How to Wipe Your iPhone Before a Trade-In: Checklist
iOS does this without an app. Back up, sign out of your Apple Account, then go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings. The order matters, so use the checklist below.
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What do I need to know?
- Back up before you erase. Erasing cannot be undone.
- Sign out, then erase. Apple says erasing turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
- Finish any open repair. Apple says a part marked Finish Repair blocks a trade-in.
What is the checklist?
Every step is from Apple's page, what to do before you sell, give away or trade in your iPhone.
- Back up your iPhone. Use iCloud Backup or a computer.
- Move your data to the new phone if you have it already.
- Check Parts and Service History. If a part shows Finish Repair, finish that repair first.
- Unpair your Apple Watch if one is paired with this iPhone.
- Sign out of your Apple Account. Steps for your iOS version are below.
- Deregister iMessage if your next phone is not an iPhone.
- Erase the iPhone. Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
- Erase the eSIM too. If the phone uses eSIM, Apple says to choose the option to erase the device and the eSIM profile.
- Take out the SIM card if it has one. Ask your carrier about moving service.
- Remove the phone from your trusted devices in your Apple Account.
How do I sign out on my iOS version?
iOS 26 or later:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
- Choose Erase this iPhone, or Sign Out But Don't Erase if you will erase in the next step.
iOS 18 or earlier:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Sign Out, enter your Apple Account password, then tap Turn Off.
What about Apple Pay cards?
If you use Apple Pay, Apple says to remove your cards and passes in Wallet. Do it before you erase.
What about my private photos?
Erasing removes them from this phone. It does not touch iCloud Photos. Photos synced there stay in your account and come back on your new phone. Our guide on whether a factory reset erases iCloud photos explains why.
Before you erase, check two things:
- Your backup finished. A half-done backup can miss recent photos.
- Any vault app can restore. Make sure its backup is current and you have its recovery details.
What if I already traded it in?
Apple's page covers this too. Ask the new owner to erase it, or erase it with Find Devices on iCloud.com. Remove it from your trusted devices and change your Apple Account password. Remove your Apple Pay cards from the account.
For the bigger picture, see our scenario on selling or trading in your iPhone.
What this doesn't protect against
Erasing the phone does not erase iCloud, other apps' clouds, or old computer backups. Photos you sent or shared already have copies elsewhere. If you skip the backup, erased data cannot be brought back.
Do it with Cryptile
Cryptile backs up your vault to iCloud, encrypted under keys derived on your device from your pattern. On the new phone, you restore it with your 9-word recovery phrase. Write that phrase on paper before you erase the old phone. There is no reset.
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