How to Wipe Your Data Before Selling Your Phone or Computer

Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 5:19 pm 0 Posted By Kaptain Kush

Selling or trading in your old phone or computer feels great—until you realize months later that some stranger might still have access to your old emails, photos, or even banking app logins.

I’ve been in the data recovery and device refurbishment game for over 12 years now, helping folks (and companies) securely wipe thousands of devices before they change hands.

I’ve seen the horror stories: a client who “factory reset” their Android only to have the buyer contact them about lingering Google account locks, or the guy who sold his MacBook without signing out of iCloud and ended up with remote lockouts messing up the new owner’s life.

The truth is, a quick factory reset often isn’t enough on its own, especially if you skip the prep steps. Modern devices encrypt data by default, which helps a ton, but sloppy habits leave doors open.

Here’s the battle-tested process I walk people through every week to make sure your personal info is truly gone.

Step 1: Back Up What You Actually Want (and Double-Check It)

Don’t wipe anything until your memories and files are safely backed up elsewhere. I’ve had people skip this and lose irreplaceable family photos because their iCloud backup was months old or their Google Photos sync failed.

For phones: Use iCloud for iPhone or Google Drive/One for Android. But don’t rely solely on cloud—transfer photos/videos manually via computer if they’re huge. Apps like WhatsApp, Signal, or authenticator tools need their own backup/transfer steps (export chats, migrate 2FA codes).
For computers: External drive, OneDrive, Google Drive, or Time Machine for Mac. I once had a client who backed up everything except their browser passwords—ended up locked out of accounts for weeks.

Pro tip from experience: After backing up, actually restore a file or two to your new device to confirm it’s there. Cloud backups can glitch.

Step 2: Sign Out of Everything and Remove Accounts

This is where most people mess up—and it’s the #1 cause of post-sale headaches.

iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out (at the bottom). Turn off Find My iPhone (it requires your Apple ID password). Remove any payment methods or subscriptions tied to Apple ID.
Android: Settings > Accounts > Remove Google account (and any others like Samsung, work accounts). Disable Factory Reset Protection by removing the primary Google account first—otherwise, the new owner gets locked out after reset, and they’ll blame (or contact) you.
Mac: System Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out of iCloud. Deauthorize iTunes if you used it. For older Macs without Erase All Content and Settings, sign out manually.
Windows PC: Settings > Accounts > Sign out of Microsoft account. Remove any linked work/school accounts. Log out of browsers, email clients, password managers—everything.

Real-world mistake I’ve seen repeatedly: Forgetting to remove an eSIM profile on newer phones. The buyer ends up with your carrier plan tied to it, or it causes activation issues.

Step 3: Encrypt If Needed (Mostly a Non-Issue Now, But…)

Modern phones (iOS since forever, Android since ~2015) automatically encrypt storage. On older Androids, I always told people to manually encrypt first (Settings > Security > Encrypt phone), then reset—it overwrites remnants better. But today, skip this unless your device is ancient.

For computers:

Macs with Apple silicon or T2 chips handle secure erase natively.
Windows: If BitLocker was on, you’re good; otherwise, the built-in reset with “clean the drive” helps.

Step 4: Perform the Actual Wipe

Now the main event—securely erase data so nothing recoverable remains.

For iPhone/iPad (iOS 15+):

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
Enter your passcode/Apple ID if prompted. It wipes encryption keys, making data unrecoverable even with forensic tools. Takes 5–15 minutes.

For Android:

Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
Confirm and let it run. On Samsung or others, it might be under General Management > Reset.
Extra paranoia (what I do for high-value clients): After reset, fill storage with junk (record a long video until full), then reset again. Overkill for most, but it overwrites any leftover bits.

For Mac:

If your Mac supports it (most M-series and recent Intel): System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Super clean—one click wipes data, signs out of iCloud, etc.
Older Mac: Boot to Recovery (Command + R), use Disk Utility to erase the drive (APFS format), then reinstall macOS. Don’t skip reinstalling—leaves it ready for setup.

For Windows PC:

Settings > Update & Security (or System > Recovery) > Reset this PC > Remove everything.
Choose “Clean the drive fully” (takes longer but is better for SSDs/HDDs). This overwrites data, making recovery nearly impossible for average buyers.

I’ve tested “wiped” drives with recovery software—basic resets leave fragments; the “clean” or encryption-key wipe leaves zilch.

Step 5: Final Checks and Physical Prep

Power on the device after wiping—it should boot to the setup screen like new. If it asks for your old account, you skipped signing out.

