Are you looking to buy a new iPhone with advanced features and technology? But what about your old iPhone? Will you trade it with any company or sell it to someone else? And if you want to sell your old iPhone and buy a new one, then obviously, you don't want the new user to be able to see any of your personal information. Whatever you do with your old iPhone, switching off the device and removing your SIM card will not clear all your data. There are many chances that some private information is still stored on your mobile. Even if you have deleted everything, it does not mean that it will be permanently deleted. So now, how can you permanently delete all your details? This article will tell you how to completely wipe your phone with all your data and get it ready to sell to someone else.
Things to Avoid Before Selling Your iPhone
First, we will mention what you should avoid before selling your iPhone.
- You don't have to delete anything on your phone manually. Whether it's contacts, calendar events, photos, videos, songs, reminders, or other information, it is because everything is synced to your iCloud or Google account. If you manually delete everything, it will also be deleted from your iCloud or Google account. That's why we avoid doing that so we can take backup later.
- Second, as we have told you before, you do not need to delete anything on your phone so that we can take a backup later. Similarly, do not delete the apps individually, whether paid or unpaid. We will tell you how to back up everything and how you can set up your new device with the same information and settings.
Things to Do Before Performing the Steps to Erase an iPhone
Before starting, we will tell you some safety measures with the help of which you can save your data from getting into someone else's hands and save it somewhere else for yourself.
1. Take Back up
First, you must back up all your data using iCloud or iTunes. When you back up your phone, all the data of your Apple Watch will also be backed up. Before doing the backup, you can delete your unimportant social media apps. That will reduce the backup size and take less time to back up your phone. Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram have already saved your data on their servers. You can install them on your new device and log in by adding credentials, and there you go. That's why there is no need to worry that your data may be leaked if you leave those apps on your phone. Just delete those apps or log out your complete details there. However, you can easily back up third-party apps like WhatsApp by going to the in-app Setting. That may require backing up every app separately. Completely backup all your information before moving on to the next steps.
Creating a Reliable & Temporary iCloud Backup
Usually, iCloud offers a basic 5GB of free storage, which can be insufficient to back up all your data. If you have iOS 15, you can make a temporary iCloud backup for 21 days. After that, you can restore it to your new device. Apple gives you free iCloud storage based on your old device's backup size. That helps you transfer all your data to your new iPhone easily. To do this:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap on Get Started.
2. Taking Backup for All Your Photos
You may have turned off Photo Library in your iCloud backup. Or your iCloud space is full and does not allow you to back up the photos and videos. So, whatever photos you have on your iPhone must be backed up before selling your device. In that case, you can transfer them to your Computer using iTunes or the Google Photos facility. You can sync your photos and videos with Google Photos, which will automatically back up them.
3. Unpair the Apple Watch
Before you sell or give away your iPhone, ensure you have disconnected your Apple Watch.
- To do so, you have to keep the iPhone and Apple Watch close to each other when you unpair them.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Search for My Watch tab, go to the top of the screen, and tap on your watch.
- To unpair an Apple Watch, tap the "i" info button next to the watch you want to unpair. Then, tap on the option to unpair the Apple Watch.
- When asked, type in your Apple ID password.
- After that, click again to confirm.
4. Disable Find My iPhone Feature
Find My iPhone also activates your iPhone's Activation Lock. This feature helps you find your device if it is lost or stolen. If you do not deactivate it, the other person cannot set it up again using their credentials.
Turn off Find My iPhone by going to Settings > your name > Find My > Find My iPhone before selling, giving away, or exchanging your iPhone. Some eBay and online vendors use this scam to sell locked iPhones and demand more cash in exchange for providing the Apple ID and password needed to remove the Activation Lock.
5. Disable/Deregister iMessage and FaceTime ( especially when moving to an Android phone)
If you are moving to a new iPhone, you don't have to follow this step. However, if you no longer want to use your iOS device and want to switch to an Android phone, make sure to deregister iMessage. By doing this, you can ensure you don't miss any regular texts that people send to your present phone number.
To turn off iMessage, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on Messages.
- Find the switch for iMessage and turn it off.
