Maintenance procedure · Written to ASD-STE100 Issue 9 · Formatted to ANSI Z535

Erase a Phone Before You Hand It Over

The account has to come off before the wipe, not after — Apple and Google document different sequences and skipping either one leaves a phone nobody can unlock
ApplicabilityAny iPhone signed in to an Apple Account, and any Android phone signed in to a Google Account, that is about to be sold, traded in, given away or recycled. Written from Apple and Google support documentation read on 2026-07-29, when 'What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad' carried an Apple Published Date of May 29, 2026 and 'Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad' carried April 29, 2026. Google's Android and Pixel help articles carry no published date. The Android branch is deliberately incomplete on one point: Google states that the route to the reset menu differs by manufacturer and directs readers to the phone maker's own support site, so this page does the same rather than guessing a menu path. The time estimate covers both branches; you will only do one of them.
Task time1 hr 4 min to 3 hr 13 min editorial estimate, not a measurement
PersonnelOne
Revisionv1 · 2026-07-29
BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.

Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.

Summary

Almost everyone does this in the wrong order. You wipe the phone first, feel organised about it, and hand over a device that is still welded to your account — and now neither of you can clear it, because the only thing that unlocks it is a password the new owner will never have. The wipe is not the part that releases the phone. Taking the account off it is. That has to happen while you are still signed in, on a phone that still has your data on it, which feels backwards and is the entire reason people get it wrong.

The two platforms do not agree on how this works, and there is no single sequence that covers both. Apple wants you to sign out of your Apple Account first and then run Erase All Content and Settings, and Apple's own documentation states that the erase is what switches Activation Lock off. Google is blunter: remove every Google account from the phone as a separate operation, then go back into Settings and start the factory reset. Google states plainly that a protected phone which is reset with the account still on it cannot be used at all without a Google Account that was already synced to it.

This page gives both sequences, in the order each maker publishes them, and then gives you the one check that actually proves it worked — the first screen the phone shows when it restarts. It does not give you the exact menu path to the factory reset on your particular Android phone, because Google does not publish one either; it tells you to go to your phone maker's own support site, and so does this page.

Safety

NOTICE

MAKE A BACKUP BEFORE THE ERASE.
The erase removes all the data from the phone. You cannot get the data again after the erase.

Necessary equipment

ItemNote
The phone you will hand overDo the erase on the phone itself.
The password for the account on the phoneApple and Google both refuse an erase without this password.
A second device or a computerUse a second device to do a check of the account password.
A power supply for the phoneGoogle states that an Android phone must have a minimum charge of 70 percent.
Internet connectionGoogle states that the phone must connect to a network after the reset.

Prepare the phone before the erase

Estimated 32 min to 1 hr 7 min

NOTEApple and Google both put the backup before the erase. The erase is permanent.
  1. Make a backup of the phone.
    • The erase removes all the data from the phone.
    • Apple and Google both give this instruction before the erase.
    10m
  2. Move your data to the new phone before you erase the old phone.
    • Quick Start is the Apple tool for a transfer between two iPhones.
    15m
  3. Make a record of the account name that the phone uses.
    • Google states that you must know a Google Account on the phone.
    • Apple states that you can need your Apple Account password during the erase.
    2m
  4. Do a check of the account password on a second device.
    • Google gives this check because the password is necessary after the reset.
    • If you changed the Google Account password in the last 24 hours, wait.
    3m
  5. Remove the SIM card, the memory card and the case from the phone.
    • Apple gives this instruction for a phone that goes to a trade-in.
    2m

Erase an iPhone

Estimated 16 min to 26 min

NOTEApple puts the account sign-out before the erase. Do the steps in this sequence.
NOTICE

COMPLETE THE APPLE ACCOUNT SIGN-OUT BEFORE THE ERASE.
Apple puts the sign-out first in its sequence. Activation Lock keeps an iPhone locked to the Apple Account of the previous owner.

  1. If the iPhone has a paired Apple Watch, unpair the Apple Watch.
    • Apple gives this step before the account sign-out.
    5m
  2. Open the Settings app on the iPhone.
    <1m
  3. Select your name at the top of the screen.
    <1m
  4. Select Sign Out at the bottom of the screen.
    • Sign Out is the name of the control on that screen.
    <1m
  5. Type your Apple Account password when the iPhone asks for it.
    • Apple states that this password releases the account from the iPhone.
    1m
  6. Select General in the Settings app.
    <1m
  7. Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
    <1m
  8. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
    • Apple states that this operation removes the payment cards, the photos and the apps.
    <1m
  9. If the iPhone asks for a passcode, type the passcode.
    <1m
NOTICE

ERASE THE ESIM PROFILE ONLY IF THE PHONE LEAVES YOUR MOBILE SERVICE.
Apple gives this option during the erase. Your carrier must supply a new profile after this erase.

