The order matters: back up, sign out of your accounts, then erase. Menu names vary a little between software versions, so use the search bar in Settings if you can’t find one.
Before you start: back up
A factory reset removes everything on the device. Make a fresh backup and check that it finished before you go further.
- iPhone and iPad: Settings › your name › iCloud › iCloud Backup › Back Up Now. You can also back up to a Mac or PC with a cable.
- Samsung Galaxy: Settings › Accounts and backup, then back up your data.
- Google Pixel: Settings › System › Backup › Back up now.
Photos, messages, and authenticator apps are what people most often miss. If you use an authenticator app for two-step sign-in, move it to your new phone first.
iPhone: sign out of your Apple Account and turn off Find My
- If you have an Apple Watch paired with the phone, unpair it.
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap Find My › Find My iPhone, and turn it off.
- Go back, scroll to the bottom, and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple Account password to confirm.
Signing out removes the phone from your account.
iPhone: Erase All Content and Settings
- Open Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your passcode if asked, and confirm.
The phone restarts on the “Hello” setup screen. That’s how you know it worked. You can turn it off there.
Samsung: remove your Google and Samsung accounts, then factory data reset
- Open Settings › Accounts and backup › Manage accounts.
- Tap your Google account, then Remove account. Repeat for each Google account.
- Tap your Samsung account, then Remove account, and enter your password.
- Open Settings › General management › Reset › Factory data reset.
- Tap Reset, then Delete all.
Pixel: remove your Google account, then erase all data
- Open Settings › Passwords, passkeys & accounts (called Passwords & accounts on older versions).
- Tap your Google account, then Remove account. Repeat for each account.
- Open Settings › System › Reset options › Erase all data (factory reset).
- Tap Erase all data and confirm.
iPad and Galaxy Tab notes
An iPad follows the iPhone steps: the menu is Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPad, and the Find My switch is called Find My iPad. A Galaxy Tab follows the Samsung steps above. If the tablet has cellular service, see the SIM section below.
SIM and eSIM
- Take out the physical SIM card, and the memory card if the device has one.
- If you use an eSIM, move your number to your new phone first, or ask your carrier to. When you erase an iPhone it asks whether to keep or delete the eSIM: choose delete. On Android, tick the option to erase eSIMs when you reset, if you see it.
What we do on intake
Resetting first protects you while the device is in the mail. When it arrives, we wipe every device on intake and verify the reset before it’s resold or recycled.
Ready to send it in? Get a quote for your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy phone, Google Pixel, iPad, or Samsung Galaxy Tab. More answers are in the FAQs.