Trading in an old phone takes about ten minutes of preparation. Skip it and you can end up with a device that cannot be reactivated, a lower valuation than you deserved, or — worst case — your accounts still signed in on hardware you no longer own.
Do these seven things, in this order.
1. Back everything up
Do this first, before anything else, because every later step assumes your data is safe somewhere.
iPhone: Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now. Wait until it completes and note the timestamp. For a local copy, connect to a computer and back up through Finder or iTunes.
Android: Settings → System → Backup → Back up now. Check Google Photos has finished uploading, and if you use Samsung, run a Smart Switch backup as well.
Then verify. Open the backup screen again and confirm the date. A backup you assumed happened is not a backup.
2. Move your two-factor authentication
This is the step almost everyone forgets, and it is the one that causes real pain. If your authenticator app lives only on this phone, wiping it can lock you out of your email, your bank and your work accounts.
Transfer Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator to your new device using their built-in export or cloud sync before you erase anything. Also move any messaging apps that keep data locally, and note which accounts send SMS codes to this number.
3. Unpair and sign out of everything
Unpair your smartwatch before wiping the phone — on Apple Watch this is what removes the Activation Lock from the watch as well. Then sign out of your accounts.
iPhone: Settings → your name → scroll down → Sign Out. Turn off Find My iPhone.
Android: Settings → Accounts → remove your Google account. On Samsung, remove the Samsung account too.
Also transfer the device out of your Apple ID device list, and if you are moving away from iPhone, deregister iMessage so texts from iPhone users still reach you.
4. Turn off Find My / Factory Reset Protection
This matters more than any other technical step. A phone still linked to your Apple ID or Google account is locked to you — nobody else can activate it. A locked device is worth a fraction of an unlocked one, and any trade-in will be paused until you release it.
Turning off Find My (iPhone) or removing your Google account (Android) before the factory reset releases the lock. Do not skip it and assume a reset handles it.
5. Remove the SIM and any microSD card
Obvious, routinely forgotten. Pop the SIM tray, take out the physical SIM, and remove any memory card. If you are on an eSIM, transfer it to your new device through your carrier rather than deleting it — deleting an eSIM can mean waiting on the carrier to reissue.
6. Factory reset the device
Only after steps 1 to 5.
iPhone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
Android: Settings → System → Reset options → Erase all data (factory reset).
Modern phones use full-disk encryption, so this erase is genuinely unrecoverable. You do not need to run any "secure wipe" app afterwards.
7. Clean it and gather the accessories
Presentation affects valuation more than people expect. Wipe the screen and body with a soft microfibre cloth, clear lint from the charging port with something non-metal, and clean the camera lenses.
Find the original box, cable and any adapter if you still have them. Not essential, but they help.
Getting the best value
A few things genuinely move the number:
- Do not wait. Phones lose value steadily and drop sharply when a new generation launches. The best time to trade in is always now.
- Be honest about faults. Declaring a cracked screen or a weak battery up front gives you an accurate quote instead of a revised one later.
- Consider fixing small faults first — but only cheap ones. A battery replacement can lift a valuation by more than it costs; a screen replacement usually does not.
- Know that broken still has value. Even a phone that will not power on is worth something for its parts. Do not bin it.
A note on data safety
Never sell or trade a phone you have not reset. Beyond photos and messages, a phone holds saved passwords, banking app sessions, email access and location history. The seven steps above take ten minutes and close all of that off properly.
Trading in with us
Our trade-in and buyback process takes about 60 seconds to get a quote, with fair pricing and no guesswork. You can put the value straight toward a refurbished device from our range — each one tested in-house and covered by a minimum 12-month warranty.
If you would rather do it in person, bring the phone to Shop 7A, 118 Church Street, Parramatta NSW 2150, or call 0488 845 046 and we will walk you through it.
