Here's how to prepare a phone to sell: back up what you want to keep, sign out of your Apple or Google account, run a factory reset, take out the SIM card, then clean the phone and note its true condition. The order matters. A reset erases whatever you haven't saved, and a phone that's still tied to your account can't be set up by the next owner, so buyers turn it down or cut the offer. When you finish, the phone should open at the first setup screen and never ask for your account. If it does, it isn't ready.
What to have in hand before you start
Three things decide whether this goes smoothly: your Apple Account or Google Account password, a place to keep the backup, and enough battery to finish. Keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi, because the backup and the sign-out both need a connection.
The password is the one that can sink the whole job. You can't sign out of an account you can't open, and a reset without a sign-out leaves the phone locked to you. If you're not sure you have the password, plus the code or second device that goes with it, recover the account first. Do that before you touch anything else.
Two more things can block a sale. If you still owe money on the phone, ask your carrier what paying it off involves, because a balance or a carrier lock cuts down who can buy it. And if an employer or a school ever issued the phone, ask them to release it first, since a managed phone can enroll itself again after a reset.
Also have these within reach:
- Your screen passcode, because the settings you need will ask for it.
- Your new phone, or a plan for your number, if you're replacing this one.
- A SIM tray tool or a straightened paper clip, and a soft, lint-free cloth.
How to prepare a phone to sell, step by step
Work through these in order, because each step protects the next one. The time on each is your hands-on time, not the waiting.
- Back up the phone. Send it to iCloud, your Google Account or a computer, then check that the backup shows today's date. A reset can't be undone, and a stalled backup only shows its problem after the wipe. Time: a few minutes of yours, plus the wait.
- Move what a backup misses. That means authenticator app codes, chat history in apps like WhatsApp, cards in your wallet app and, if you have one, your eSIM line, which your carrier may need to move for you. Those live only on the phone, so a wipe takes them along and can lock you out of other accounts. Time: a few minutes per app.
- Check the phone while it still works. Write down the battery health, storage size, carrier, IMEI and every scratch, dent or crack, and photograph the damage. Dial *#06# on most phones to see the IMEI, and on an iPhone find battery health under Settings, Battery, Battery Health & Charging. After the reset you can't open Settings, and exact notes let you compare offers fairly. Time: a few minutes.
- Unpair what's connected. Unpair an Apple Watch, and turn off iMessage and FaceTime if your number is moving to an Android phone. A paired watch stays tied to the old phone, and iMessage can keep holding texts meant for you. Skip this step if neither applies. Time: a couple of minutes.
- Sign out of your accounts. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. On an Android phone, remove your Google Account and any Samsung account from the accounts section of Settings. That turns off Activation Lock and Factory Reset Protection, the two locks that stop the next owner from using the phone. Time: a couple of minutes.
- Run the factory reset. On an iPhone it's Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings. On a Pixel it's Settings, System, Reset options, and on a Samsung it's Settings, General management, Reset. It removes your photos, messages and logins so none of it goes to the buyer, and if it asks about an eSIM, erase it only after your carrier has moved the line. Time: a few minutes, then the phone restarts on its own.
- Take out the SIM card and any memory card. Use the tray tool, if the phone has a tray, and keep both. The SIM ties the phone to your number, and you'll want it for your next phone. Time: a minute.
- Check that the lock is really off. Start the phone and make sure it opens at the first setup screen, then sign in to your Apple Account or Google Account on another device and look at the list of devices. If the phone is still listed, remove it there, because a phone that's still listed is still tied to you. Time: a few minutes.
- Clean the phone and gather what goes with it. Wipe the screen and body with a soft, lint-free cloth, keep liquid out of every opening, and add the charger, cable and box if you still have them. Buyers judge what they see first, and a clean phone shows its real condition. Time: a few minutes.
Once the phone is ready, get at least two offers before you choose. A trade-in from a carrier or a manufacturer is convenient and may pay in credit. A local shop or a buyback company gives you a person to deal with. A private sale can bring more, and it also brings the haggling, the no-shows and the claims that it arrived broken. Pick the one that fits how much work you want to do.
The step most people get wrong, and how to tell
Most people think the factory reset is the step that matters. The sign-out is. Erasing a phone doesn't always remove its link to your account: on an iPhone, Activation Lock stays on until Find My is turned off, and on an Android phone, Factory Reset Protection asks for the last Google Account that was on it, even after a reset.
Picture a buyer in another state opening the box, choosing a language, joining Wi-Fi and landing on a screen that asks for your email address and password. They can't get past it, and neither can anyone else without your sign-in. Buyers send those phones back or knock the offer down.
