How to wipe your iPhone or Samsung phone before selling
Selling or trading in an old phone makes a lot of sense, but many people struggle to get around to it. According to a study by Vodafone and the Good Things Foundation, Brits have over 200 million unused devices languishing in drawers and cupboards – that’s three per household. It’s a huge waste – putting these devices to use is not only better for the planet, but it could also make you a bit of money, too.
You’ll want to prepare your phone properly before you sell it or trade it in, however. But we’ll show you exactly what you need to do in order to protect your data and ensure a smooth transaction.
Don’t worry, it will only take a few minutes. Whether you use an Android device or an iPhone, our guide will walk you through what you need to do before you sell it or trade it in.
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Step 1 – Back up your data
This step is very important. Backing up your data ensures that should something go wrong, you don’t lose all of your photos, notes, apps, passwords, files and everything else on your phone.
On iCloud
1: Connect your iPhone to a wi-fi network.
2: Tap Settings > [Your name] > iCloud
3: Tap iCloud Backup > Backup Now
Your phone will then start backing up to iCloud, Apple’s cloud storage facility. You’ll need to keep your iPhone connected to your wi-fi network for the duration of the backup. Once the process is complete, your phone will tell you when it last backed up.
You can also set your iPhone to back up to iCloud automatically. To do so, follow the same two steps as above, and in step three, in iCloud Backup, make sure the option Back Up This iPhone is toggled on. Then connect your phone to a power source, make sure the screen is locked, and wait for the backup to complete.
For more information, check out Apple’s official guide: How to back up your iPhone or iPad with iCloud
On Google One
1: Tap Settings > Google > Backup and follow the instructions to activate backup
2: Tap Manage Backup to alter your settings
Your backup can take up to 24 hours, so be patient. Your phone will default to automatically backing up your data, but you can stop this if you want in Settings > Google > Backup.
For more information, check out Google’s guide: Back up your device
On an external device
Backing your phone up to an external device isn’t quite as straightforward, but it does give you locally-stored copies of everything in case of any issues with cloud storage. You can back up using an external hard drive, computer or SD card – you just have to connect your phone to your external storage device of choice.
Android users can use a PC file manager to copy over everything from their phone. Just connect your phone to your PC via USB, select File Transfer mode from within your phone’s notifications shade and copy and paste using Windows File Explorer.
To back up your iPhone on a Mac, connect your iPhone, and go to the Finder sidebar on your Mac and select your iPhone. Click General > Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac. You can now choose to encrypt the data using a password. Then click Back Up Now.
On a PC, connect your iPhone as you would on a Mac, and open iTunes. Within the iTunes window, click the iPhone button > Summary, and under Backups, click Back Up Now. You can now choose to encrypt the data using a password.
Find out more with Apple’s guide to backing up your iPhone.
Step 2 – Remove your accounts
Before you sell or trade in your phone, you need to remove your account from it. Don’t worry, your account – and data – won’t be deleted, but it will be unlinked from that device. If you don’t remove your account from the device, the new owner won’t be able to use it, as it will still be ‘locked’ to your account. So removing your account is an essential step – but only after you’ve backed up your data, of course.
Here’s how to remove your account.
iCloud for iPhones
1: Tap Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out (this is at the bottom so you’ll need to scroll down).
2: Choose Erase This iPhone or Sign Out But Don’t Erase.
3: Follow the on-screen prompts to see what data will be erased.
4: Enter your Apple ID password.
5: If you chose Sign Out But Don’t Erase, tap Confirm > Sign Out. If you chose Erase this iPhone, tap Sign Out, then confirm by tapping Sign Out once again.
Read more: Apple’s guide to signing out of iCloud
Google Account for Android
1: Tap Settings > Password & Accounts (depending on your device, this might be called Users and accounts, Passwords, passkeys and autofill, Password, passkeys and accounts or Manage accounts).
2: Under Accounts, tap the account you want to remove and tap Remove Account.
3: Confirm it.
4: If this is the only Google Account on the device, you’ll need to confirm your identity using the password, PIN or pattern.
Read more: Google’s guide to removing a Google Account.
Step 3 – Remove SIM cards and accessories
Don’t forget to remove your SIM card, as you’ll need to put it in your new phone (unless you want to change your phone number, that is). Not many phones take memory cards like SD cards nowadays, but yours might if it’s older, so check you haven’t left one inside, otherwise you could lose precious photos, videos, songs and films.
Check with the trade-in service whether you should include other accessories like chargers and cases – some might want these, but most probably won’t. Bear in mind that most new phones come with a USB cable but no mains adapter, so if you include your current one when you trade in or sell you will need to buy a replacement.
Step 4 – Perform a factory reset
Now it’s time to wipe the phone completely, so the new owner sees no trace of your data. If you chose Erase This iPhone when removing your iCloud account, you’ll already be well on your way. If not – or you’re using an Android device – follow these steps below.
Factory resetting an iPhone
Tap Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings
Factory resetting an Android phone
Tap Settings > General > Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset
Step 5 – Clean and inspect your device
It’s worth giving your phone a quick once-over to make sure it’s looking its best. This minimises the chance of the trade-in service lowering their offer once they receive your device, or a disgruntled buyer leaving you a bad review.
Check it for cracks, scuffs or damage, clean the screen, and clear out any fluff from the ports (it’s amazing what can accumulate there from years of dwelling in a pocket or bag). This is best done with a can of compressed air to avoid damaging the device’s delicate ports.
Step 6 – Package your phone safely
Now it’s time to send your phone off. Make sure you use decent packaging to minimise the risk of it being damaged in transit. Bubble wrap or padded envelopes are best. If you’re selling to us, we can send you packaging free of charge.
Avoid loose accessories in the packaging, as these can get lost or damaged during transit. And make sure you attach the prepaid label so it goes to the right destination and so you can track its progress.
Check our guide to selling your phone for more information.
Step 7 – Check your trade-in or sale details
The last step. All you need to do now is double-check the quote, ensure you’ve selected the right condition for your phone and that you’ve got the right delivery label.
Happy? If so, send it off, and wait for the money to come through.
