Step-by-step instructions for preparing an iPhone for sale. Preparing an iPhone for sale: how to clear all personal data. Where to sell iPhone

With this guide, you will learn how to prepare an iPhone or iPad for sale so as not to lose personal data and not leave it to the new owner of the device.

Why prepare iPhone and iPad for sale

Modern mobile device- storage of an unlimited amount of personal information: important entries in “Notes”, logins and passwords for accounts in the “Keychain”, photos and videos.

Giving your personal device with all this to the new owner is not a good idea. Firstly, your personal data is not needed by a stranger. Secondly, he may use them with not the best intentions.

Moreover, if you do not prepare the device for sale in advance, New user your iPhone or iPad simply will not be able to reset it to factory settings on its own. Limitations will prevent him from doing this. Apple security ID.

What to do before selling your device


In order not to lose data and restore it on a new device, you need to do backup copy iPhone or iPad. To remove Apple ID security restrictions, you will have to unlink your device from your account. After this, you need to erase your personal information.

1. Back up your device

There are two ways to back up your iPhone or iPad settings, app data, contacts, messages, call lists, and other information: either on your computer using iTunes programs, either in cloud storage iCloud.

Creating a Backup via iTunes

Step 1: Connect iPhone to Mac via USB.


Step 2: Go to the device management section.


Step 3: Click on the “Create a copy now” button.


Step 4: Wait until the backup process completes.

Creating a backup via iCloud

Step 1: Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi networks, and then


Step 2: Go to the iCloud menu.


Step 3: Open iCloud Backup.


Step 4: Click on the “Create a backup” button and wait for the process to complete.

2. Turn off Find My iPhone

Step 1: Go to section account Apple ID in Settings.


Step 2: Go to the iCloud menu.


Step 3: Open Find My iPhone.


Step 4: Turn off the feature using the appropriate switch and enter your Apple ID password in the pop-up window.

3. Sign out of your Apple ID account

Step 1: Go to your Apple ID account section in Settings.


Step 2: Select the Sign Out option and enter your Apple ID account information.

4. Reset your device

Step 1: Go to the General section in Settings.


Step 2: Go to the "Reset" menu.


Step 3: Select the option “Erase content and settings” and wait until the device is completely wiped.

You can now sell your iPhone on the secondary market. Or, if you want to speed up the process, you can take advantage of our special offer.

Exchange an old iPhone for a new one via Trade-in

To exchange yours as quickly as possible old iPhone for a new one, take advantage of a special promotion called Trade-in.

If you are already 18 years old and purchased an iPhone 4 or later from an authorized partner Apple in Russia, you can exchange it for an iPhone 6 or later and get a discount.

To find out the size of the discount you can receive upon exchange, simply contact any nearest retail store re: Store with your passport and the device itself.

Specialists will determine the size of a possible discount in minutes. All you have to do is agree to the exchange and make it.

With the release of each new iPhone, the previous model, as expected, becomes cheaper at retail, and the secondary market is quickly filled with offers from owners of “old” Apple smartphones, who prefer to bargain a little money for them, and store them somewhere far away, no one knows why or for whom.

In fact, selling your iPhone from last year or the year before (as well as any other smartphone or tablet) so that the new one will ultimately cost less has long been a good tradition, in fact a folk custom that has entered the lives of mobile Apple users since times first iPhone and repeated with a certain regularity - ... 5, 5S, 6, 6S, 7,.. etc. At the same time, some citizens have even learned to make good money from this. But that's not what this is about.

And about the fact that if you also decide to sell your iPhone, then try not to forget that you are putting into the hands of others (including related and/or friendly) the most personal of all your electronic devices, which “knows” if not everything about you , then almost everything is simply not recommended at all. The reasons for this are the carriage, for the most part they are all obvious, and therefore we will not list them. Instead, we’ll tell you how to quickly and efficiently clean an iPhone, that is, remove all personal and other data from it, before selling it or giving it to someone.

So, if or when you need to thoroughly clean your iPhone, then:

step 1 - to clean iPhone , turn off Apple Watch

If you don’t use this device and you definitely haven’t connected any Apple Watch to your iPhone before, then feel free to proceed to the next step. Otherwise, the smart watch must be disconnected from the smartphone (more precisely, delete the pairing or “break the pair”).

To do this, first place the iPhone and Apple Watch side by side (in close proximity), then open in the iPhone Watch app , go to the tab “ My watch ", click " Apple Watch ", Then - " Unpair Apple Watch " and again to confirm the action.

step 2 - to clean iPhone , make a backup

This is in case something necessary and important is not lost. As you know, you can back up your iPhone either through iTunes or through ICloud.

To create a backup copy of data in iCloud, turn on Wi-Fi, go to “ Settings "and then tap iCloud -> “backup” -> “Create a backup” .

But experienced users back up their smartphone the old-fashioned way - through iTunes and on a computer. And all because iTunes backs up everything at once, and iCloud only backs up selected data, like settings and photos. We think you can calculate the difference yourself. This means that in order to create a backup copy of data from the iPhone via iTunes, we connect the smartphone to the computer, open it on computer iTunes, click " Review ", select your iPhone, then check " This computer " and press the button " Create a copy now «.

step 3 - to clean iPhone, sign out of your iCloud and iMessage accounts

To sign out of iCloud, open " Settings » iPhone, go to iCloud , scroll the screen all the way down and press the “ Go out ". With the iMessage service it’s a little different: “Settings” -> “Messages” -> “iMessage” and simply turn the switch to the " Off «.

step 4 - to clean iPhone, do a full reset

And only now, after backing up and logging out of online accounts, do we delete data from the smartphone’s memory by so-called resetting or returning it to factory settings. To do this we tap “Settings” -> “General” –> “Reset” and click " Erase content and settings «.

