• BlackBerry® Desktop Manager
• BlackBerry smartphones

The following tasks delete all data, or all data and applications, on the BlackBerry smartphone. For information on backing up data on the BlackBerry smartphone, see KB12487.

Warning: Do not remove the battery from the BlackBerry smartphone while deleting data.

To delete all data from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete one of the following tasks:

• Select the Wipe Handheld option.
• Type an incorrect password ten times.
• Use the Application Loader tool in BlackBerry Desktop Manager to delete all data.
• Use the Backup and Restore tool in the BlackBerry Desktop Manager to clear the application databases.

To delete all data and applications, perform the following task:

• In the Application Loader tool in BlackBerry Desktop Manager, type an incorrect password ten times.

Option 1 - Select the Wipe Handheld option

To delete all data from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps. This option is available with BlackBerry® Device Software version 3.8 to 4.7.

1. On the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options.
2. If you are using BlackBerry Device Software version 4.1 to 4.7, click Security Options > General Settings. Otherwise, click Security.
3. Display the menu, and then click Wipe Handheld > Continue.
4. Type blackberry, and then press the Enter key. All data on the BlackBerry smartphone is deleted.

Option 2 - Type an incorrect password ten times

To delete all data from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

1. Lock the BlackBerry smartphone, and then type an incorrect password ten times.
2. If prompted, type blackberry.
3. Once complete, all data on the BlackBerry smartphone is deleted.

Option 3 - Use the Application Loader tool to delete all data

To delete all data from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

1. Connect the BlackBerry smartphone to the computer.
2. Open BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and then type the password for the BlackBerry smartphone.
3. Double-click Application Loader, and then click Next.
4. On the Device Security Password screen, type the password of the BlackBerry smartphone, and then click Next.
5. On the Device Application Selection screen, click Next.
6. On the Completing the Application Loader Wizard screen, click Advanced. The Device Data Preservation screen is displayed.
7. To delete all application data from the BlackBerry smartphone, select the Erase all application data check box, and then click Next.
8. Select Do not automatically back up and restore the device application data during the loading process and then click Next.
9. Click Finish. The BlackBerry smartphone resets. This may take several minutes.

Option 4 - Use the Backup and Restore tool to clear the application databases

To clear the application databases from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

1. Connect the BlackBerry smartphone to the computer.
2. Open BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and then type the password for the BlackBerry smartphone.
3. Double-click Backup and Restore, and then click Advanced.
4. Press and hold the Shift key while selecting all the databases in the Handheld Databases list box.
5. Click Clear.
6. Click OK on the Warning window. All application databases on the BlackBerry smartphone are erased.

Option 5 - Type an incorrect password in the Application Loader tool

To delete all data and applications from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

1. Connect the BlackBerry smartphone to the computer.
2. Open BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and then double-click Application Loader.
3. In the Application Loader Wizard window, click Next.
4. On the Device Security Password screen, type an incorrect password, and then click OK. Perform this step ten times to delete all data and applications.