  1. If the iPhone asks about the eSIM profile, select the correct option for your sale.
    • Apple states that a sale needs the option that erases the eSIM profile also.
    <1m
  2. Select Erase iPhone.
    • Apple states that the erase sets Find My and Activation Lock to off.
    5m
  3. Remove the iPhone from the device list in your Apple Account.
    • Apple gives this step last.
    2m

Erase an Android phone

Estimated 11 min to 1 hr 35 min

NOTEGoogle puts the account removal before the factory reset. The route to the reset menu is different on each phone.
Minimum charge before an Android factory reset
Manufacturer or standard verified
70 %

Source: Reset your Android device to factory settings · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29

Longest time that Google gives for a factory reset
Manufacturer or standard verified
1 hour

Source: Reset your Android device to factory settings · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29

Wait after a recent change to the Google Account password
Manufacturer or standard verified
24 hours

Source: Reset your Android device to factory settings · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29

Route to the factory reset menu on a specific Android phone
Unverified — do not rely on this value
CONSULT THE SUPPORT SITE OF YOUR PHONE MANUFACTURER. GOOGLE PUBLISHES NO SINGLE ROUTE FOR ALL ANDROID PHONES AND THIS PAGE WILL NOT GUESS ONE.

No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.

  1. Open the Settings app on the phone.
    <1m
NOTICE

REMOVE EACH GOOGLE ACCOUNT BEFORE THE FACTORY RESET.
Google states that device protection stays on until you remove the account. A protected phone is not usable after the reset.

  1. Select Passwords and accounts.
    • The Settings app shows this entry as Passwords & accounts.
    <1m
  2. Remove each Google account from the phone.
    • Google states that this removal stops the protection on the device.
    • Do this step for every Google account on the phone.
    2m
  3. Charge the phone to a minimum of 70 percent.
    • Google gives this value.
    1m
  4. Connect the phone to Wi-Fi or to the mobile network.
    • Google states that the phone must connect to a network after the reset.
    1m
  5. Open the Settings app again.
    • Google gives the account removal and the reset as two separate visits to Settings.
    <1m
  6. Select System.
    • If your phone does not show this entry, read the support site of your phone manufacturer.
    <1m
  7. Select Reset options.
    • Google states that it publishes no single route for all Android phones.
    <1m
  8. Select Erase all data (factory reset).
    <1m
  9. Obey the instructions on the screen to complete the reset.
    • Google states that a factory reset can take one hour.
    5m

Do a check on the erased phone

Estimated 6 min

NOTEThe first screen after an erase shows if the phone is clear.
Screen that shows an iPhone is ready for a new owner
Manufacturer or standard verified
Hello

Source: Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29

  1. Start the phone after the erase.
    2m
  2. Examine the first screen.
    • Apple states that an iPhone is ready for a new owner at the Hello screen.
    • An iPhone Locked to Owner screen shows that Activation Lock is still on.
    • An Android phone that still has protection asks for a previous Google Account.
    • A passcode screen or a home screen shows that the erase did not run.
    1m
  3. If the phone asks for an account, do the account removal again.
    • You must know the password for that account.
    2m
  4. Give the phone to the new owner after the first screen is clear.
    <1m

Terminology

This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.

factory reset
Also called: hard reset, master reset, wipe the phone, format the phone, erase all data, how to wipe my phone before selling it
Activation Lock
Also called: iCloud lock, apple lock, icloud locked iphone, iphone locked to owner, activation locked
device protection
Also called: factory reset protection, FRP, frp lock, google lock, google account lock, asking for previous google account
Erase All Content and Settings
Also called: erase iphone, reset iphone to factory settings, wipe iphone, erase this iphone
Apple Account
Also called: Apple ID, apple id account, icloud account, itunes account

When to use a professional

Stop if the phone asks for the account of a previous owner. Only that owner can release the phone. Apple states that a device stays linked to an account until the owner removes it. Speak to the previous owner and ask for the account removal.