That's all. Your old iPhone is now ready to become yours without any consequences for you.

This step simply needs to be done before advertising for sale. The reason is very simple: with the help of a backup copy, you can transfer absolutely all data from your old iPhone on, starting with contacts, mail, notes, applications and ending with the arrangement of icons on the desktop.

First, save a local backup. To do this, connect the iPhone to the computer, open it in “Devices” and in the “Backups” section select “This computer”. Next, click on the “Create a copy now” button and wait for the backup process to complete.

Now you need to save the backup to iCloud. Directly on the iPhone go to “Settings” → iCloud → “Backup”. Here we need to turn on the “Backup to iCloud” toggle switch and click the “Create a backup” button.

Step 2. Remove the SIM card

The most obvious and banal advice when selling a phone, which is nevertheless neglected by some users. Losing your number and other hassles associated with paying bills is not something anyone wants, so be sure to remove your SIM card before handing it over iPhone new to the owner.

If you are the owner of a CDMA version, it will be a little more difficult for you: you will have to visit the nearest communication store of your operator to unlink your number from your old iPhone.

Step 3. Delete all data and reset settings

Last on the list, but not least important. The iPhone has taken over many of the responsibilities that other devices used to perform. Contacts, mail, SMS, notes, calendars, reminders, photos, payment information - all this is confidential information not intended for prying eyes. This means that it should be removed before your iPhone falls into the wrong hands.

Open “Settings” → “General” → “Reset” and click “Erase content and settings.” The removal process will begin, after which your iPhone will be as good as new. All that remains is to turn off the iPhone and provide its initial setup to the new owner.

This step simply needs to be done before advertising for sale. The reason is very simple: with the help of a backup, you can transfer absolutely all the data from your old iPhone to, starting with contacts, mail, notes, applications and ending with the location of icons on the desktop.

First, save a local backup. To do this, connect the iPhone to the computer, open it in “Devices” and in the “Backups” section select “This computer”. Next, click on the “Create a copy now” button and wait for the backup process to complete.

Now you need to save the backup to iCloud. Directly on the iPhone go to “Settings” → iCloud → “Backup”. Here we need to turn on the “Backup to iCloud” toggle switch and click the “Create a backup” button.

Step 2. Remove the SIM card

The most obvious and banal advice when selling a phone, which is nevertheless neglected by some users. Losing your number and other hassles associated with paying bills is not something anyone wants, so be sure to remove your SIM card before handing over your iPhone to its new owner.

If you are the owner of a CDMA version, it will be a little more difficult for you: you will have to visit the nearest communication store of your operator to unlink your number from your old iPhone.

Step 3. Delete all data and reset settings

Last on the list, but not least important. The iPhone has taken over many of the responsibilities that other devices used to perform. Contacts, mail, SMS, notes, calendars, reminders, photos, payment information - all this is confidential information not intended for prying eyes. This means that it should be removed before your iPhone falls into the wrong hands.

Open “Settings” → “General” → “Reset” and click “Erase content and settings.” The removal process will begin, after which your iPhone will be as good as new. All that remains is to turn off the iPhone and provide its initial setup to the new owner.

iPhone owners typically use the device as a storage facility for personal data. The versatility of the phone and Apple services allow you to combine all the most important information, including numbers credit cards, secret correspondence, working documents. To prevent the new iPhone owner from using someone else’s personal data, they must be deleted before selling.

How to erase all data from iPhone?

Let's look at the available options.

Data backup

Before wiping your phone, it is advisable to create a backup copy so that you can later access files and settings from other devices.

Via iCloud (files are hosted in cloud storageApple):

  • Open the Settings menu on your iPhone, select your username and click iCloud.
  • Go to the “Backup” section.
  • Click “Create a backup copy”. Be sure to be connected to Wi-Fi until the process is completed.

Via iTunes (data is saved to the computer):

  • Update iTunes to latest version- open the “Help” menu, click “Check for updates” and follow the program’s instructions.
  • Connect iPhone to computer via USB.
  • Enter the password for the device and mark the PC as trusted.
  • Click on the phone icon in iTunes.
  • Click “Create a copy now.”

With a backup, you can transfer all your old data to another iPhone in a couple of taps. When you turn on a new phone, this feature will be offered to the user during automatic setup.

Deauthorization in services

After creating a backup, you must log out of your accounts. Apple services. We are talking about iTunes Store, iCloud and App Store. Depending on version operating system installed on iPhone, you will need:

  • For iOS3 and above:
    • Open the “Settings” menu, click on the user name, scroll down to the bottom of the section and select “Log out”;
    • Enter your Apple ID password and click Turn Off.
  • For iOS2 and below:
    • Go to Settings, find iCloud, click Sign Out. Click the button again and select “Delete from iPhone.” The device will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm the operation.
    • Find the “iTunes Store and App Store” section in “Settings”, click “Apple ID” and “Sign out”.

Let's sum it up

You can quickly delete all information from your iPhone through the Settings menu. For this purpose, there is a special function “Erase content and settings”. It is recommended that you first make a backup copy of your data and be sure to log out of your accounts. Apple apps. As a last resort, you can clean the device after sale by using the “Find iPhone” function.