Selling, giving away or recycling a device

To wipe a phone before selling it, the official steps are to back up, sign out of your accounts so the activation lock is off, and then do a factory reset. An old phone, tablet or computer can still hold photos, messages, saved passwords and signed-in accounts, and the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) warns that “any devices you dispose of could be accessed by strangers.”

This guide explains how to wipe a phone, tablet or computer before selling it, giving it away, trading it in or recycling it: backing up, signing out, turning off the activation lock, and doing a factory reset. The steps are based on the ACSC’s guidance and each maker’s own help pages, and each section links to the maker’s page with the latest steps.

Why it matters

Deleting files and signing out of apps isn’t the same as erasing a device. The ACSC’s secure disposal page tells the story of a laptop owner who deleted his files and logged out of his accounts before selling it. According to the ACSC, the buyer recovered the deleted files, which contained saved passphrases, and used them to empty his bank account.

A factory reset goes further. It erases the device and returns it to the state it was in when new. Two other things matter as well:

• Activation locks. Apple devices and Android phones have a feature that stops a reset device being used without the previous owner’s account. If it isn’t turned off, the new owner may not be able to set the device up at all.
• Accounts and authenticator apps. If an authenticator app or trusted device is lost along with the old phone, getting back into accounts can be hard.

The ACSC’s steps

The ACSC lists these steps for computers and mobile phones:

1. Back up your data that’s worth keeping. The 3-2-1 backup guide explains how backups work.
2. Transfer any authentication applications, such as an authenticator app, to the new device. The guides to setting up a new phone securely and planning account recovery with backup codes cover this.
3. Update your list of trusted devices by removing the old device from accounts it’s linked to.
4. Check for removable media and other connected devices: “portable drives, USB sticks, DVDs and SIM cards.”
5. Perform a factory reset and erase your data.
6. Remove any identifying markings: “anything from the device that could reveal something about what you used it for or who you are.”

For devices holding sensitive information, the ACSC describes considering “a data destruction service or asking an IT professional to help you dispose of it securely.”

The sections below cover how steps 1, 3 and 5 are done on each type of device.

How to back up first

A factory reset can’t be undone, so the backup comes first.

iPhone or iPad. Based on Apple’s instructions (checked October 2026). Apple’s iCloud backup guide has the latest steps.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.
2. Open Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud.
3. Tap iCloud Backup, then Back Up Now.
4. Stay connected to Wi-Fi until it finishes. The time of the last backup appears underneath.

Android. Based on Google’s instructions (checked October 2026). Google’s Android backup guide has the latest steps. Google notes menu names vary between phones.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Google, then All services.
3. Under Backup and restore, tap Backup, then Back up now.

Windows, Mac and Chromebook. Windows uses the Windows Backup app, Macs use Time Machine, and Chromebooks rely on Google Drive or an external drive. The guides to Windows computer security, Mac security and Chromebook security have the steps.

How to reset an iPhone or iPad

Apple’s process signs the device out of the Apple Account and then erases it. Apple says: “When you erase your iPhone or iPad, Find My [device] and Activation Lock will be turned off.” Apple also warns that while still signed in to iCloud, deleting items by hand removes them from iCloud and other devices too, which is why it describes signing out rather than deleting things one by one.

Based on Apple’s instructions (checked October 2026). Apple’s guide for iPhone and iPad has the latest steps, including for older iOS versions.

1. If an Apple Watch is paired, unpair it.
2. Open Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. On iOS 26 or later, Apple’s page describes choosing between erasing the device or signing out without erasing; on iOS 18 or earlier, enter the Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.
3. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [device], then tap Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Enter the passcode if asked, then tap Erase [device].
5. For a device with an eSIM, Apple describes choosing to “erase the device and the eSIM profile” when asked.

Apple also describes removing the old device from the account’s list of trusted devices, removing Apple Pay cards and passes in Wallet, deregistering iMessage when moving to a non-Apple phone, and contacting the network provider about transferring service.

How to reset an Android phone or tablet

Android phones have device protection. Google says that after a reset without the owner’s permission, “only someone with your Google Account or screen lock could use it.” Google says: “To turn off device protection, remove your Google Account from your device.” If the account is still on the phone when it’s reset, Google warns that someone who can’t give the account details during setup “won’t be able to use the device at all.”

