How do I safely get rid of an old phone or laptop?

Two things go wrong when disposing of devices: data left behind, and accounts left signed in. The second is often worse — an iPhone still linked to an Apple ID is effectively bricked for the buyer, and a laptop signed into a browser profile carries every saved password with it.

Safety

What you'll need

• Backup destination
• Charger
• Screwdriver if removing a drive (optional)

Step by step

1. Back up everything and verify the backup before touching anything else.Check the backup date and size, and ideally open a file from it. This is irreversible from here.
2. Sign out of every account on the device.Apple ID and Find My, Google account, Microsoft account, browser profiles, messaging apps, banking apps.
3. Turn off activation lock specifically.Find My iPhone on Apple devices, Factory Reset Protection on Android. Leaving these on makes the device unusable for the next owner.
4. Deregister the device from any services tied to it.Streaming services, authenticator apps, two-factor devices, and any software licensed per machine.
5. Remove the SIM and any memory cards.Easily forgotten, and they hold data and cost money to replace.
6. Perform a full factory reset from the settings menu.On modern encrypted devices this destroys the encryption key, which makes the data unrecoverable — deleting files alone does not.
7. For an older unencrypted computer, either encrypt then wipe, or physically remove the drive.Older drives can retain recoverable data after a simple format. Removing and keeping the drive is the certain option.
8. Take it to a proper recycling point, or sell or donate it.Electronics contain recoverable materials and hazardous components, and lithium batteries must never go in household waste.

Tips

• Many retailers and manufacturers run trade-in or take-back schemes, and local authorities have electronics recycling points.
• A working old phone makes a good emergency backup device, a dedicated sat-nav, or a security camera — worth considering before disposal.
• If you're keeping the drive from an old laptop, an external enclosure turns it into a usable backup disk.
• Photograph the device and its condition if selling — it protects you in a dispute.

Common mistakes

• Resetting before signing out of accounts — Activation lock can leave the device permanently unusable and still tied to your account.
• Deleting files instead of factory resetting — Deleted files are frequently recoverable. A reset on an encrypted device is what actually destroys the data.
• Forgetting the SIM and memory card — Both hold data and both are easy to leave in.
• Putting batteries in household recycling — Lithium batteries cause fires in collection vehicles and processing plants. They need a dedicated collection point.

Questions people ask