Remove the SIM card, any SD card, cases, etc. For laptops, clean them up—wipe fingerprints and dust.

Common pitfalls I’ve witnessed:

Skipping account removal → Activation/FRP lock hell for buyer.
Not backing up authenticator apps → Locked out of banking/crypto.
Assuming “delete files” is enough—nope, remnants stay until overwritten.
Selling without testing the wipe—the buyer calls you angry.

Follow these steps, and you’ll sleep easy knowing your old phone or computer is truly clean. In over a decade, the only times data leaked post-sale were when someone rushed and skipped signing out. Take the extra 30 minutes—it’s worth it for peace of mind.

Got a specific device model you’re working on? Drop the details, and I can tweak the steps. Stay safe out there.

What People Ask

Is a simple factory reset enough to wipe my phone before selling it?

For most modern phones (iPhone or Android from the last decade), yes—a proper factory reset combined with signing out of accounts is sufficient because devices encrypt data by default, and the reset discards the encryption keys, making recovery extremely difficult without specialized (and expensive) forensic tools. In my experience, the vast majority of buyers or refurbishers won’t bother trying to recover anything. But skipping the sign-out step can leave activation locks or account ties that cause big headaches for the new owner—and sometimes bounce back to you.

What happens if I forget to sign out of my accounts before resetting?

You’ll likely get contacted by the buyer months later because Find My iPhone, Google FRP (Factory Reset Protection), or iCloud lock prevents them from setting up the device. I’ve seen people have their old phone remotely locked or tracked because they didn’t fully sign out. Always remove accounts first—it takes seconds and avoids drama.

Do I need to encrypt my device manually before wiping it?

On current iPhones and most Android devices made in the last 8–10 years, encryption happens automatically, so no extra step is needed. On very old Androids (pre-2016-ish), I used to recommend manual encryption first for extra security, but today it’s unnecessary overhead. Just do the standard erase process.

How do I wipe an iPhone completely before selling?

Back up first, sign out of iCloud (Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out), turn off Find My if prompted, then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your passcode/Apple ID. It wipes everything securely in one go—I’ve done this hundreds of times, and it leaves the phone at the hello screen ready for a new user.

What’s the best way to factory reset an Android phone safely?

Remove all accounts first (Settings > Accounts > Remove Google/Samsung/etc.), then Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). Confirm and wait. Pro move I’ve used for paranoid clients: after reset, fill the storage with a long video recording until it’s full, then reset again to overwrite any stray bits—though it’s rarely needed on encrypted modern phones.

How do I erase a Mac before selling or trading it in?

For recent Macs (Apple silicon or T2 chip): System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings—one click does it all, signs out of iCloud, and wipes securely. For older Intel Macs without that option, boot to Recovery (Command + R), use Disk Utility to erase the drive (APFS), then reinstall macOS. Test by powering on—it should show the setup screen.

What’s the right way to reset a Windows PC before selling?

Go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC > Remove everything. Choose the “Clean the drive fully” option (it takes longer but overwrites data better, especially on HDDs). If BitLocker was enabled, you’re already in great shape. I’ve helped clients who skipped the clean option and later worried—always pick full clean for peace of mind.

Should I back up before wiping, and how do I make sure it’s complete?

Always back up first—photos to Google Photos or external drive, chats via app exports, etc. But the real gotcha is verification: after backup, open a few files or photos on your new device or computer to confirm they’re there. I’ve seen cloud syncs fail silently, leaving people heartbroken over lost memories.

What about eSIMs, SIM cards, or SD cards when selling a phone?

Remove physical SIM and any SD card immediately—they can hold contacts or photos. For eSIM (common on newer phones), delete the profile in Settings > Cellular/Mobile Data before reset. Forgetting this has caused carrier mix-ups or activation fails for buyers in my experience.

Is there any extra step for extra security if I’m really paranoid about data recovery?

For average sales, the built-in erase is plenty. But if you’re dealing with highly sensitive info, fill storage post-reset with junk data (like videos) and reset again, or use third-party secure erase tools (though modern encryption makes this overkill). Physical destruction (drilling the drive) is extreme and kills resale value—I’ve only recommended it for corporate-level data breaches.

Will the new owner be able to recover my old photos or files after a proper wipe?

With encryption-enabled devices and a full erase, no—not without nation-state resources or serious luck. Everyday recovery software fails on properly wiped modern phones and computers. The biggest risk is always human error, like forgetting to sign out of accounts.

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About The Author

Kaptain Kush

SEO Expert, WordPress Developer, Entrepreneur, Musician, Blogger.