Stop if you cannot get the password for the account on the phone. Apple and Google both refuse the erase without it. Speak to Apple Support or to Google support about account recovery.

Stop if a used phone shows a locked screen at the first start. Apple states that you must not take ownership of a locked iPhone. Give the phone back to the seller.

Stop if the phone is a company phone or a school phone. An administrator controls the erase on a managed phone. Speak to your administrator.

Common questions

Do I sign out of iCloud before or after I erase the iPhone?

Before. Apple lists the sign-out ahead of the erase in its own sequence, and that is the order this page follows. Apple also states that running Erase All Content and Settings turns Find My and Activation Lock off, so on a current iPhone the erase itself does release the device. Signing out first is still the documented order and it costs you nothing, because it is the step that protects you if the erase is interrupted or if the phone is later wiped by some other route. Do it in the order Apple publishes it.

I already factory reset my Android phone and now it asks for the old Google account. What can I do?

You need a Google Account that was already added and synced to that phone before the reset, and you need its password. Google states that any previously synced account will do, but an account that was only ever used as a guest will not. If it was your account, recover the password through Google's sign-in help and use it. If it was somebody else's phone, only they can clear it — no setting on the device will, and that is deliberate. This is the exact outcome the account-removal step exists to prevent.

Why doesn't this page tell me the menu path to factory reset my Samsung or my Motorola?

Because Google does not publish one and neither will we. Google's own article says that on most phones you reset through the Settings app and then directs readers to their manufacturer's support site for device-specific instructions. Android manufacturers move that menu around, so a path printed here would be right for some phones and quietly wrong for others. The Settings, System, Reset options route in the steps is the common one; if your phone does not show it, your maker's support site has the real answer.

Is deleting my photos and apps by hand the same as erasing the phone?

No, and on an iPhone signed in to iCloud it can be worse. Apple warns that manually deleting items while you are logged in to iCloud permanently removes them from iCloud servers and from every device connected to that account — so you can destroy the copy on your new phone while trying to clean the old one. Back up first, transfer to the new device, then use the erase. Manual deletion also leaves the account on the phone, which is the thing that locks it.

What happens to my eSIM and my phone number?

Apple asks during the erase whether to erase the eSIM profile as well, and the right answer depends on what you are doing. If you are selling the phone and the number is moving to a new device, Apple says to choose the option that erases the device and the eSIM profile. If you are keeping that number on this phone, do not erase the profile, because your carrier will have to issue a new one. Physical SIM cards and memory cards should simply be taken out before handover.

How do I check that the wipe actually worked before I hand the phone over?

Start the phone and look at the very first screen. Apple says an iPhone is ready for a new owner when you see the Hello screen; if you see an iPhone Locked to Owner screen, Activation Lock is still on, and if you see a passcode or home screen the erase never ran. On Android, a setup screen that asks for a Google Account you recognise means device protection is still active. This single check catches nearly every version of this mistake.

Sources

Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.

  1. Tier 1What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPadApple Inc. · accessed 2026-07-29 · re-verification due 2027-01-25
  2. Tier 1Activation Lock for iPhone and iPadApple Inc. · accessed 2026-07-29 · re-verification due 2027-01-25
  3. Tier 1Reset your Android device to factory settingsGoogle LLC · accessed 2026-07-29 · re-verification due 2027-01-25
  4. Tier 1Help prevent others from using your device without permissionGoogle LLC · accessed 2026-07-29 · re-verification due 2027-01-25
  5. Tier 1Reset your old Android deviceGoogle LLC · accessed 2026-07-29 · re-verification due 2027-01-25

Revision history

Current version 1 · updated 2026-07-29 · next review due 2027-07-29

  1. v1 · 2026-07-29First draft. Built from Apple and Google support documentation opened by direct HTTPS fetch on 2026-07-29: Apple 'What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad' (Apple Published Date May 29, 2026) and 'Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad' (April 29, 2026); Google 'Reset your Android device to factory settings', 'Help prevent others from using your device without permission' and 'Reset your old Android device', none of which carry a published date. The Android reset route is published as a consult-manufacturer instruction because Google itself directs readers to the phone maker's support site rather than publishing one route. The legacy Apple number 102491, widely cited for Activation Lock, redirects to an unrelated Mac article and is recorded under rejected rather than cited.

Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.

Comments and corrections

Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.

Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.

The comment system is not connected yet. Comments are stored in GitHub Discussions through Giscus, outside this site, so that a redeploy cannot destroy them.