How to Easily Clear or Wipe iPhone Before Selling it
Ready to get rid of that old phone or before selling it? Make sure to erase it properly before you do – we’ve put together a handy guide on how to do it.
Before you decide to sell your iPhone, it’s important to ensure that all of your data is securely wiped from the device. Whether it’s personal information, photos, videos, contacts or anything else, you want to make sure you’ve taken the necessary steps to erase any sensitive information from the device before handing it over.
Before you begin Erasing
It is important to take certain steps before you begin erasing your iPhone. If you intend to sell it, trade it in, or give it away, Apple advises reading their article What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone. Additionally, taking a backup of your content and settings is highly recommended as this will save time and energy when switching over phones and can be used for a new device later on. In order to have a successful backup process make sure you have the correct passcode readily available so that the entire process can occur smoothly.
With regards to erasing your iPhone properly it is also important that users understand what steps must be taken prior to doing so. This includes understanding what data needs to be backed up and if certain applications need specific settings resetting in order for them not to function on the new device; such as locked account details/passwords. Having this knowledge prior to erasing will save time in the long run as data retrieval once erased can be tricky- not impossible but difficult none the less! Taking these precautions will leave room for a smooth transition when switching phones and help protect other users from any malicious data left behind after alterations are made.
Copy your data to the new device
Setting up a new device can be an exciting yet daunting prospect, but the process doesn’t have to take up too much of your time. Quick Start is a feature available to iPhone users with devices running iOS 11 or higher, allowing for easy data migration from one device to another. All you have to do is hold your two devices close together and follow the instructions. This will transfer almost all of your account settings, as well as some apps and data depending on whether you take advantage of iCloud Backup before beginning the transfer.
If you are using a device running iOS 10 or earlier, there are still ways you can easily transfer information over with iCloud, iTunes or Finder (depending on what kind of Mac computer you have). As well as making sure your important data gets transferred over safely, make sure to add additional trusted phone numbers to your account before switching from an old phone number to a new one. That way if something goes wrong during the setup process, you won’t be locked out of your account again. If it is too late for that and you no longer have access to the old phone number, then use two-factor authentication codes generated on your old device if necessary.
Remove some identifiable features
In today’s digital age, there are more and more features offered that allow for easy accessibility for users. However, these features can also put our personal data at risk if not adequately secured. One way to help protect our personal information is by getting rid of a few of the most identifiable security measures on our devices.
For Apple users, disabling “Find My iPhone” is one of the first steps towards preventing unauthorized access to an individual’s device and information. This feature can be disabled in Settings under Find My Phone or Find My Network by toggling both off. Additionally, it is always smart to unpair any connected devices from one’s phone including their Apple Watch as this further reduces the chances of someone having access to your device through another device paired with it such as an Apple watch. Lastly, just to be extra safe and ensure ultimate privacy, it would be beneficial to toggle off iMessages since messages stored in the cloud could potentially be accessed by someone who finds their way onto your device. Taking these preventative measures will give individuals greater peace of mind knowing their identifiable security measures that have been taken care of with finality.
Before selling make sure to sign out of your Apple ID
Signing out of your Apple ID is a simple but important process to keep your data secure. To do this, first select “Settings” and then tap the top button. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and select “Sign Out”. You will then be asked to enter your Apple ID password to verify your identity and verify that you have permission to sign out of your account. Upon entering this password, you will be asked if you want to keep a copy of your data on the iPhone – if not, simply toggle it off and continue. Finally, click on “Sign Out” in the upper-right corner and then again hit “Are you sure?” in the pop-up window that appears confirming that you are voluntarily signing out of your Apple ID. This will log you out from all connected applications as well as blocking people from being able to access any sensitive information associated with this account on your device.
Use Settings to erase iPhone
Erasing an iPhone can be done in just a few steps using the device’s built-in settings. Depending on your own personal needs, you can choose to either “Prepare your content and settings to transfer to a new iPhone” or “Erase all of your data from iPhone.” For the latter option, simply select “Erase All Content and Settings” and the device will begin erasing everything stored on it.
This method is especially useful for those looking to sell their iPhones as it eliminates the need to manually delete all of the device’s content, giving buyers peace of mind that the phone will not contain any trace of the previous user when they purchase it. Erasing an iPhone is also beneficial if you are replacing your current model with a newer one as it allows you to quickly free up storage space before transferring any existing files or backups over during the setup process.
Simple step to erase iPhone through PC
Using a computer to erase an iPhone is a relatively straightforward process. However, in order to ensure data safety out of concern for potential privacy breaches or other security concerns, it is important to take the necessary steps before commencing the wiping and resetting procedure. To begin, you must first locate and connect your iPhone with the USB or USB-C cable supplied with the device. Depending on your setup you may need an adapter as well. Once connected, access your iPhone’s settings (usually found in the General menu tab) where functionality for a complete system wipe exists as an option.
Ensure that all data stored on the device is backed up prior to initiating this action because it will stop all applications from functioning normally and delete everything that was saved on the device including messages, contacts, photos etc. Following this procedure should leave only factory software installed plus any recent updates that had been applied; subsequently restoring your phone back its original state of normalcy without risk of prying eyes being able to gain access to unwanted information or private details stored in previously deleted files if they hadn’t been fully wiped.
You must be logged in to post a comment.