How To Clean And Prepare An IPhone For Sale

2025 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 12:41

How to clean and prepare your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for sale

Have you decided to purchase a new model of a gadget from Apple, and sell the old device or give it to another person for use? To do this, it must be properly prepared: delete personal information, save and protect your data from being used by third parties.

Storing personal data from an iOS device

In order not to regret that your contacts, personal photos or important documents have disappeared without a trace, make a backup copy of the entire contents of the device before cleaning the device for sale. There are 4 ways to do this, which are described below.

iCloud

To save your data using iCloud, follow the steps:

1. Connect your device to Wi-Fi and charge it.

   

   Select a Wi-Fi network you can connect to

2. Next, open "Settings", select iCloud - "Backup" and activate this function.

   

   In the settings of your device, find the option "Backup to iCloud" and activate it

3. In the "Start Copying to iCloud" window that appears, click "OK".

   

   Confirm the start of the copying process with the "OK" button

4. Confirm your Apple ID password.
5. Click the "Create Backup" button.

Wait for the end of the process of creating a copy in iCloud

iTunes

To use iTunes to copy your data, follow the instructions:

1. Connect iPhone to computer using USB.
2. Launch iTunes on your computer.
3. Select your iPhone from the list of connected devices.
4. Click Create Copy Now.

Activate iTunes Backup

Mac FoneTrans

You can also use the Mac FoneTrans app to save your personal files:

1. Connect your device to your computer using USB.

2. Open the Mac FoneTrans app on your computer.

   

   Connect your device to your PC and open the Mac FoneTrans app to back up your personal data

3. Select To Folder from the main menu.

4. In the Output Folder field, specify the required folder to save the copy.

   

   Choose where to back up your files to your PC

5. Click on the Start button and wait for the process to finish.

iMazing

You can also create a copy of your files from an iOS device through iMazing:

1. Connect your device to your computer using USB.
2. Launch iMazing on your computer.
3. Select your device from the list.

4. At the bottom of the main screen, click on the "Copy" button.

   

   Select the Copy function in iMazing to save data from your iOS device

5. Specify the type of copy.
6. Set up your backup and click on the "Copy" button. Wait for the process to finish.

IOS device cleaning

An iOS device can be cleaned in two ways. In the first - the device is still with you and you can perform certain manipulations with it, in the second - the device has already been sold or lost and you do not have access to it.

If you have access to the device

Before selling a device, it is important to erase all data on it so that no one can view or use your content later

If you still have the device, to clean it you need to follow these steps:

• Unpair your device and Apple Watch if necessary.
• create a backup (methods of creation are given above);
• exit iTunes and App Store;
• delete iCloud data;
• delete all data from the device.

To sign out of iTunes and the App Store, in the device settings, select: iTunes Store / App Store - Apple ID - Sign Out.

To delete data stored in iCloud from your device, do the following:

1. Select iCloud in your device's settings.

2. At the bottom of the page, click Sign Out. In iOS 7 or earlier, you must click on the "Remove Account" button.

   

   To delete data stored in iCloud from your device, use the "Sign out" button in its settings

3. After that, a warning appears about deleting data from the device. Click “Sign Out” again.

   

   After a warning about deleting all data appears, click "Exit"

4. Select "Remove from iPhone" and enter your password.

Select the "Remove from iPhone" option to clear your device

To delete all data from your device, you need to follow these steps:

1. In the settings, select "General" - "Reset" - "Erase content and settings." If Find My iPhone is turned on, enter your Apple ID and password.

   

   In the main settings of the device, select the "Reset" function to delete personal data

2. When a warning appears that all data has been deleted, click Erase.

   

   Click on the "Erase" button to erase your device from all data

3. Confirm the reset and wait for the process to finish.

Video: How to Delete Data from an iOS Device Before Selling

If there is no access to the device

Even if you've already sold or transferred your device without first cleaning it, you can delete all content and personal information remotely. To do this, follow these steps:

1. If your device is using Find My iPhone and iCloud, go to iCloud or Find My iPhone on another device.
2. Select the required (your) device and click "Erase".
3. Then click "Remove from Account".

If you are unable to delete information using the described method, block the ability to view your content on the device. To do this, change your Apple ID password. Data from the device will not be deleted, but the new owner will not be able to view and use your information and content.

Make sure to remove all sensitive information from your iOS device before transferring or selling your iOS device. This is easy enough. Also, do not forget to create a backup copy of your content so that later you do not regret the loss of important information or favorite photos and videos. Good luck!