Selling or giving away your old smartphone? You’ll want to make sure your personal data is completely wiped from the device before it leaves your possession. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to securely erase a smartphone prior to sale or transfer.
Back Up Your Data
Before factory resetting your phone, be sure to back up any data you want to keep. This includes:
- Contacts
- Photos
- Videos
- Music
- Documents
- Text messages
- Call logs
- Apps
You can back up data to your computer or upload it to cloud storage services like Google Drive or iCloud. Just be sure to remember your account credentials so you can access the data later.
Reset Your Phone to Factory Settings
Resetting your phone to factory default settings will wipe all personal data from the device. Here are the basic steps for different operating systems:
For iPhones
- Open the Settings app
- Tap General > Reset
- Tap “Erase All Content and Settings”
- Enter your passcode if prompted
- Tap “Erase Now”
This will erase all data and reset all settings back to default.
For Android Phones
- Open the Settings app
- Tap System > Reset options
- Tap Factory data reset
- Tap Reset phone
- If prompted, enter your PIN, pattern, or password
- Tap Erase everything
This will perform a full factory reset on your Android device.
Remove SIM and SD Cards
Don’t forget to physically remove any SIM or memory cards from your phone before passing it along. This ensures no data remains stored on external media.
Also reset or remove any paired wearables like smartwatches to unpair them from your smartphone.
De-register and Unlink Accounts
Before factory resetting, you should de-register the phone from any linked accounts:
- Sign out of services like Google, iCloud, Samsung, etc.
- Remove accounts from settings
- De-register the phone number from messaging services
This severs the connection between your data and the device.
Perform a Secure Erase
For maximum security, use a dedicated app to overwrite the internal memory prior to factory reset. This makes data virtually unrecoverable.
- Android: ‘Eraser’ and ‘iShredder’ are good secure erase apps
- iPhone: Use the ‘Wipe’ function in iMazing or iMyFone Fixppo
Run the app to overwrite storage before factory reset.
Do a Final Check
After resetting your phone and removing accounts, do one final check to ensure all personal data is removed:
- Check photos, files, contacts, messages – should all be wiped
- Try to access old accounts or services – you should be signed out
- Check cloud backup services and make sure phone is no longer linked
If you see any lingering data, perform another factory reset and account de-registration.
You’re Ready to Sell!
At this point, your smartphone is cleansed of any personal data and reset to factory conditions. You can now securely sell, gift, or trade-in your device! Just be sure to meet any buyer in a public place and take reasonable safety precautions when exchanging.
