How to get your phone ready to sell or trade in
14 October 2026 · 7 min read
Before a phone changes hands, three things need to happen: your data is saved, your accounts are removed, and the phone is wiped. Skip one and you risk losing photos, leaking personal data, or having the sale held up because the buyer can't use the phone. Here's the order to do it in.
1. Back up what you want to keep
A full reset deletes everything, so back up first.
- iPhone: use iCloud Backup (Settings › [your name] › iCloud › iCloud Backup), or back up to a Mac or PC.
- Android: use Google's backup (Settings › Google › Backup, or Settings › System › Backup on some phones). Samsung phones can also back up with Samsung Cloud or Smart Switch.
Check that the things you care about are actually included: photos, messages, two-factor authentication apps and anything stored only on the phone. Authenticator apps are easy to forget, and losing one can lock you out of other accounts.
2. Move your number and your other devices off it
- If you're moving to a new phone, set it up from the backup first, then confirm everything is there before wiping the old one.
- Unpair an Apple Watch or other wearable from the old phone.
- If you use WhatsApp or another app with its own backup, check that backup has run recently.
- If your phone uses an eSIM, contact your network or follow its instructions to move the eSIM to the new phone before wiping the old one.
3. Remove your accounts (this is the step people miss)
Modern phones have activation locks that survive a reset. If your account is still attached, the next owner can't set the phone up, so a buyer can't accept it. This is one of the most common reasons a sale gets held up.
- iPhone: turn off Find My (Settings › [your name] › Find My › Find My iPhone) and sign out of your Apple Account. Erasing the phone from Settings will also ask for your Apple Account password to remove the lock.
- Android: remove your Google account (Settings › Accounts or Passwords & accounts) before you reset. Otherwise Factory Reset Protection will ask the next person for your Google password. On Samsung phones, also remove your Samsung account.
- Work phones: if the phone is managed by an employer, it may need releasing from their device management system before it can be used by anyone else. Ask your IT team.
4. Wipe the phone properly
Deleting files or apps one by one isn't enough. Use the built-in factory reset, which erases the encryption keys that protect your data:
- iPhone: Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings.
- Android: Settings › System › Reset options › Erase all data (factory reset). The wording varies by manufacturer; on Samsung phones it's under General management › Reset.
When it restarts on the "Hello" or welcome screen, stop there. Don't set it up again.
5. Take out your SIM and memory card
The SIM belongs to your account and a microSD card can hold photos the reset didn't touch. Buyers generally can't return them, so check the tray before you pack the phone.
6. Check it isn't blocked
A phone that's been reported lost or stolen, or that's still on a finance agreement, can't legally be sold.
If you bought it second-hand, or it was on a contract, make sure it's paid off and was never reported. Your
network can confirm whether your phone's IMEI is blocked. Dial *#06# to see the IMEI.
7. Record its condition
Take a few photos with the screen on, from the front, back and sides. If anyone later disagrees about how it looked when you sent it, you'll have a record. It also helps to note the battery health, which on an iPhone is under Settings › Battery › Battery Health & Charging.
Quick checklist
- Backed up, and the backup checked
- Authenticator apps moved to the new phone
- Watch unpaired, eSIM moved
- Find My off and Apple Account signed out, or Google (and Samsung) accounts removed
- Factory reset, left on the welcome screen
- SIM and memory card removed
- Not blacklisted, not on finance
- Photos of its condition taken