Complete Guide: How to Erase Your iPhone Before Selling

Your iPhone contains your life: photos, texts, credit cards, passwords. You cannot just hand it over. You need to "nuke" it—digitally speaking.

The "Oh No" Mistake: Manually Deleting Photos

STOP! Do not manually delete photos or contacts while signed into iCloud.

• If you delete them on your phone, you delete them from the cloud too. You will lose them forever.
• Always sign out or use the "Erase All Content" button, which handles this safely.

Step-by-Step Prerequisite: Unpair Apple Watch

If you have an Apple Watch:

1. Keep watch and phone close.
2. Open Watch app > All Watches.
3. Tap info (i) button > Unpair Apple Watch.
4. (This creates a backup of your watch on your phone).

The Main Event: Wiping the Phone

iOS 15 and Later (Most people):

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Scroll to bottom > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Follow the screen prompts. It will ask for your passcode and likely your Apple ID password to turn off "Find My".
5. Wait for the Apple logo and progress bar.

Verification

How do you know it worked?

• When it restarts, you should see the "Hello" screen in multiple languages.
• That means it's fresh, clean, and safe to sell.

What if I forgot my passcode?

You'll need a computer (Mac or PC/iTunes).

1. Put phone in Recovery Mode (button combo depends on model).
2. Connect to computer.
3. Choose Restore.

Need help? We can help you wipe your device securely during our meetup!

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