Now, return to the main Settings screen. Then, tap on FaceTime. Please also switch off the FaceTime switch.
Related: Fix the Issue of Downloading Messages from iCloud Stuck On an iPhone
6. Unlock Carrier-Locked iPhone to Boost Resale Value
If your iPhone is locked to a specific carrier, it is advisable to unlock it so the new owner can freely use it with any other carrier. Unlocking the iPhone significantly enhances its resale value. If you need more clarification, refer to this post to determine if your iPhone is locked. If necessary, don't hesitate to contact your carrier and request them to unlock the device.
7. Sign Out Your iCloud and Apple ID
Signing out of iCloud and your Apple ID is the next important step. To sign out of your Apple ID, open your iPhone's Settings, then hit your name. Now follow all the steps on the screen and sign out your iCloud account. You can safely ignore the prompts to back up your contacts, Keychain, and other data, as this device won't need them.
8. Take Screenshots of Apps and Home Screen Layout
Your App Store purchase history contains a comprehensive list of all the apps you have downloaded. Some apps are the popular ones that you use frequently. However, some apps can be irrelevant for you. Once you restore your iCloud or computer backup, the iPhone will automatically download all the apps while maintaining the main screen layout.
If you want your new iPhone to have the same layout or app as your old iPhone, you can take screenshots of your old iPhone's home screen and apps and save them to Google Rice on another device. When setting up the new iPhone, those screenshots will help you install the apps on the previous phone.
9. Erase Every Information From Your Device
To ensure you delete all data and all personal information from your device before you sell it to someone else, you'll need to erase every information on your device. To wipe off every information you need, go to the settings and tap general. If you scroll down, you will find the Transfer or Reset iPhone option. Click it and then press the Erase All Content and Settings option. Tap Continue after following the onscreen instructions and remove any eSIMs.
Check Out: How to Factory Reset Your iPhone: Step-by-Step Guide in 2023
10. Remove Your SIM Card
Take out your SIM card now if your phone uses one. The SIM card can be removed anytime without interrupting the reset procedure. Whether or not your iPhone is SIM card- or CDMA-compatible, the reset procedure is the same. That means the iOS software, including the factory reset procedure, continues functioning normally even if a SIM card is absent. At this point, you should take out your SIM card to prevent handing it to the other person.
11. Clean Your iPhone
Now, if you are selling your iPhone to someone, it may be the first phone for that person. So, when you pass your phone to someone, ensure that the device's appearance looks good. Clean it thoroughly with a dry or soft cloth and wipe the device from the front and back to remove any fingerprints or oiliness. Also, thoroughly clean the speaker grills or earpieces using a cotton swab and a non-metallic thing. So that your device is not damaged
Check Out: How to Enter and Exit iPhone Recovery Mode in 2023?
12. Put the Accessories With Your iPhone
Before selling your iPhone, gather its original packaging, cable, adaptor (if applicable), and SIM ejector tool. These affordable additions will greatly improve the customer's shopping experience and increase your device's resale value. When upgrading to a newer model, the cases and screen protectors you bought for this iPhone will probably become useless. So, if you truly want to bring a smile to the next owner's face, you can include them in the package deal.
13. Dismiss This iPhone From Your Trusted Devices.
The last step to ensure your information remains secure is to dismiss the device from your trusted devices list. Adding a device to your trusted devices list permits the other person to access your personal information without additional verification. So, it is necessary to remove your old iPhone from this list. It means that no one can use that device to access your data. Keeping your information safe and secure is a simple but important step. Follow the steps to remove the device:
- Go to the Settings on your iPhone and tap your name from the top.
- If you scroll down, you will see a list of devices linked to your account.
- Select the old iPhone you want to delete.
- Click the option of "Remove from Account."
- Confirm it by tapping Remove in the pop-up.
You can do the same thing using a web browser, too. To begin, visit the website appleid.apple.com. To sign in, use the Apple ID you used on your previous iPhone.Please choose the option that says "Devices."If you find the old iPhone here, select it. Then, click on "Remove from account."
Check Out: How To Recover Data From Locked iPhone in 2023?
