How to wipe your phone before you sell it or trade it in

To wipe your phone before selling it, you need to do two things, not one: erase your data, and sign your accounts out so the phone stops belonging to you. Skip the second step and the buyer gets a phone that asks for your password on day one. That usually ends with a refund request, or a trade-in credit that never arrives.

Here is the order that works on an iPhone, a Pixel or a Samsung Galaxy, plus what to do if the phone has already left your hands.

Apple’s own checklist puts signing out before erasing, and that order matters. Here are the steps from Apple’s guide, What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone:

Apple also asks trade-in sellers to check Parts and Service History. If any part there says Finish Repair, finish that repair before you send the phone in.

Google’s help page for a factory data reset, Reset your Android device to factory settings, lists a few checks before you start. Know the password for the Google Account on the phone. If you changed that password in the last 24 hours, wait a day. Charge the phone to at least 70% and stay on Wi-Fi or mobile data, because the reset can take up to an hour.

Open Settings, tap System, then Reset options, then Erase all data (factory reset). Tap Erase all data and enter your PIN. Google recommends this Settings route for trade-ins.

Open Settings, tap General management, then Reset, then Factory data reset, then Reset and Delete all. Samsung says the phone needs a network connection to sign out of your Samsung account, and it will ask for that account’s password. If your microSD card is encrypted, search Settings for Decrypt SD card first.

The upshot: erasing a phone removes your data, but it does not always remove your claim on the phone. Apple’s Activation Lock and Android’s Factory Reset Protection exist to stop thieves. They do that by asking for the old owner’s account after a reset. Samsung notes this protection kicks in when a phone is reset any way other than through Settings. So reset from Settings, sign out on the way, and the phone is truly free for the next person.

Turn the phone on after the reset. It should show the language or Hello screen, with no apps, no photos and no account name. If it asks for an Apple Account or Google password before setup, the sign-out did not finish, and you should fix it while the phone is still in your hand. Then check the SIM tray is empty and the case has nothing of yours tucked inside it.

Setting up the new phone next? Our guide to moving to a new iPhone without losing data covers the transfer, and how to secure every account you own in one afternoon is a good follow-up while your passwords are fresh in your mind.

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