How to Fix Erase Pending iPhone - 3 Top Methods

Why Does iPhone Say Erase Pending?

Sometimes, you may need to wipe your iPhone in many situations, such as a lost or stolen iPhone, forgotten password, sold your iPhone, etc. However, when you erase your iPhone with iCloud, you may encounter iPhone erase pending issue. What does erase pending mean? It means that a remote erase command has been sent to your device, but the device has not yet completed the erasure process.

In general, there are some possible reasons for iPhone erase pending issue:

① An unstable internet connection is one of the most common reasons why the erasing process pending. iCloud depends on network to perform the operation. So if your device is offline, you will see Erase Pending.
② Besides, when the iPhone is disabled or locked with a passcode, it also cannot connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. In this situation, the request to erase iPhone hangs.
③ Chances are that because of too much data, the iPhone is stuck on erase pending for a long time.

How to Fix Erase Pending iPhone- 3 Methods

Before fixing the problem, let’s see how long does it take for iPhone erase pending? Generally speaking, it usually only takes about 10-15 minutes. If you are still stuck on the erasing process for too long, you can try the following methods to fix it.

Method 1. Reset All Network Settings

As we said before, a good internet connection is a prerequisite for erasing an iPhone. Therefore, the first step you should do is to check the network settings, you can reset all network settings and try again, which will clear all network settings/cache and restore the original network options and values.

Go to Settings > tap General > click Transfer or Reset iPhone > tap Reset > tap Reset Network Settings > Enter your passcode to confirm and restart your iPhone.

Method 2. Restore iPhone with iTunes

There are many ways to wipe an iPhone: iCloud-Find My iPhone, restore iPhone with iTunes, factory reset iPhone, etc. Some issues might prevent you from wiping iPhone data on your iPhone, but you can still do it on your computer. While Find My iPhone erase pending, iTunes can help you factory reset your iPhone on computer, just like you did on iPhone.

Step 1. Install the latest version of iTunes on a computer and open it, connect your iPhone to computer with USB cable.

Step 2. Click the Device tab, tap Summary, and then click Restore iPhone...option to factory reset iPhone

☛ Note: Make sure you have a backup of your iPhone, as restoring will wipe all data on the device.

Method 3. Erase iPhone via FoneTool (Ease & Safe)

FoneTool is a professional iOS eraser that can completely erase iPhone data by overwriting existing data. It supports you to wipe your iPhone deeply no matter you want to sell your old iPhone or get it working again, and the data cannot be recovered any longer. 

But at the same time it provides you Full Backup and Custom Backup function, you can backup your data fully or selectively to a safe place to avoid any data loss.

★ Why do you choose FoneTool?

Easy to Use. With its clear interface, it is easy for everyone to erase iPhone when first use it.

Reliable and Safety. With a USB cable, you can quickly finish the scan process and no worry of losing your privacy.

Deeply Erase Technology. It is designed with the professional team and ensure you can permanently wipe iPhone/iPad.

Wide Compatibility. It supports the iOS devices from iPhone to iPad, iPod Touch, also works well with the latest iOS version.

Now, download FoneTool to see how to erase iPhone.

Step 1. Click Toolbox on the left pane > Data Eraser on the interface.

Step 2. Choose Erase all data and click Get Started.

Step 3. Tick "I have understand the consequence of erasing data, and I am sure to erase data", and "Automatically activate iPhone and ignore initial settings", and then click Erase iPhone to delete everything.

FAQs on Erasing Pending iPhone

After you learn the above 3 ways to wipe your iPhone, you may also want to solve the below questions.

 Can I remove a device while erase is pending?

No, you should not remove a device from your account while an erase is pending. If you remove it, the erase process will be canceled, and the device might not be securely wiped.

 What happens if I didn't turn off Find My iPhone before erasing?

If you didn't turn off Find My iPhone before erasing your device, the device will remain activation locked. This means the new user will need your Apple ID and password to reactivate the device, which can be problematic if you're selling or giving it away.

 What to do if my iPhone is taking forever to erase?

If your iPhone is taking an unusually long time to erase, try the following steps:

Step 1. Ensure the device is connected to a stable internet connection.

Step 2.  Force restart the device and try the erase process again.

Step 3. If it still doesn't work, use iTunes or Finder on a computer to restore the iPhone to factory settings. If the problem persists, contact Apple Support for further assistance.

Conclusion

That’s how to fix “erase pending iPhone”. Hope you can erase iPhone successfully after reading this guide. If you want to keep your precious data, FoneTool is your best choice. Just Download it to know more features.