Simple and Easy Ways to Erase an iPhone
There are two methods of erasing an iPhone. The first method is to go to settings and reset your phone. The second is to connect your iPhone to a computer and erase it through iTunes or Finder. The settings method is considered the easiest, but you can do it through Finder or iTunes if you find it challenging.
Method 1: Erasing iPhone Through Setting
- Go to Settings
- Click General and scroll down to select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- After that, you can now select any one of the two options given below:
- a) To prepare your content and settings for transferring to a new iPhone, tap "Get Started" and follow the instructions on the screen. After you are done, go back to Settings. Then, go to General and select Transfer or Reset iPhone. After that, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
- b) If you want to delete all your data from your iPhone, tap on the option called "Erase All Content and Settings."
Method 2: Erasing iPhone Through Computer
Another way to erase the settings and data from your iPhone is to use a Windows PC or MAC. You can also install the latest IOS version & also restore the device to factory settings.
- You can connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB or USB-C cable.
- Now, switch off your iPhone.
- After that, you can now select any one of the two options given below:
- a) If you use a Mac (macOS 10.15 or later), select the Finder icon in the Dock to launch it. Next, locate the iPhone button in the Finder sidebar (located below Locations) and click on it. Once you have done that, navigate to the top of the window and click on General. Finally, select the option to Restore the iPhone.
- b) If you are using a Windows PC or Mac (macOS 10.14 or earlier), Ensure you have the most recent version of iTunes. To begin, open iTunes and locate the iPhone button in the top left corner of the iTunes window. Next, select the Summary tab and click the option to Restore iPhone.
Check Out: Free iOS Data Recovery Software: A Comprehensive Guide
What Will Happen to My App Purchases if I Erase All the Data From My iPhone?
Once you sign in to your new iPhone using the same Apple ID as your old iPhone, you can redownload all your previously purchased apps. To make in-app purchases, open the relevant app and tap the Restore Purchases option.
You can be confident that you won't need to make additional payments for paid apps, subscriptions, or in-app purchases. Your Apple ID is associated with these things, not the device. So, there should be no problem in retrieving these.
Is Roobotech the Best Place to Buy Refurbished Smartphones in Australia?
Roobotech is the top choice for Australians to buy refurbished smartphones at a competitive price. At Roobotech, you will get refurbished smartphones from the top brands of Australia, including Apple, Samsung, Oppo, and Google Pixel. Besides that, you can also buy many tech accessories that can provide comfort in your daily life. Our products are highly tested to provide an exceptional experience to the users. We solve all your queries with a highly supportive customer support team. Moreover, all our products offer 6-12 months of warranty to make you more confident about your purchase. So, choose Roobotech for a hassle-free experience!
Check Out: 9 Best Places to Buy Refurbished Phones in Australia
Conclusion
It is essential to remove all personal information from your iPhone before selling it to protect your privacy and avoid unauthorized access to your data. Before wiping your iPhone, backup all your data, including photos and videos. Additionally, remember to unpair your Apple Watch. Turning off the "Find My iPhone" feature is important to prevent any complications related to the Activation Lock. By following the instructions in this article, you can guarantee that all your data is completely erased from your old iPhone, making it suitable for sale or trade while maintaining the security and privacy of your information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell an iPhone after a factory reset?
It is not secure to sell iPhones after a simple factory reset. That is because a factory reset does not ensure the deletion of any hiddenly stored information. You can try to choose “Erase All Content and Settings,” as that option will permanently erase everything. You can ensure that your data will not be passed on to somebody else.
Will deleting any data from my old phone affect the new one?
No, deleting data from your old phone will not impact your new phone. It's a good idea to save your old phone's data before transferring it to the new one.
Will everything on my phone be deleted after a factory reset?
A basic factory reset may not completely erase everything from your phone. That makes it possible for others to recover your files easily. Data encryption, on the other hand, prevents someone from being able to access your data even if they attempt to restore your device.
What are the drawbacks of wiping off your iPhone?
If you have not taken a backup of your phone, all the applications or contacts on your phone may be deleted. So, it is important to take a backup before erasing it.