Selling or Recycling an Old Phone or Computer? How to Wipe It First

Old phones, tablets and laptops hold years of photos, messages, saved passwords and signed-in accounts. Dragging files to the trash doesn’t remove them. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warns that deleted data can often be recovered until it’s overwritten, and you can’t easily tell when that happens. A proper wipe takes about an hour and protects you, and it gives the next owner a device that actually works.

This guide is for anyone upgrading, trading in, donating, handing down or recycling a device, including parents passing an old phone to a child and families clearing out a relative’s electronics. It was checked against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), CISA, Apple Support and Android Help on October 29, 2026.

The short version

1. Back it up.
2. Unpair watches, earbuds and cars, and sign out of your accounts.
3. Remove SIM and memory cards.
4. Do a full factory reset.
5. Remove the old device from your accounts’ trusted device lists.
6. Check that it’s really clean before it leaves your hands.

Step 1: Back up what you want to keep

The FTC lists backing up as the first thing to do before trading in a phone. Use iCloud or your computer for an iPhone or iPad, and your Google Account for most Android phones. Android Help notes that a reset removes apps and their data, so only what’s saved to your account can be restored. Check that your photos, contacts and messages show up in the backup or on your new device before you erase anything.

Two easy things to miss:

• Authenticator apps. If you use one for two-step sign-in, move it to your new phone first, or you could lock yourself out of accounts.
• Wallet and transit cards with money on them. Android Help reminds users to back up transit cards with funds on newer Android versions. Remove or move payment cards from your phone’s wallet.

Step 2: Unpair and sign out

• Unpair a smartwatch, earbuds and your car’s Bluetooth or phone connection. The FTC specifically mentions watches and vehicles.
• iPhone or iPad: Apple says to sign out of your Apple Account, which also turns off Find My. On current versions, go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. If Find My stays on, the next owner can’t set up the device.
• Switching from iPhone to a non-Apple phone: Apple says to deregister iMessage so texts from iPhone users reach your new phone.
• Android: make sure you know your Google Account password and your screen lock before you reset. Android Help says that if you recently changed your Google password, wait 24 hours before a factory reset. Removing your Google Account from the phone in Settings before the reset helps the next owner set it up without your sign-in.
• Computers: sign out of your Apple Account or Microsoft account, your browsers, cloud storage, music and streaming apps, and deauthorize any purchased media if the service requires it.

Step 3: Remove SIM and memory cards

The FTC says a SIM card may store personal information. Move it to your new phone if you’re keeping your number, or destroy it if you’re not. Take out any microSD card too. If your phone uses an eSIM, Apple says to choose to erase the eSIM profile when you erase the device, and contact your carrier if you need to move service.

Step 4: Do a full factory reset

• iPhone or iPad: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [device] > Erase All Content and Settings.
• Android: open Settings and look for the reset option, often under System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). The exact menu varies by maker. Android Help suggests charging to at least 70% and staying connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, because a reset can take up to an hour.
• Windows PC: Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC, then choose Remove everything.
• Mac: on recent Macs, System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Older Macs are erased from macOS Recovery. Check Apple Support for your model.
• Game consoles, smart speakers, tablets and e-readers: each has its own factory reset in its settings menu. Remove the device from your account in the companion app as well.

CISA also recommends turning on device encryption before you sell or recycle, and following the manufacturer’s instructions for wiping when you trade in. Modern iPhones and most recent Android phones are encrypted by default when a screen lock is set, which is part of why a factory reset is effective on them.

Step 5: Remove the old device from your accounts

The FTC advises removing the phone from trusted device lists used for two-step verification, and making sure saved account and Wi-Fi passwords are gone. Apple says the same for your Apple Account. Check:

• Your Apple Account or Google Account device list.
• Your bank and payment apps, which often list “remembered” devices.
• Messaging apps, streaming services and shopping accounts.
• If you’re changing phone numbers, update the number used for sign-in codes on every account that uses it.

Step 6: Check before it leaves

Turn the device on after the reset. It should show the welcome or “Hello” setup screen and ask for no password of yours. The FTC suggests confirming that contacts, texts, photos, videos and browsing history are gone.

Recycling, donating or destroying a device

• Use a reputable trade-in, recycling or donation program. Many phone makers, carriers and big-box stores take old electronics.
• If a device won’t turn on, you can’t reset it. CISA suggests that for devices you destroy, use a professional recycling or destruction service that lets you confirm the drive was destroyed, since do-it-yourself methods can leave key parts intact.
• Not ready to let it go? CISA says storing an old device somewhere secure, such as a safe, is the most effective protection. Many drawers hold old phones that are still signed in. Wipe them anyway, and keep them somewhere safe.

Passing an old phone to a child

A hand-me-down phone should be reset too, so it doesn’t carry your messages, accounts and payment methods. After the reset, set it up fresh with the child’s own account under your family group, then follow our First Phone Checklist to add parental controls.

Clearing out a relative’s devices

When helping an older parent downsize, or after a loved one dies, gather phones, tablets, laptops and old hard drives in one place. Back up family photos first, then reset or securely recycle each device. Our guide to planning a digital legacy explains how to handle the accounts themselves.

Checklist

• Backup is done and checked on the new device.
• Authenticator app and wallet cards are moved.
• Watch, earbuds and car are unpaired.
• Signed out of Apple Account or Google Account; Find My is off.
• SIM and memory cards are removed; eSIM is erased.
• Factory reset is complete and the setup screen appears.
• Old device is removed from trusted device lists.

FAQ

Is deleting my photos and apps enough?

No. CISA warns that deleted files can often be recovered. Use the device’s full factory reset instead.

Do trade-in programs wipe the phone for me?

Many say they do, but you have no way to check. Wipe it yourself before you hand it over, and don’t rely on someone else’s process for your data.

What is Activation Lock or Factory Reset Protection?

These are theft protections. If you reset a phone without signing out of your Apple Account or removing your Google Account, the phone may ask the next person for your password. Signing out first avoids that problem.

What about an old printer or smart TV?

They can store Wi-Fi passwords, account logins and sometimes scanned documents. Use the factory reset in their settings menu and remove them from any companion apps.

Related guides

• Back It Up: How to Protect Your Family Photos and Files
• Passkeys Explained: What They Are and How to Set Them Up
• SIM Swap Scams: How to Keep Someone From Taking Your Phone Number
• Built-In Phone Privacy Tools

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission, “Upgrading your phone? 4 things you should do first,” consumer.ftc.gov, accessed October 29, 2026.
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, “Protecting Data on Old Devices You Don’t Use Anymore,” cisa.gov, accessed October 29, 2026.
• Apple Support, “What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad,” support.apple.com, accessed October 29, 2026.
• Android Help, “Reset your Android device to factory settings,” support.google.com, accessed October 29, 2026.

This is general information, not technical advice. Menu names differ by device and software version; check your device maker’s help pages for exact steps.