Prepare Your iPad for Device Reset
iOS devices can be reset, in the same way that a Windows machine can be re-imaged, and an iOS device reset has similar benefits. In order to make this process transparent, you will want to prepare your device before reset, even if you're sending it to us for the reset. There are a variety of methods for resetting (aka wiping, aka erasing) an iPad, but they all share the same goals of refreshing the underlying iOS, clearing off user and app data, and preparing the device for re-enrollment with our MDM administration server.
When Should a Device be Reset?
A device reset is:
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Essentially required any time a device changes schools, as with any other asset transfer
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Highly recommended whenever a non-cart device goes from one primary user to another
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Recommended periodically for general device health, just as with periodic Windows machine re-images
Before Resetting
The process of resetting an iOS device is more complex than it may seem, and it is in everyone's best interest to willfully prepare an iPad for a smooth reset. So, before resetting...
Offload any user data you want to save.
If there are any files, photos, etc., that you want to save before the device is reset, consider that a critical part of preparing the device for reset. There are many ways to approach this task, ranging from simply moving this data into iCloud (if the device has an active iCloud login), or using AirDrop to transfer to another Apple device, to manually moving files via email or iTunes-based file transfer; if you have questions about this, please feel free to contact the Helpdesk about it.
If possible, remove device passcode.
We do have some ways of bypassing a device passcode while resetting a device, but if you can successfully remove the passcode (in the Settings app, depending on your iOS version it's either under Touch ID & Passcode, or just under Passcode) before getting it to us for reset, it sure helps things to go more smoothly and quickly. (Note that some devices may have a required passcode that you cannot remove; in that event just let us know and we'll sort out the right way to address it.)
Log out of iCloud and App/iTunes stores.
The most important precaution to take before resetting a device, is to fully log out of iCloud and App/iTunes stores. This avoids the cumbersome condition known as Activation Lock, in which Apple will not activate the reset iPad because it detects a potential conflict in ownership. (We must go through a cumbersome process to prove, to Apple, that the device is indeed a District-owned device; this can tie up a device for weeks or more, so please help us avoid it!)
In the device's Settings app (which varies slightly in different versions of iOS), the area to log into or out of iCloud with an Apple ID is usually at the top of the left-side; if you are logged in with an Apple ID, you can tap the name to get details on the right side of the screen, and at the bottom of the account details should be a Sign Out button.
Note that in some cases, some devices may have a restriction on editing the iCloud login; if you can see that there is an active iCloud login but you cannot edit it to do a logout, please contact us and we'll figure out the right way to proceed.
Now you're ready for reset
With desired data saved and Apple ID logins cleared, you're ready to send the device to us for the reset, or (if you're comfortable) to attempt the reset yourself.
If you're shipping the device(s) to us, please see Send an iPad for Reset or Setup.
If you wish to do the reset yourself, please see Reset a District iPad.