Remove the Google Account. Based on Google’s instructions (checked October 2026). Google’s remove account guide has the latest steps.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Passwords & accounts (on some phones, Users & accounts or Manage accounts).
3. Select the account, then tap Remove account.
4. Confirm, and enter the phone’s PIN, pattern or password if asked.

Google says removing an account deletes its email, contacts and settings from the device, so this comes after the backup.

Factory reset. Google says: “A factory data reset erases your data from the phone,” and “all apps and their data will be uninstalled.” It notes that “On most phones, you can reset your phone through the Settings app,” and suggests checking the manufacturer’s support site for device-specific steps. Google’s Android reset guide also describes charging the phone to at least 70% and connecting to Wi-Fi or mobile data first, because a reset “can take up to an hour.”

Factory reset on a Samsung Galaxy phone. Based on Samsung Australia’s instructions (checked October 2026). Menus can change between One UI versions; Samsung’s guide has the latest steps. Samsung warns that “Factory Resetting a mobile device is not reversible”, so the backup comes first.

1. Open Settings, then tap General Management.
2. Tap Reset, then Factory Data Reset.
3. Scroll down and tap Reset, then Delete all.

Samsung’s page doesn’t mention removing the Google Account first; that step comes from Google’s device protection guidance above.

How to reset a Windows PC

Microsoft’s process is to back up, reset, then remove the PC from the Microsoft account. For a PC being passed on, Microsoft’s reset guide describes choosing Remove everything with the clean data option: “If you’re planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option.” Microsoft says cleaning takes longer but makes removed files harder to recover. It also notes this erasure “does not meet government and industry data erasure standards.”

Based on Microsoft’s instructions (checked October 2026). Microsoft’s Reset your PC page and guide before recycling, selling or gifting a PC have the latest steps.

1. Back up with Windows Backup. If the drive is encrypted with BitLocker, Microsoft describes having the recovery key ready.
2. Open Settings > System > Recovery. (In Windows 10: Update & Security > Recovery.)
3. Select Reset PC, then Remove everything.
4. Turn on the clean data option and follow the on-screen instructions. Microsoft warns the screen may stay black for a long time and the PC may restart, and that restarting it by hand can make the reset fail.
5. Afterwards, on another device, go to account.microsoft.com/devices, find the PC, select Show details, then More actions > Remove, tick I’m ready to remove this device and select Remove.

How to reset a Mac

Apple’s Mac guide says: “These steps will erase all of your data from your Mac,” so the Time Machine backup comes first. On a Mac with Apple silicon or an Apple T2 Security Chip running macOS Monterey or later, Erase All Content and Settings does the whole job. Apple’s Find My guide describes removing Activation Lock before a device is sold, given away or traded in, and describes signing out of iCloud or erasing the Mac as ways to do it.

Based on Apple’s instructions (checked October 2026). Apple’s Erase your Mac page has the latest steps.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click General, then Transfer or Reset.
3. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Enter the Mac’s login password, then the Apple Account password.
5. Click Erase All Content & Settings to confirm. The Mac restarts to a setup screen as if new.

Older Macs without this option go through a longer process in Apple’s Mac guide: signing out of iCloud and Messages, then erasing the disk and reinstalling macOS from macOS Recovery. To check Activation Lock is off, Apple’s Find My guide says that if Sign in appears at the top of System Settings, “you’re already signed out, so Activation Lock has been removed.”

How to reset a Chromebook

Google calls a Chromebook factory reset a Powerwash. Google says it “erases all user data on your Chromebook’s hard drive, including all the files in the Downloads folder”, but “won’t delete any of your files on Google Drive or external hard drive.” Google says a Chromebook from work or school can’t be reset by the user; the administrator handles it.

Based on Google’s instructions (checked October 2026). Google’s Chromebook reset guide has the latest steps.

1. Back up files to Google Drive or an external drive.
2. Sign out of the Chromebook.
3. Press and hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R.
4. Select Restart.
5. In the box that appears, select Powerwash, then Continue, and follow the prompts.

Google notes: “The account you sign in with after you reset your Chromebook will be the owner account.”

