Lost iPhone, if erased can it reversed?

“Assuming you never get the phone back, from any other device, you should be able to recover your data from iCloud. Pictures, contacts, etc.”

How can this be done without an existing backup of the “offline” lost/stolen device?

Yes, I corrected my earlier post above:

A correction. If an iPhone is erased by the person who has it in hand (they're already past the lock screen and knows both the Apple ID and password), then the phone will behave as new when it restarts.

But when erased via Find My, such as while logged into your account at icloud.com, then the phone will be erased while still remaining in Activation Lock so it cannot be used.

if activation lock and after 6 months of no use (new phone value is halved) it can be unlocked by an associate at apple

Apple will not do that. Ever. If you cannot prove the phone is yours - and that means a genuine original sales receipt with the matching serial number - then Apple will not unlock and erase it for anyone, no matter how long it's been lost.

I need to say the Erasing the phone in Find my will not remove activation lock.

That is done by Remove from account which should never be done

Erase a device in Find My on iPhone – Apple Support (UK)

quote

"What happens when you erase a device in Find My?

• A confirmation email is sent to your Apple ID email address.
• When you erase a device remotely using Find My, Activation Lock remains on to protect it. Your Apple ID and password are required to reactivate it."

Go to iCloud.com and login with your Apple ID and password. Up front will be your photos, iCloud Drive, Calendar and Numbers. At the lower left, you can get at all of various items backed up via iCloud by clicking on the respective button.

Still good you posted as I forgot to mention this part:

That is done by Remove from account which should never be done

If a user does that, then anyone can erase the stolen phone as new.

Hey id like to say after avout 6 months if it hasnt turned up i would erase it for a few reasons security hasnt been being kept updated which means your data could be compromised for one ... for two if the thief sold your phone to your grandma and it was locked now the thief has money your grandma has a new paper weight and you still have nothing ... im against stealing but im also against the e-waste and the thief... my suggestion is change it from a hello screen to a you got a bad apple? if activation lock and after 6 months of no use (new phone value is halved) it can be unlocked by an associate at apple... i kno the pain of my phone being stolen but im also sitting on 10 locked devices i traded family and friends for working phones that i fixed after they got scammed to mitigate there losses...

No, do not erase it. If you do, the thief will have a free phone to use or sell as a working phone. Left in lost mode, it will forever remain in Activation Lock, and only an extremely lucky guess of both your email address and password will unlock it.

Even if recovered, an erased phone will be impossible to retrieve data from. If still in Activation Lock, you will be able to release it.

Assuming you never get the phone back, from any other device, you should be able to recover your data from iCloud. Pictures, contacts, etc.

A correction. If an iPhone is erased by the person who has it in hand (they're already past the lock screen and knows both the Apple ID and password), then the phone will behave as new when it restarts.

But when erased via Find My, such as while logged into your account at icloud.com, then the phone will be erased while still remaining in Activation Lock so it cannot be used.

I missed that.