What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (2024)

Use these steps to transfer information to your new device and, if applicable, remove your personal information from your old device.

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (1)

Before you sell, give away, or trade in your device, you should first transfer information to your new device, then, if applicable, remove your personal information from your old device.

You shouldn't manually delete your contacts, calendars, reminders, documents, photos, or any other iCloud information while you're signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. This would delete your content from the iCloud servers and any of your devices signed in to iCloud.

If you still have your old iPhone or iPad

If you're trading in your iPhone at an Apple Store, you might need your Apple ID password. To save time, make sure you know your password (or reset it to a password you know) before you come to the store.

If you have Stolen Device Protection enabled on your iPhone, changing your password at the store is likely to have a one hour security delay.

Follow these steps to transfer information to your new device and, if applicable, remove your personal information from your old device.

Transfer information to your new device

If you have a new iPhone or iPad, you can use Quick Start to automatically transfer information from your old device to your new device if you're using iOS 11 or later. Use iCloud, iTunes, or the Finder to transfer information to your new device if you're using iOS 10 or earlier.

If your phone number will change with your new device, add additional trusted phone numbers to your account to ensure you don't lose access. If you no longer have access to your old phone number, you can generate a two-factor authentication code on your old device if needed.

If applicable, remove your personal information from your old device

  1. If you paired an Apple Watch with your iPhone, unpair your Apple Watch.

  2. Back up your device.

  3. If you purchased an AppleCare plan for your device, cancel your AppleCare plan.

  4. Sign out of iCloud and the iTunes & App Store.

    • If you're using iOS 10.3 or later, tap Settings > [your name]. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.

    • If you're using iOS 10.2 or earlier, tap Settings > iCloud > Sign Out. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My [device] and enter your Apple ID password. Then go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Sign Out.

  5. If you're switching to a non-Apple phone, deregister iMessage.

  6. If in-store trade-in is available in your country or region and you're trading in at an Apple Store, stop here, do not erase your device, and visit your nearest Apple Store to pick up your new device. After a Specialist completes your trade-in, they'll work through the remaining steps with you in-store. If you're completing your trade-in online, continue to step 7.

  7. 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.

  8. If asked for your device passcode or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase [device].

  9. Contact your carrier for help transferring service to a new owner. If you aren't using a SIM card with your device, you can contact them to get help transferring service to the new owner.

  10. Remove your old device from your list of trusted devices.

When you erase your iPhone or iPad, Find My [device] and Activation Lock are turned off.

Forgot your Apple ID or your Apple ID password?

If you no longer have your iPhone or iPad

If the steps above weren't completed and you no longer have your device, use these steps:

  1. Ask the new owner to erase all content and settings using the above steps.

  2. If you're using iCloud and Find My [device] on the device, sign in to iCloud.com/find or the Find My app on another device, select the device, and click Erase. After the device has been erased, click Remove from Account.

  3. If you can't follow either of the above steps, change your Apple ID password. This won't remove personal information that's stored on your old device, but it prevents the new owner from deleting your information from iCloud.

  4. If you're switching to a non-Apple phone, deregister iMessage.

  5. If you're using Apple Pay, you can remove your credit or debit cards at iCloud.com. Choose Account Settings to see which devices are using Apple Pay, then click the device. Next to Apple Pay, click Remove.

  6. Remove your old device from your list of trusted devices.

  7. If you purchased an AppleCare plan for your device, cancel your AppleCare plan.

If you're trading in an Android device to Apple

Before you send in an Android device to Apple as a trade-in, be sure to do the following:

  • Back up your data.

  • Erase the device.

  • Remove any SIM cards, memory cards, cases, and screen protectors.

Contact your device's manufacturer if you need help.

Learn more

  • Make a backup of your iPhone or iPad or restore from a backup.

  • Remove all of your cards from Apple Pay.

  • Get help if your iPhone or iPad is lost or stolen.

  • Learn about Activation Lock.

  • No matter the model or condition, we can turn your device into something good for you and good for the planet. Learn how to trade in or recycle your iPhone or iPad with Apple Trade In.

When you tap Erase All Content and Settings, it completely erases your device, including any credit or debit cards you added for Apple Pay and any photos, contacts, music, or apps. It will also turn off iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Game Center, and other services. Your content won't be deleted from iCloud when you erase your device.

