SAN FRANCISCO — So you got a new smartphone, and now that you’re set up you want to give away or resell your old one? Whatever the case is for its next life, it’s essential to remove all traces of your personal data.
When it comes to your smartphone – a device that now holds your entire life (or almost), from vacation photos to administrative documents, emails and all your internet passwords – a few simple steps are all it takes to ensure that you don’t risk inadvertently sharing precious personal data.
Before parting with the device, start by backing up your multimedia data, including photos, videos, documents, music and so on.
This operation can be carried out quite simply via a computer, using iTunes if you have an iPhone, or Android File Transfer for other models, AFP reported.
You can also choose to copy everything to the cloud, via an online storage service such as iCloud, Google Drive or Photos.
Then it’s time to reset your phone, which deletes all data on the device and restarts it with the initial factory settings – just as it was on day one – ready for the next user.
It is advisable to manually delete the various WiFi networks stored on the device, and to deactivate iMessage if you have an iPhone.
Then simply go to Settings / General Management then Reset on Android or Settings / General / Reset iPhone on iOS. When it’s specified, be sure to ask for all data to be erased. Then you can give away or resell the device with peace of mind.
This process also applies to the donation or resale of a tablet.
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