Delete your data before you sell
Free, step-by-step instructions for removing your personal information from a phone or tablet before you send it to us.
No form to fill in and no waiting for an email — pick your device below and the steps are right here. It takes a couple of minutes, and it is the single most important thing you can do before posting.
iPhone & iPad
Erasing an iPhone or iPad also switches off Find My and removes Activation Lock, which is the part that matters most to us.
- Back up anything you want to keep — iCloud, or a computer.
- Open Settings, then General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your Apple Account password when asked. This is what turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
- Wait for the device to restart to the Hello screen, then power it off.
Already sent it, or can't turn it on?
- Sign in at icloud.com/find.
- Choose the device from the list.
- Click Erase This Device.
- Then click Remove from Account — this step is essential.
Important: A remote erase on its own is not enough. Without "Remove from Account", Activation Lock stays on and we cannot process the device.
Android & Samsung
On Android the order matters: remove your Google account first, then factory reset. Doing it the other way round can trigger Factory Reset Protection and lock the phone.
- Back up anything you want to keep — Google One, or a computer.
- Open Settings, then Accounts, and tap Remove account for your Google account.
- Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
- On Samsung, it is Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory data reset.
- Confirm, then let the phone restart and power it off.
Already sent it, or can't turn it on?
- Sign in at android.com/find (Google Find Hub).
- Choose the device from the list.
- Click Erase device.
Important: Removing your Google account before the reset is what prevents Factory Reset Protection locking the phone afterwards.
Three more things worth doing
Take your SIM and memory card out
We can't return cards left inside devices, and a memory card can hold as much personal data as the phone itself.
Sign out of everything else first
Banking, email and messaging apps are usually cleared by a factory reset, but signing out first is the safer habit.
We wipe it again when it arrives
Every device is securely processed at our UK facility, so anything left behind is removed as part of our standard process.
Device wiped and ready to go?
Next is packing it up and posting it — the full instructions, including free postage options, are a click away.
Need a hand? Call 0333 344 8541 or read our privacy policy.