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.
The short version
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.
- Back up the phone, move your authenticator codes, and take out your SIM and memory card before you erase anything.
- On an iPhone, sign out of your Apple Account first, then go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings.
- On a Pixel, go to Settings, System, Reset options, Erase all data (factory reset). On a Galaxy, go to Settings, General management, Reset, Factory data reset.
- Google says to charge an Android phone to at least 70% and to wait 24 hours after changing your Google password before you reset.
- If the phone is already gone, remove it from your Apple or Google account online so the new owner can use it and cannot reach your data.
Do these four things first, on any phone
- Back up. Photos, chats and files you have not backed up are gone after the reset. Apple tells you to back up twice: once before you move to a new phone, and again right before you erase the old one.
- Move your authenticator app. If you use an app for six-digit login codes, move those accounts to your new phone before the wipe. This is the step people forget, and getting locked out of your own email is a bad way to spend a Saturday.
- Unpair your watch and earbuds. An Apple Watch should be unpaired from the iPhone before you erase it, so it can be backed up and released.
- Take out your SIM and memory card. If you use an eSIM, you will get a choice to erase it during the reset. Call your carrier if you want your number moved to a new phone.
How to wipe an iPhone before selling it
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:
- Open Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. On iOS 26, choose Erase this iPhone or Sign Out But Don’t Erase. On iOS 18 or earlier, enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.
- If you are moving to an Android phone, deregister your number from iMessage so your texts stop going to the old iPhone.
- Go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your passcode if asked, then tap Erase iPhone. If the phone has an eSIM, choose to erase the phone and the eSIM.
- Remove the old iPhone from your list of trusted devices in your Apple Account settings.
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.
How to wipe an Android phone before selling it
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.
On a Google Pixel
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.
On a Samsung Galaxy
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.
Why signing out matters more than the reset
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.
Already sent the phone off? Do this from another device
- iPhone: ask the new owner to erase the phone with the steps above. If you cannot reach them, remove the phone from your Apple Account device list, change your Apple Account password, and remove your cards from Apple Pay. If the phone was lost or stolen, erase it from Find Devices on iCloud.com.
- Android: go to myaccount.google.com, choose Security, then Your devices, pick the old phone and tap Sign out. Google warns that removing a Google Account from a phone deletes that phone’s backup, so make sure your new phone is set up first.
A one-minute check before you hand it over
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.
