- Instead of throwing your old iPhone in a landfill, you should reuse, repurpose, recycle, or resell it to reduce your carbon footprint
- Selling an old iPhone can help you get some cash that you can use to buy a newer model
- Before selling your iPhone, you should do a few things to make sure it’s ready for the new owner and doesn’t have your old data in it
Whether you’re putting your used iPhone 13 Pro Max for sale or selling an older model, you’ll surely find buyers. However, when you put an iPhone for sale, you need to make it look nothing less than a new one to give the new owner a fresh start. While you can’t do much about its physical condition, you can take care of what’s inside before selling it.
Here’s what you need to do before putting your used iPhone for sale.
1. Backup Your iPhone 💾
The first thing to do before putting used iPhones for sale is to create a backup of your data. You can back up your iPhone data on your iCloud account, Mac, or Windows PC.
If you want to save time while backing up, consider removing unnecessary apps to reduce backup size and time. For instance, social media apps like Facebook and Instagram save your data on their servers. So, you’ll start from where you left off when you log in again. All you need to remember is your username and password.
To back up your iPhone data, follow these steps after connecting to a stable internet connection:
- Open the Settings app ⚙️
- Click on your name and choose iCloud ☁️
- Select iCloud Backup and choose Back Up Now
To backup using a Mac or Windows PC:
- Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to the computer
- Choose Trust This Computer and put your iPhone’s password to connect to your PC
- In the sidebar of iTunes or Finder, select your device
- Click the checkbox to Encrypt local backup if you’re saving confidential info
- Select Back Up Now
2. Unpair Your Devices 🔌
Everyone should unpair their Apple accessories, like Apple Watch and AirPods, from their devices before putting their iPhones on sale. You should also unpair any non-Apple accessories, like Bluetooth speakers, to prevent them from connecting to your old iPhone. This can be a problem if you’re giving away your iPhone to a colleague, friend, roommate, or anyone who shares physical spaces with you.
To unpair your devices, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app ⚙️
- Go to Bluetooth and toggle it on to see the list of paired devices
- Tap the info (i) icon in front of each device and select Forget This Device
To unpair an Apple Watch:
- Hold the Watch near your iPhone and open the Apple Watch app
- Click on the My Watch tab and select All Watches
- Tap the info (i) button in front of the Watch you want to unpair
- Choose Unpair Apple Watch
3. Log Out of Important Apps 📲
Smartphones are the go-to gadgets that help people watch videos, play games, send emails, do online banking, and much more. So, if you’re considering putting your iPhone 13 mini for sale, log out of important apps containing sensitive information before uninstalling them.
If you uninstall the apps without removing your information, your iPhone will still be able to access the info when the next owner installs these apps. So, to protect your information from getting into the wrong hands, make sure you log out of all sensitive apps.
You should remove your email accounts and calendars from the device. Besides third-party apps, sign out of iMessage and FaceTime. If switching to Android, you should deregister your iMessage account to prevent any SMS-related issues.
4. Sign Out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store 👋
Before taking your used iPhone 13 for sale, you should sign out of your Apple ID to sign out of iTunes, App Store, and iCloud. By doing so, you can ensure that your old iPhone can no longer access your Apple account.
To sign out of Apple ID, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app ⚙️
- Click on your name
- Scroll down and tap Sign Out
5. Erase All of Your Data ❌
After removing your identifiable and personal information, you need to erase iPhone data before selling.
Follow these steps to erase data before putting your used iPhone for sale:
- Go to the Settings app ⚙️
- Tap General and select Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Select Erase All Content and Settings
- Tap Continue
If you have the Find My iPhone feature turned on, you’ll be asked to disable it along with the Activation Lock by entering your Apple ID.
You’ll be asked to enter your device’s password; once you enter it, your iPhone will start deleting your data.
6. Remove Your SIM Card ▪️📲
Before selling or giving away your old iPhone, you should remove your SIM card. If your new iPhone comes with a SIM card, you can destroy the old one.
To remove the SIM card, you can use a paper clip or an ejector tool that opens the internal SIM card storage. If you have a carrier-locked iPhone, you can get it unblocked from your carrier. When you put unlocked iPhones for sale, they offer better resale value because they allow new users to use the phone with a carrier of their choice.
7. Remove Your Old Device From Your Trusted Devices 🔐
After wiping your iPhone clean, check your other devices to remove your iPhone from their trusted devices.
To remove your old device from a new iPhone, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings app ⚙️
- Tap your name and select the old iPhone from your devices list
- Select Remove from account
To remove your old device using a Mac running macOS Catalina or later:
- Open System Preferences
- Click Apple ID and choose your old iPhone from the sidebar
- Tap Remove from account
It’s Time to Sell Your iPhone
Upgrading to a newer iPhone model doesn’t mean you have to toss the old one in the trash. It also doesn’t mean you have to keep it inside a box somewhere in your house. And it definitely doesn’t mean you can throw it in a landfill. Your used iPhone can be valuable to someone else needing a functional phone. You can sell, trade it in, or give it away to earn a few bucks, reduce e-waste, or help someone.
