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How to wipe my phone before selling or trading it in

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I'm selling my old phone online and I'm nervous about leaving personal stuff on it: photos, banking apps, my email. Is a factory reset enough, and are there steps I should do before resetting so the buyer can actually use it?

Diagram: Wipe before selling — Back up first; Move 2FA codes; Sign out; Erase and pull SIM

Concerns & risks

You're selling or trading in a phone and want to make sure none of your data goes with it.

At a glance: iPhone vs Android steps
StepiPhoneAndroid
Sign outApple AccountRemove Google Account
ResetErase All Content and SettingsFactory reset
Lock to removeActivation LockFactory Reset Protection
SIMRemove itRemove it
Apple trade-in devices (Apple official image), annotated: Sign out before you erase
Sign out before you erase. Image: Apple (official source, cropped and annotated by ReportSpeed)
Overview diagram: Wipe before selling — Back up first; Move 2FA codes; Sign out; Erase and pull SIM
The whole fix at a glance: back up first, move 2fa codes, sign out, erase and pull sim. Original diagram by ReportSpeed

Causes & evidence

Apple's support guide says that before you sell or give away an iPhone, you should back it up, sign out of your Apple Account, which turns off Find My and Activation Lock, and then erase all content and settings. Google's Android help says to back up your data, remove your Google Account and then factory reset, because Factory Reset Protection can otherwise ask the next user for your account details. Authenticator apps need special attention: move or export your codes to your new phone before wiping the old one, or you can lock yourself out of accounts. Remove your SIM card and any memory card.

A factory reset removes data in a way the buyer can't easily recover on modern phones with encryption turned on by default.

Troubleshooting flowchart: try each step in order and stop when it is fixed — How to wipe my phone before selling or trading it in
Work through it in order and stop when the problem is gone. Original diagram by ReportSpeed

Resetting before moving your authenticator codes can lock you out of your own accounts.

What to do

Step illustration: numbered steps for How to wipe my phone before selling or trading it in
The steps from this answer as numbered cards. Original diagram by ReportSpeed
Comparison chart: Before you sell your phone
Before you sell your phone. Original diagram by ReportSpeed
Before you sell your phone
StepWhy
Back upKeep your photos, messages and data
Move authenticator codesAvoid getting locked out of accounts
Sign out of accountTurns off Activation Lock / Factory Reset Protection
Erase or factory resetRemoves your data
Remove SIM and memory cardThey can hold your number and files
  1. Back up your phone to the cloud or a computer and confirm the backup worked.
  2. Transfer authenticator app codes and passkeys to your new phone.
  3. Sign out of your Apple Account or remove your Google Account.
  4. Erase all content and settings (iPhone) or factory reset (Android).
  5. Remove the SIM and any memory card, and remove the device from your account's device list.
Callout graphic of common mistakes to avoid and what to do instead for How to wipe my phone before selling or trading it in
Mistakes I see most often, plus the better move. Original diagram by ReportSpeed

Common mistakes:

  • Resetting before signing out of your account
  • Forgetting authenticator codes
  • Leaving the SIM card inside

ReportSpeedMan tip: After you sell it, check your Apple or Google account's device list online and remove the old phone if it's still listed.

What I would actually do

iPhone lineup (Apple official image), annotated: Move 2FA codes to the new phone first
Move 2FA codes to the new phone first. Image: Apple (official source, cropped and annotated by ReportSpeed)

I'd do the full sequence the night before the sale, then check my account's device list afterwards to confirm the phone is gone.

The trade-off people miss: trading in at a store is quicker and safer for privacy, while selling yourself pays more but needs the full wipe checklist.

How you can tell it worked

The phone shows the setup screen and no longer appears in your account's device list.

Quick FAQ

Do I need to remove my eSIM?
Erasing usually asks; delete it if you won't reuse it.

Is a reset enough by itself?
Sign out first to avoid locks.

What about WhatsApp backups?
Back them up before erasing.

Wrap-up: Back up, move your authenticator, sign out, erase and pull the SIM. Done in that order, the buyer gets a clean phone and you keep your accounts.

Wiki: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Identity Theft Recovery Steps.

How to wipe my phone before selling or trading it in: primary sources

Step-by-step photos

  1. Before: You're selling or trading in a phone and want to make sure none of your data goes with it
    1. Before The problem
  2. Cause: Apple's support guide says that before you sell or give away an iPhone
    2. Why it happens The cause
  3. Fix steps: Back up your phone to the cloud or a computer and confirm…; Transfer authenticator app codes and passkeys to your new…; Sign out of your Apple Account or remove your Google Account
    3. The fix The fix
  4. After: Back up, move your authenticator, sign out, erase and pull the SIM
    4. After The result

⚡ Speed Summary

  1. Back up, move your authenticator, sign out, erase and pull the SIM.
  2. After you sell it, check your Apple or Google account's device list online and remove the old phone if it's still listed.
  3. Resetting before moving your authenticator codes can lock you out of your own accounts.

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