Erase it the right way
How to Wipe Your Phone or Laptop Before You Sell It
The biggest mistake people make is factory-resetting first and signing out later. The safe order is back up your data, remove your accounts and device locks, then erase the device so the next owner is not blocked and your data is not left in limbo.
What do I need to erase before selling my phone or laptop?
Short answer: Back up first, then sign out of your accounts (iCloud, Google, or Microsoft), turn off activation lock or Find My, and run Erase All Content and Settings or a factory reset (on a Mac, sign out of iCloud, then Erase All Content). If you would rather not risk it, Reboxd Devices in Plymouth wipes every device factory-clean in person before resale.
What is the right order before wiping any device?
The right order is back up, sign out, remove anti-theft locks, then erase. Back up photos, messages, files, and anything tied to authenticator apps before you touch reset options. After that, remove the Apple, Google, Samsung, or Microsoft account that controls activation or device protection. If you erase first, the device can still stay linked to you and become a locked problem for the next owner.
How do you wipe an iPhone correctly?
You should back up the iPhone first, unpair an Apple Watch if one is attached, and make sure you know your Apple Account password. Then go to Settings > [your name] and sign out, or go to Settings > [your name] > Find My and turn off Find My if you are handling that separately. Once Find My and Activation Lock are cleared, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. If you use eSIM, carrier transfer, or two-factor apps on that phone, handle those before the erase so you do not strand yourself.
How do you wipe an Android phone correctly?
You should back up first, then remove your Google account from Settings > Passwords & accounts or the account menu your phone uses. On a Samsung phone, also remove or sign out of the Samsung account before you reset, because Samsung services can still matter during the handoff. After the accounts are removed, reset through the normal Settings path, such as Settings > System > Reset > Erase all data or Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset on many Galaxy phones. Resetting through Recovery buttons instead of Settings is one of the easiest ways to trigger extra ownership checks if the accounts were not cleaned up first.
How do you wipe a Mac before selling it?
You should back up the Mac, then sign out of your Apple Account and turn off Find My Mac before erasing. On many newer Macs, the cleanest path is Apple menu > System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On older Macs that do not have that option, you may need to use macOS Recovery, erase the drive in Disk Utility, and reinstall macOS. If Messages, Bluetooth accessories, or other personal pairings matter to you, clear those before the final erase as well.
How do you wipe a Windows laptop before selling it?
You should back up your files first and make sure you can access anything tied to OneDrive or BitLocker before resetting. Then go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC and choose Remove everything; if Windows offers a clean-data option for a sale or recycle handoff, use that path because it is meant for a fuller reset. After the device is reset, remove it from your Microsoft account device list so it no longer shows as one of your machines. A plain sign-out from Windows is not the same thing as a proper sale-ready reset.
Why does a reset without sign-out leave devices locked?
It leaves them locked because anti-theft systems are designed to survive a wipe. Apple's Activation Lock stays tied to Find My, and Android's Factory Reset Protection can still ask for the previous Google credentials even after the phone looks erased. That means a device can boot to a clean setup screen and still be unusable to the next owner. Reset alone clears data, but it does not always clear ownership.
When should you get help instead of doing it alone?
You should get help when the screen is broken, the device will not stay powered on, you forgot a key password, or you are not sure whether the account lock is really gone. Those are the situations where people most often erase halfway, get stuck, and then discover the device still belongs to them on the back end. If you want a local handoff, Reboxd Devices can help confirm the order, account status, and secure-wipe path before you sell the device. That is especially useful when the goal is both data safety and a clean resale transfer.
Common questions
Is a factory reset enough by itself?
No. A factory reset removes data, but it may not remove Activation Lock, Find My, Google account protection, or other ownership controls.
Why is resetting through Settings better than button-resetting a phone?
Because the normal Settings path is the intended ownership-transfer path. Recovery-mode resets are more likely to leave you dealing with extra verification afterward.
Do I need to remove my Google account before selling an Android phone?
Yes. Removing the Google account first is one of the main ways to avoid Factory Reset Protection issues for the next owner.
Should I wipe a laptop if the screen is broken and I cannot see the menus?
Not blindly. If you cannot confirm the account is signed out and the erase finished properly, it is better to get hands-on help.
Can a shop help if I already reset the device and now it is asking for my old account?
Often yes, if you still know the account credentials and the device is legitimately yours. The important part is fixing the ownership lock before the device changes hands again.
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