Step-by-Step: Erase Everything on Your iPhone Before Selling or RecyclingSelling or recycling your iPhone without properly erasing it risks exposing personal data—photos, messages, accounts, passwords, and location history. This guide takes you through a complete, step-by-step process to safely prepare your iPhone so the next owner cannot access your information and you don’t lose important data you want to keep.
Before you start: what to back up and why
Back up anything you want to keep. Once the erase is complete, the data is gone from the device and cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.
What to back up:
- Photos and videos (use iCloud Photos or export to a computer/external drive)
- Contacts, calendars, notes (iCloud sync or export)
- Messages (iCloud Messages or encrypted iTunes/Finder backup)
- App data and game progress (iCloud or app-specific export)
- Health data and passwords (requires encrypted backup to transfer)
- Files stored in local app storage (export or save to cloud)
Recommended backup methods:
- iCloud Backup: convenient and automatic; ensure you have enough iCloud storage.
- Encrypted Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows) backup: creates a local backup and preserves Health and saved passwords when you choose “Encrypt local backup.”
Step 1 — Sign out of Apple services
Signing out prevents Activation Lock and ensures the next owner can use the iPhone normally.
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name (Apple ID) at the top.
- Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
- Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off (this disables Find My iPhone and removes Activation Lock).
- Confirm Sign Out.
If you cannot access the device but still own the Apple ID, sign in to icloud.com, go to Find My iPhone, remove the device from your account.
Step 2 — Unpair Apple Watch and other Bluetooth devices
If you have an Apple Watch paired, unpairing there automatically backs up the watch and removes Activation Lock.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone > My Watch > tap the watch at top > tap the info (i) > Unpair Apple Watch.
For Bluetooth accessories (headphones, speakers), go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the info icon and choose Forget This Device.
Step 3 — Disable iMessage (if switching to a non-Apple phone)
If you’re moving to Android or another OS, deregister iMessage to avoid missing SMS:
- On the iPhone: Settings > Messages > turn off iMessage.
- If you no longer have the iPhone, deregister at https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage and follow the instructions.
Step 4 — Sign out of other accounts and apps
Manually sign out of critical apps that may use two-factor authentication or keep sensitive tokens (mail apps, banking apps, social networks). Delete any stored passwords you don’t want transferred.
- Mail: Settings > Mail > Accounts > sign out or remove accounts.
- Third-party apps: open each app and sign out from their settings.
Step 5 — Remove SIM card and any external storage
Remove the SIM card and any microSD adapters (iPhones don’t have microSD, but check any external trays or adapters). If you’re passing the SIM to a new phone, do that now.
Step 6 — Erase all content and settings (factory reset)
This is the core step. Make sure you backed up anything you need, signed out of Apple ID, and removed the SIM.
- Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- If asked, enter your device passcode, Screen Time passcode, and Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock.
- Confirm Erase iPhone. The device will reboot and show the Apple logo with a progress bar while it erases.
Notes:
- If you used an encrypted local backup to preserve Health and passwords, you’ll be able to restore them to a new device later.
- Erasing from Settings removes all data and resets to factory defaults.
Step 7 — Verify the erase completed
After the iPhone restarts, it should display the Hello/Welcome setup screen. This confirms the device is erased and ready for the next owner.
If it still shows your Apple ID or asks for activation credentials, Activation Lock is still active — sign back into icloud.com to remove the device from your account.
Step 8 — Wipe remotely (if device lost or already sold)
If you no longer have physical access and worry the device wasn’t erased:
- Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Open Find iPhone (Find My).
- Select the device and choose Erase iPhone.
- After erasing, choose Remove from Account to clear Activation Lock once the erase completes.
If the device is offline, the erase will occur when it next connects to the internet.
Step 9 — Prepare the phone for sale or recycling
- Clean the exterior gently with a lint-free cloth and mild cleaner—avoid liquids in ports.
- Include original accessories only if you want to; remove any personal stickers or cases.
- Note battery health: Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Be honest about maximum capacity with buyers.
- If recycling, check manufacturer or carrier recycling programs for trade-in credits.
Quick troubleshooting tips
- If Erase All Content and Settings is grayed out: check for restrictions (Screen Time passcode) or ensure you’re signed out of iCloud and Apple ID.
- If Activation Lock remains after erase: remove device from your Apple ID at iCloud.com > Find My > All Devices > select device > Remove from Account.
- If you can’t sign out because you forgot Apple ID password: recover the account at iforgot.apple.com.
Final checklist (before handing over)
- Backup completed and verified.
- Signed out of Apple ID and disabled Find My.
- SIM removed.
- Apple Watch unpaired.
- All accounts and apps signed out.
- Erase All Content and Settings performed and verified.
- Device shows Hello/Welcome screen.
- Battery health noted and accessories prepared.
Erasing your iPhone properly protects your privacy and ensures a smooth transition for the next user. Follow these steps carefully, and keep a verified backup so you can restore your data to a new device.
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