How to prepare a phone for sale: backup, iCloud, reset

A phone needs proper preparation before you sell it. Otherwise either the buyer can't use it (iCloud Lock), or your data ends up with a stranger.

Step 1. Back up

iPhone: Settings → [your name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup → "Back Up Now". Or via a computer (Finder/iTunes).
Android: Settings → Google → Backup.
Make sure your photos have uploaded to the cloud or been copied to a computer.
WhatsApp and Telegram: back up WhatsApp chats in its settings; Telegram keeps chats in the cloud, but secret chats aren't transferred.

Step 2. Move banking and 2FA apps

If you use authenticator apps (Google Authenticator and similar), move the codes to your new phone before the reset. Otherwise you can lose access to accounts.

Step 3. Unpair your watch and earbuds

Unpair your Apple Watch in the Watch app on the iPhone. This removes Activation Lock from the watch.

Step 4. Sign out of your account

iPhone: Settings → [your name] → "Sign Out". Enter your Apple ID password: this turns off Find My and Activation Lock. It's the most important step; without it the phone is a brick for the buyer.
Android: Settings → Accounts → remove your Google account. Otherwise FRP protection kicks in after a reset and the phone asks for your account.

Step 5. Erase everything

iPhone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → "Erase All Content and Settings".
Android: Settings → System → Reset → "Erase all data".

Step 6. Remove the SIM and memory card

And check the tray; it's often forgotten.

Step 7. Get it ready for inspection

Wipe the phone, find the box and charger, and check battery health; the buyer will ask.

If the phone is broken and you can't sign in

If the screen doesn't work and you can't sign out yourself, you can do it remotely from another device: on icloud.com/find select the device → "Erase" → "Remove from Account". We'll help on the spot.

Selling to us?

We'll help with all the steps when we meet, check the phone in front of you and pay on the spot. More: device buyback.

How to prepare a phone for sale: backup, sign out of iCloud, reset