How to remove SIM cards and memory cards

The ACSC’s steps include taking out removable media that can store information, naming “portable drives, USB sticks, DVDs and SIM cards.” On many phones, the SIM card and any memory card sit in a small tray or slot. For a phone with an eSIM, Apple describes erasing the eSIM profile as part of erasing the device, and contacting the network provider about transferring service.

Recycling old devices

Electronic waste, or e-waste, has its own recycling arrangements in Australia. According to the National EPA’s information for householders: “There are no fees for disposing e-waste as part of the scheme for householders and small businesses.” The page mentions “unwanted televisions and computers”, refers to online finders for scheme drop-off points, and says: “You can contact your local council for information on local e-waste management services.” It also says: “Local councils may choose to charge a levy for collection and recycling outside of the scheme.”

The ACSC’s steps apply before any device goes to recycling, as well as before a sale.

Things to watch for

• An activation lock left on. Apple and Google both describe signing out or removing the account so the next person can set the device up.
• Authenticator apps on the old phone. The ACSC lists moving them to the new device before the old one goes.
• Trusted devices still listed. The ACSC, Apple and Microsoft all describe removing the old device from the account.
• A memory card or SIM still inside. The ACSC lists these among removable media.
• Deleting instead of erasing. The ACSC’s case study shows deleted files can be recovered.
• Sensitive information. Microsoft notes its drive cleaning doesn’t meet data erasure standards; the ACSC describes a data destruction service or IT professional for sensitive information.

Common questions

How do I wipe my phone before selling it?

The ACSC’s steps start with a backup and end with a factory reset, because a reset can’t be undone. In between, it lists transferring authenticator apps, removing the old device from trusted device lists, and taking out SIM and memory cards. On an iPhone, the reset is in Settings > General > Transfer or Reset [device] > Erase All Content and Settings. See the ACSC’s steps, then the reset section for your device.

Is deleting my files and logging out enough before selling a phone?

Not according to the ACSC’s case study. A laptop owner deleted his files and logged out of his accounts before selling it, and the buyer recovered the deleted files, which contained saved passphrases, and used them to empty his bank account. The ACSC’s steps include a factory reset, which erases the device and returns it to the state it was in when new. See why it matters.

How do I turn off Activation Lock before selling a phone?

Signing out of the account, as part of the maker’s reset steps, turns it off. Apple says: “When you erase your iPhone or iPad, Find My [device] and Activation Lock will be turned off”, and its steps sign out of the Apple Account first. For Android, Google says: “To turn off device protection, remove your Google Account from your device.” Steps for iPhone or iPad and Android.

How do I wipe a Windows laptop before selling it?

Microsoft describes resetting it with Remove everything and the clean data option: “If you’re planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option.” The reset is under Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC. Microsoft’s steps start with Windows Backup and end with removing the PC at account.microsoft.com/devices. It notes this erasure “does not meet government and industry data erasure standards”. See how to reset a Windows PC.

Where can I recycle an old computer or TV in Australia?

Australia has an e-waste scheme for householders and small businesses. According to the National EPA: “There are no fees for disposing e-waste as part of the scheme for householders and small businesses.” Its page mentions “unwanted televisions and computers”, refers to online finders for drop-off points, and says local councils have information on local e-waste services. The ACSC’s steps apply before any device goes to recycling. See recycling old devices.

What do I do if I’ve already handed over a device without wiping it?

It can still be removed from your accounts. For an iPhone or iPad, Apple describes asking the new owner to erase it, removing it from the account’s trusted devices, and changing the Apple Account password. For a Windows PC, Microsoft describes removing it from the Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com/devices. The ACSC lists updating trusted device lists among its disposal steps. See the ACSC’s steps.

Where to get official help

• ASD’s ACSC publishes the secure disposal guidance, including printers, gaming consoles and removable drives.
• Apple Support, Google Help and Microsoft Support publish the current reset steps for their own devices, linked in each section above.
• Your local council has information on local e-waste services.

Related guides

• Backups for personal devices: the 3-2-1 approach
• An account recovery plan
• iPhone security basics
• Android security basics
• Windows computer security basics
• Mac security basics
• Chromebook security basics
• Data breaches: what they are and what to do