Published Date:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

How do I clear my iPad 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 prepare my iPhone for trade-in? ›

Before you send in your device
  1. Back up your iPhone.
  2. Erase your iPhone.
  3. Unpair and erase your Apple Watch to create a backup.
  4. For an Android device, back up your data, then erase the device to return it to factory settings.
Jun 28, 2024

How do I prepare my used iPhone for sale? ›

How to clear an iPhone to sell?
  1. Unpair your Apple Watch.
  2. Create a backup of everything you want to save.
  3. Deactivate Find My iPhone.
  4. Return your iPhone to its factory settings.
  5. Remove your SIM card.

Is it worth doing the Apple trade in? ›

While Apple's trade-in program is convenient, it may not always offer the best value for your device. Other platforms, such as eBay, Swappa, or third-party trade-in sites can sometimes offer higher trade-in values. However, these platforms may require more effort on your part.

Does a factory reset really delete everything on an iPad? ›

A factory restore erases the information and settings on your device. This includes removing any apps that were installed without your knowledge and resetting your privacy settings so you aren't sharing location with any people or apps.

Is factory reset enough before selling a phone? ›

Basic file deletion and factory reset are not enough

A lot of people perform a factory reset to wipe everything off their Android device, before disposing or reselling it. But the problem is that a factory reset doesn't really delete everything.

Does erase iPhone delete everything? ›

To permanently remove all of your content and settings from your iPhone, erase (wipe) your iPhone. For example, erase iPhone before you sell it, trade it in, or give it away.

What should I prepare for Apple trade in? ›

How to prepare your MacBook for Apple Trade In
  1. Back up your data. ...
  2. Sign out of iCloud.
  3. Turn off your firmware password.
  4. Deauthorize your computer for content purchases.
  5. Erase your hard disk.
  6. Remove all accessories.

Should I remove SIM before selling iPhone? ›

Make sure your phone remains plugged in, and head to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset and tap Reset phone. Remove your SIM card. To be extra safe, it's a good idea to remove your SIM card, which may contain your phone number, security information and billing info.

How to sell my iPhone safely? ›

Sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone
  1. If you paired an Apple Watch with your iPhone, unpair your Apple Watch. (See the Apple Support article Unpair and erase your Apple Watch.)
  2. Back up iPhone. ...
  3. Sign out of iCloud and the iTunes & App Store. ...
  4. Erase all content and settings that contain personal information.

Are old iPhones worth anything? ›

Older doesn't always mean more valuable. Older models can be more helpful and have sold for a lot of money at auctions, but this depends on the collector and the condition of the iPhone. This is likewise the case with older models selling online or exchanging in a trade-in program.

Does factory reset remove an iCloud account? ›

No, factory resetting your iPhone will not alter your iCloud. Upon setting up your iPhone again you will be given the option to reconnect to your iCloud account if you desire. iCloud also stores iPhone backups that you can restore your phone from.

Does Apple really check trade-ins? ›

It'll be inspected when it's received to verify the condition matches what you reported; if it doesn't, you'll have the option to back out or continue with the trade and pay the difference. If you're at an Apple Store, the process is similar except everything happens right there on the spot.

Is trade in better than selling iPhone? ›

Selling Phone Privately

The trade-in vs. selling debate consists of many arguments for both sides, but no one can deny that selling private is a great way to earn more money. Unlike trading in phones, selling privately lets you choose how much you'd like to get for the phone.

What is my old iPad worth? ›

Get $50–$565 when you trade in an iPad. footnote ¹
Your deviceEstimated trade-in value footnote ¹
iPad ProUp to $565
iPad AirUp to $310
iPadUp to $225
iPad miniUp to $250

How do I clear my second hand iPad? ›

Erase your iPhone or iPad and restore it to factory settings

Go to Settings > General > Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your passcode or Apple ID password.

Will erasing my old iPad affect my new one? ›

Overall, resetting your iPad to factory settings is a safe and easy way to erase all of your data and settings. It will not affect other Apple devices that are signed in with the same Apple ID.

Does erase all content and settings delete everything? ›

Use our Troubleshooting Assistant to fix your device issues. Erase all content and settings only if necessary as it removes your email accounts and all data including system data, app data and media.

How do u erase history on iPad? ›

Go to Settings > Safari. Tap Clear History and Website Data.

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