Why You Should Reset an iPhone Before Selling

One thing you have to do when you’re going to sell your iPhone is to be sure that you’ve done a proper reset of the iPhone so that you’re not concerned about the information that may be on it. Protecting your privacy is only part of the reason it’s not also giving the new owner a clean start. Everyone has bought items and then had to return or exchange them, and inevitably there’s the bit of trepidation when you wonder if the item has really been reset, or if traces of the previous owner remain. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the necessary steps to completely reset your device before selling your iPhone online to ensure a clean, risk free sale.

Think about the sweater you bought online and you’re about to send back. It arrives and a previous shopper’s receipt is tucked in its pocket. Somewhere in the back of your mind that small slip of paper might make you wonder what else they’ve missed as well. Also, if you decide to sell your iPhone without resetting it, you will leave personal data, such as your photos, messages and contacts.

Restoring your iPhone is about both you and the buyer from having it operable without any concerns. Consider selling your iPhone like getting your home ready for a new resident. Wouldn’t you rather not move into someone else’s house with their stuff?

Reset your iPhone step by step

Make sure to back up all the data you need to start the reset process. It’s frustrating when you lose the precious memories or important contacts. Once your backup is secure, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to Settings: On your home screen tap the ‘Settings’ app.
2. General Settings: Tap on ‘General’ and scroll down.
3. Reset: Scroll down to ‘General,’ and click on ‘Reset.’
4. Erase All Content and Settings: Click on ‘Erase All Content and Settings’. This will wipe everything, taking your iPhone back to the factory.

At this point, your iPhone will restart as if it is brand new and it is what you need to do in order to sell it to the next user.

Letting go is so emotional!

Sometimes, selling your iPhone can be a very emotional process. Our phones are with us for so much; they are there to enjoy our highs, document our lows, and connect us to the world. Of course the story of a person who had to endure a really bad storm, and (who) their phone was their lifeline and was able to record some dramatic scenes and to be able to call emergency services and family members. As the time for an upgrade rolled around, selling that iPhone felt like discarding a faithful, battle tested companion who had been along with them for all of it.

Unique Considerations: If you’ve got a long standing relationship with iTunes, you’ll be forgiven for not messing with that thing called App Store. Instead, you’re sticking with the tried and true, however, you want to know: What does ‘corymbose’ have to do with iPhones?

But what, then, does a botanical term such as ‘corymbose’, describing a particular style of flower cluster, have to do with iPhones? Here’s a little analogy: Just like a corymbose arrangement lets each flower be seen and gets an equal amount of sunlight, resetting your iphone properly guarantees that every feature and function is clean, and ready to get done for its next user. It’s got nothing to do with cleaning your tech.

If you’re selling your iPhone, double check…

Double check on the phone that it has been completely reset, before finalizing the sale. Make sure no personal information is left behind so you just go through the setup process all over again as if you’re doing it for the first time. This is the final walkthrough of a house sale, hunting for every imperfection in every corner.

Ready to Sell Your iPhone?

With that taken care of, your iPhone is now fully reset just like new and you’re ready to sell your iPhone. After all the better the state of your phone the better the price you can ask for. When the issue strikes, be honest with the buyer about it just as you would hope the buyer would be with you.

It can be a pretty clean, uncomplicated process, if anything, when you go about selling your iPhone. This allows you to truly reset—and protects your data, giving the next user a clean slate. Not only does this further builds trusts when transacting with the buyer, but you also acquire a good reputation as a seller. If you’re moving to the newest model or trying to flip some extra cash, then taking the time to reset your iPhone to not cost you a penny is both a profitable and a conscientious idea.