Before starting the BlackBerry-wipe process, be sure to back up any information on the device that you don't want to lose. Once the device data deletion process is commenced, it cannot be stopped.

1. In order to initiate the deletion of all the data on your RIM/BlackBerry smartphone, click the Options icon on your BlackBerry home screen.
   
2. Next, select Security Options and then General Settings.
   
3. When the General Settings screen appears, click the BlackBerry Menu key, and choose the Wipe Handheld option.
   
4. A dialogue box will appear to warn you that you're about to initiate a full device wipe and ask you to confirm the action.
   
   You are also given the choice of including all third-party applications and related data in the deletion process. If you wish to keep third-party app information on your BlackBerry, you should leave the associated check box empty and hit Continue.
   
   If you want to delete any and all data on your BlackBerry smartphone, fill in the check box and then click Continue
   
5. As soon as you confirm that you want to perform a BlackBerry wipe and delete all your handheld data, another dialogue box appears as a final safeguard asking you to type the word BlackBerry to start the process. Complete the request and you're on the way to wiping your BlackBerry.
   
   (Note: The data deletion process can take about an hour depending on the amount of data stored on your BlackBerry device, especially if you have content compression enabled).

When the deletion process is complete, your BlackBerry restarts itself and another dialogue box appears to ask if you would like to run the device Set Up Wizard. At

that point, your BlackBerry is wiped clean of all data--unless you chose to let third-party app information remain, and factory settings are restored.