iPhone Resale – How to Prep Your iPhone for sale

How to Prep Your iPhone for Resale

iPhone Resale

iPhone resale and preparing your iPhone for trade in or sale to third party can be done quickly and easily with our guide. Whether you’re anticipating the fall release of the newest iPhone or just upgrading from your current model, you can often benefit by trading in your old iPhone when you pick up the new one.  If you’re choosing to trade in or sell your Apple phone, though, you want to be sure to thoroughly wipe its contents before you put it in someone else’s hands!

Security Issues

Prior to preparing to sell your iPhone we should look at securing your most valuable information. Most of us use our smart phones for everything.  We participate in social media, send business email, check our online accounts, move money with virtual banking and PayPal, interact with our doctors’ offices, order prescriptions, renew our drivers’ licenses or gun permits, change mailing addresses, check credit reports, map travel routes, make payments, shop online… The list is practically endless, and we’re so accustomed to the conveniences that we don’t think twice about the security issues inherent in our reliance on a cell-phone-as-computer.

Take a quick look at that list, add your own smart phone activities, and take a second to imagine the destructive potential of having that phone (with all of its accounts, contacts, and history) in someone else’s hands.

Right now you’re probably not worried because you’ve set up a fingerprint ID and/or lock screen pass code, and maybe you’ve even set up the “find my iPhone” app to be able to wipe it remotely if you should lose it. But when it comes to resale, you’re talking about unlocking the phone and handing it to someone else, so you want to be darn sure you’ve wiped everything!

Backing Up Your Data

Prior to iphone resale you will want to secure your data. Assuming you don’t want to re-enter absolutely everything into your new phone, you’ll want to start by backing up your existing data before wiping your current phone clean. Fortunately, backing up the phone is easy, thanks to iCloud.

From your Settings menu, simply select “iCloud,” make sure the iCloud Backup is turned on, and then tap “Back up Now” while connected to a wi-fi network.  Ta-da! That was easy.

If you’d like to be extra sure of your backup, connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes.  On the computer, highlight your phone, opt for “Backups,” select “This Computer,” and then click on “Back Up Now.”

 Wiping Your Phone

Now that you’ve backed up all your content, information, and settings for your own use, you’re ready to return your phone to its original condition prior to iphone resale.

  1. Disconnect Your Devices. If you have paired any devices, like an Apple Watch, with your iPhone, start by unpairing those devices.
  2. Sign Yourself Out. First, go to “iCloud” in your Settings and tap either “Sign Out” or “Delete Account,” depending on what model you are clearing. Second, go to the iTunes & App Store, select “Apple ID” and sign yourself out there.
  3. Erase Settings and Content. This is another easy step. Go to “General” in your settings and select “Erase All Content and Settings,” then tap the “Erase iPhone” button that will pop up, and enter your password.
  4. Wipe your Fingerprints and Apple Pay. If you’re on an iPhone 6 or higher, the previous step will take care of this too. For an older phone, go from Settings to “Touch ID & Passcode” to erase your fingerprint sign-in, and go to “Passbook & Apple Pay” (if you’re using iOS 8) or “Wallet & Apple Pay” (if you’re on iOS 9) to erase your credit card information. You should also go to Safari, select “AutoFill” and erase any credit cards stored there.

iphone resale

Once you’ve followed these steps, your phone will be ready to return to the store for resale! Repair Sharks can help prepare you for iphone resale of your current model. We also buy out of contract phones so feel free to give us or stop in our shop for a purchase quote. Typically third party phone buyers will offer more than carriers and Apple on trade-in so be sure to check around before trading in or selling your phone back to your carrier!