Phones, computers & home
How to wipe a phone or laptop before selling or recycling it
An old phone or laptop can hold years of photos, emails, saved passwords and banking apps. Deleting files isn’t enough, and neither is just removing the SIM. Done properly, wiping a modern device takes about half an hour and leaves nothing behind.
The short version
The four steps
- Back up what you want to keep.
- Sign out of your Apple, Google or Microsoft account.
- Factory reset the device.
- Remove SIM and memory cards, then recycle responsibly.
Before you start
Back up
Make sure photos, files and messages are backed up and that you can see them in the backup. See backups that actually work.
Move your authenticator app
If your phone has an authenticator app, transfer it to your new phone and check you can sign in to important accounts before wiping the old one.
Unpair accessories
Unpair smartwatches, earbuds and other Bluetooth devices from the old phone.
iPhone and iPad
Sign out of Apple Account
Go to Settings, tap your name, then Sign Out. This turns off Find My and Activation Lock, which otherwise stops the next owner using the phone.
Erase the phone
Go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings.
Remove the SIM
Take out the physical SIM. If you use an eSIM, the erase process offers to remove it, or your telco can help.
Android phones
Remove your Google account
Go to Settings, Passwords & accounts (or Accounts), and remove your Google account. This turns off Factory Reset Protection for the next owner.
Factory reset
Go to Settings, System, Reset options, then Erase all data (factory reset). Menu names vary by brand. Samsung uses General management, then Reset.
Remove SIM and memory cards
Take out the SIM and any microSD card, which a reset doesn’t always erase.
Windows PCs
Sign out and deauthorise
Sign out of Microsoft 365, OneDrive and any software licensed to you.
Reset this PC
Go to Settings, System, Recovery (on Windows 10, Update & Security, Recovery), choose Reset this PC, then Remove everything. When asked, choose to clean the drive. It takes longer but makes recovery of old data much harder.
Macs
Sign out of Apple Account
Open System Settings, click your name, and sign out. This turns off Find My.
Erase the Mac
On recent Macs, go to System Settings, General, Transfer or Reset, then Erase All Content and Settings.
Encryption makes wiping effective
Modern iPhones, Android phones and Macs encrypt data by default, and many Windows PCs do too. A factory reset destroys the key, leaving old data unreadable. If a Windows PC wasn’t encrypted, choosing clean the drive matters even more.
Recycling responsibly
- Phones and tablets: MobileMuster is a free, government-accredited recycling program with drop-off points across Australia, including many phone shops and councils.
- Computers and TVs: the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme provides free drop-off points. Check your council’s website.
- Batteries: never put devices or batteries in household bins. Lithium batteries can cause fires in garbage trucks.
For businesses
- Keep a record of every device retired, who wiped it and how.
- Remove the device from your management system (such as Intune) and accounts.
- For devices that held sensitive client data, use a certified data destruction service and get a certificate of destruction.
Common questions
Is deleting my photos and apps enough?
No. Deleted files can sometimes be recovered. Always use the factory reset or erase option.
Should I physically destroy the drive?
For a home device with encryption and a proper reset, it isn’t necessary. For sensitive business data, a certified destruction service is a good choice.
I already sold my phone without signing out. What now?
Remove the device from your Apple or Google account online, change important passwords, and ask the buyer to reset it if you can contact them.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. If you think you’ve lost money or personal information, contact your bank and the services named above straight away.
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