/ Apr 13, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC| Photo by James Bareham / The Verge Whether you’re trading in your old iPhone for a discount on a new one, selling it, giving it away, or recycling it, you’re going to want to erase all of your data first. Not only do you want to keep personal information from falling into the wrong hands, but let’s face it: nobody’s going to want a phone with your old selfies on it. After you’ve transferred all of your data to a new phone (or, if you’re not getting a new phone, backed your data up), here’s how to wipe your iPhone: Get rid of a few identifiable features
Sign out of your Apple ID
Get ready to erase it
Update September 15th, 2021, 3PM ET: This article was originally published on April 13th, 2020, and has been updated to add more info and account for changes in the OS. Most Popular
Will erasing my old iPhone affect my new one?Don't worry, reset old iPhone will not affect the new one. It will only erase content on old iPhone where the operation is done. The data that have been transferred to the new iPhone or the files that have been saved to iCloud will not be affected in any way.
How do I wipe my old iPhone before selling it?Go back to Settings and tap General > Transfer or Reset [device] > Erase All Content and Settings. If you turned on Find My [device], you might need to enter your Apple ID and password. If your device uses eSIM, choose the option to erase your device and the eSIM profile when asked.
How do I delete everything from my iPhone from another iPhone?In Find My iPhone on iCloud.com, click All Devices, then select the device you want to erase. If you don't see All Devices, it's because you've already selected a device. Click the name of the current device in the center of the toolbar to access the Devices list, then select a new device. Click Erase [device].
How do I clear my phone before returning it?Before returning or exchanging your phone, you'll want to back up your personal information and then clear it off the phone.. Tap Settings > General Management > Reset.. Select Factory Data Reset.. Tap Reset Device.. |