Before an old phone goes to a buyer, a relative or your child, it needs more than a quick tidy-up. It holds your photos, chats, saved passwords, banking apps and access to accounts you would not want anyone else to open.
Deleting photos and apps one by one is not enough. Skipping one step can also leave the next owner with a phone they cannot set up, because it is still locked to your account. Here is how to wipe your phone before selling or handing it down, on both iPhone and Android.
If you are moving to a new phone, finish that first. Our guide on how to transfer photos, chats and contacts to a new phone covers the move. Come back here once everything works on the new one.
1. Back Up Everything First
A reset is permanent, so make sure your data exists somewhere other than the phone you are about to erase.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. You can also back up to a computer.
- On Android, check that Google backup is on and has run recently.
- Check that iCloud Photos or Google Photos has finished uploading.
- Make a fresh WhatsApp backup from its settings, under Chats.
One warning: do not delete contacts, photos or notes by hand while the phone is still signed in to your account. The deletion can sync to iCloud or Google and remove those items from your other devices too. Let the reset clear the phone instead.
2. Move WhatsApp, Authenticator Codes and Banking Apps
Some apps hold things a normal backup does not cover. Deal with them while the old phone still works.
- WhatsApp: once your number is verified on a new phone, WhatsApp stops working on the old one. Check that your chats arrived before you erase anything.
- Authenticator apps: move every account to your new phone and test the codes. If you erase the old phone first, getting back into those accounts can be slow.
- Banking apps: sign in on the new phone first. If your bank’s app lets you remove or deregister a device, remove the old one.
- iMessage: if you are leaving iPhone for Android, turn off iMessage in the iPhone’s Messages settings, so texts from iPhone users reach your new phone.
3. iPhone: Unpair Your Apple Watch and Sign Out
If an Apple Watch is paired with the iPhone, unpair it first. Open the Watch app on the iPhone, tap All Watches, tap the info button next to your watch and choose Unpair Apple Watch.
Next, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple Account password when asked, so Find My can be turned off.
This step removes Activation Lock. If the iPhone is still linked to your Apple Account, the next owner will be asked for your password during setup and cannot use the phone without it.
If Stolen Device Protection is on, the iPhone may ask for Face ID or Touch ID, and away from familiar places such as home it can add a security delay before you can sign out. Doing this at home is usually easier.
4. iPhone: Erase All Content and Settings
Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your passcode and, if asked, your Apple Account password, then confirm.
If the iPhone uses an eSIM, it may ask whether to keep or remove it. Read the SIM section below before you choose.
When the iPhone restarts to the same welcome screen it showed when it was new, the erase is done.
5. Android: Remove Your Google Account First
On Android, the step people most often skip is removing the Google account. If it is still on the phone during a reset, Factory Reset Protection asks for that account’s details when the phone is set up again, and the next owner cannot get past that screen without you.
On a Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts, tap your Google account and choose Remove account. Sign out of your Samsung account as well, from the same screen, because it has its own lock linked to Samsung’s find-my-phone service.
On other Android phones, look for Accounts or Passwords and accounts in Settings; the exact name varies by brand. Remove every Google account listed, plus any brand account you signed in to.
6. Android: Run a Factory Reset
On a Galaxy, go to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset. Review the list of what will be erased, then confirm with your PIN, pattern or password.
On other Android phones, the factory reset option is usually under System or About phone. The quickest way to find it is to type “reset” in the search bar at the top of Settings.
Recent iPhones and Android phones encrypt their storage, so a proper reset is designed to leave the old data unreadable. You do not need a separate wiping app.
7. Take Out the SIM and Memory Card, and Decide About Your eSIM
Remove the physical SIM card with a SIM-eject tool before the phone leaves your hands.
If your line is on an eSIM, decide whether you are keeping the number on another phone. If you are, move it before you remove anything from the old phone. If you are not sure how, ask your operator, alfa or touch, before you erase the eSIM.
If the phone has a memory card slot, take the card out too. A factory reset usually does not erase a memory card, so any photos and files on it would go with the phone.
8. Remove the Old Phone from Your Accounts
After the reset, open the device list in your Apple Account or Google account settings and remove the old phone if it still appears. Do the same in any banking or work app that keeps a list of trusted devices.
Handing It Down to Your Child?
If the phone is going to your child for the new school year, the steps above still apply: your accounts, photos and saved passwords should come off the phone. What changes is what happens next.
Set the phone up fresh with your child’s own account and turn on parental controls from the start: Screen Time with Family Sharing on an iPhone, or Google Family Link on Android. These let you manage things like screen time, app downloads and content settings.
A child’s phone also deserves good protection. Our phone cases include options such as a clear case for Samsung phones and a clear MagSafe case, and our team can check which one fits the model you are handing down.
For a younger child who is not ready for a full smartphone, a kids’ watch can be a simpler first step. The Green Lion Kids Smart Watch Series 5 has a micro SIM slot for two-way calls, SOS alerts and location tracking.
Get the Phone Ready for Its Next Owner
Power the phone off and wipe the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth, keeping moisture away from the ports and openings. Gather the box, cable and any adapter if you still have them.
If the battery drains quickly or the screen is cracked, the next owner will notice. A battery or screen replacement can make the phone more useful for whoever gets it next. Our post on signs your phone needs repair covers what to look for, and both H2 Group branches do phone repairs.
Common Questions
Is a factory reset enough on its own?
Only if your accounts are dealt with too. On Android, a Google account left on the phone triggers Factory Reset Protection after the reset. On iPhone, the erase process asks for your Apple Account password if Find My is still on.
What if I already gave the phone away without signing out?
For an iPhone, you can usually remove it from your account through Find My on iCloud.com. For Android, the simplest fix is usually to have the phone back briefly, sign in once, remove your account and reset it again.
Find Your Next Phone at H2 Group Beirut
Once the old phone is ready for its next owner, you can focus on the new one. Browse our smartphones, including iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models, online or in store.
If you are not sure which new phone in Beirut suits your budget, or which case and charger to pair with it, visit H2 Group and our team can help.
H2 Group Hamra
Bliss Street, Hamra, Beirut
Phone: 71 26 25 26
H2 Group Tareek Al Jadidah
Tareek Al Jadidah, Beirut
Phone: 71 26 25 24
If the phone you are passing on has a problem you would like checked first, call either branch or send us a message through our contact page.