To tell whether you got it right, check the account side first. Sign in to your Apple Account or Google Account on another device and open the list of devices. If the phone is still on it, it's still attached to you, so remove it there. Then look at the phone: if its setup screens ask you to verify the account that was on it, the lock is still on.
The fix is the same on both. Sign back in with your own details, remove the account on the phone and run the reset again. If an iPhone has already left your hands, Find My lets you erase it and remove it from your account from another device.
Reset done and the lock check passed? Pick your device on Wireless Kinect's buyback site to see an offer.
How long each part takes, honestly
Your hands-on time is short, and almost all of the waiting is the backup. The sign-out, the reset, the SIM and the cleaning are each a few minutes of your attention.
The backup is the part you can't rush. How long it runs depends on how much is on the phone and how fast your connection is, and a first backup of a full phone over slow Wi-Fi can take hours. Start it first, then use the wait for steps 2 and 3, which only need the phone and something to write on.
Three things stretch the job:
- A full photo library on slow Wi-Fi makes the backup longer.
- A forgotten password turns a few minutes into an account recovery that can run for days.
- An eSIM line adds a call or a visit to your carrier.
Keep the phone plugged in so a dead battery doesn't stop anything halfway, and don't start the reset until the backup has finished.
When to hand it to a professional instead
A phone with a black screen is the clearest case for getting help, because you can't see the menus these steps need. These situations belong with a technician or the account's owner:
- The screen is cracked or dead and you can't use Settings. Have the screen repaired first, then back up and reset.
- The phone won't charge or start and you need what's on it. A technician can tell you whether it can be revived far enough to back up.
- The battery is swollen. If the back is lifting or the screen is bulging, stop charging and using the phone and take it to a shop.
- You can't get into the account. Recover it through Apple or Google first, because that's the only reliable way to clear an account lock.
The other call is whether to repair before you sell. Get a repair quote for your model, then compare it with the gap between what buyers offer for a working phone and for a cracked one. If the repair costs more than the gap, sell it as is. Wireless Kinect has repair pages for iPhone repair and Samsung phone repair, and its quote works by brand and model.
Where Wireless Kinect fits in
Wireless Kinect runs device buyback and trade-in for phones, tablets and computers, online or in person. On its buyback site you pick your device to see an offer, and the notes from step 3 cover what any buyer asks about: model, storage, carrier and condition.
It also sells pre-owned phones and repairs phones, tablets and computers. If you're replacing the phone you're selling, its shop site lists devices for sale. There are four walk-in stores, in Lancaster and Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida.
Anyone in the US can follow the steps above. If one of those stores is nearby, you can ask about selling in person, which suits people who'd rather hand a phone to a person than to a marketplace.
Prefer to do this face to face? See where the four Wireless Kinect stores are.
Frequently asked questions about preparing a phone to sell
How do I wipe a phone before selling it?
Back it up, sign out of your Apple Account or Google Account, then run the factory reset from Settings. On an iPhone that's Erase All Content and Settings, under General and then Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Do I need to sign out of iCloud or Google before I sell my phone?
Yes. Signing out of your Apple Account turns off Activation Lock on an iPhone, and removing your Google Account turns off Factory Reset Protection on an Android phone. Skip it and the next owner can't get past the setup screens.
Does a factory reset delete everything?
On current iPhones and most recent Android phones, yes. The data is encrypted, and the reset throws away the key, so what's left can't be read. On its own it doesn't clear an account lock, which is why the sign-out comes first.
Should I take the SIM card out before selling my phone?
Yes, and take out any memory card too. The SIM ties the phone to your number and your carrier account, and you'll want it for your next phone.
Should I fix a cracked screen before selling a phone?
Only if the repair quote is lower than the gap between what buyers offer for a working phone and for a cracked one. If it isn't, sell the phone as is and say plainly what's wrong with it.
Can I sell a phone I still owe money on?
You can, but the balance stays with you, and many buyers won't take a phone that's still tied to a payment plan or a carrier lock. Ask your carrier what paying it off involves before you list the phone.
How long does it take to prepare a phone to sell?
Your hands-on time is short, and the backup is the long part. How long it runs depends on how much is on the phone and how fast your connection is.
What do buyers check on a used phone?
They check that it powers on, the screen and body, battery health, the cameras, speakers and ports, and whether an account or carrier lock is still on. Some also check that the phone hasn't been reported lost or stolen.
Not sure whether to fix it first?
A cracked screen or a weak battery changes what buyers offer. Get an instant repair quote by brand and model, then compare it with what buyers offer for the phone as it is.