memory that is used by a program that is running in the background. The data on the phone will not be deleted. A factory reset will return the phone to the settings in which you received it from the factory. All the data that you have stored on the phone since you received it will be deleted. Before you can use the phone again you will have to set up an iTunes account.
The soft reset can be done by finding the button on the right of your phone at the top and the button on the front of the screen. Hold both of them down simultaneously until a prompt on the screen appears that says ‘slide to power off’. Do not follow the prompt, but continue to hold both buttons until the screen goes completely dark. Now press and hold the top right button on the phone to turn it on. You will see the Apple logo while the device is returning to full power.
To perform a factory reset you will need to connect the phone to your PC using the USB cable or a Wi-Fi app that you purchase. You will need to go to the iTunes program if it did not launch automatically when you connected the two devices. On the summary screen find the section labeled ‘version’. Find and click ‘restore’. Chose the option of allowing iTunes to back up or to not back up your phone data. If you select back-up your data can be restored to your phone once the factory reset process has finished. If you do not allow back up all the data on your phone will be lost and you cannot recover it.
After the information is erased the device will power off. It will restart automatically to a screen that features a globe and a USB cable that says ‘connect to iTunes’. This is an indicator that your phone has been returned to the factory setting.