Before you donate any electronic device, wipe it. A factory reset alone isn't quite enough on modern devices — accounts have to be signed out, activation locks removed, and personal data cleared. Here's how to do it safely on iPhone, Android, and laptop.

Even though refurbishment partners perform a secure wipe on receipt, doing your own wipe first is the responsible move: it protects your data in transit, and it makes sure the device isn't locked to your accounts.

Wiping an iPhone

Apple's activation lock ties an iPhone to your Apple ID. If you don't sign out first, the device is unusable to anyone else — even after a factory reset. Do this in order:

  1. Back up your data. Go to Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Backup and back up. Or plug into a computer and back up through Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows).
  2. Sign out of iCloud. Settings → your name → scroll to the bottom → Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password. This turns off Find My iPhone and removes the activation lock.
  3. Remove your SIM card if you're keeping it or moving it to another phone.
  4. Erase the phone. Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your passcode and Apple ID password if prompted. The phone will reset to factory state.
  5. Confirm activation lock is off. After reset, the phone should show the initial "Hello" setup screen — no Apple ID login required to proceed. If it asks for your Apple ID, activation lock is still on and step 2 wasn't completed.

Wiping an Android Phone

Android setups vary by manufacturer and OS version, but the general process is consistent:

  1. Back up your data to Google Drive or your preferred backup, and to a computer if you want copies of photos, videos, and files.
  2. Sign out of your Google account. Settings → Accounts → Google → tap your account → Remove account. This releases the Google Factory Reset Protection (FRP) that ties the phone to your account.
  3. Sign out of other accounts — Samsung account (on Samsung phones), Microsoft account, banking apps, WhatsApp, and any other services with saved credentials.
  4. Remove the SIM and any microSD card.
  5. Encrypt the phone if it isn't already. Modern Android phones (Android 6+) are encrypted by default. Older phones: Settings → Security → Encrypt phone.
  6. Factory reset. Settings → System → Reset options → Erase all data (factory reset). Follow the prompts.

After reset, the phone should proceed through initial setup without asking for your prior Google credentials.

Wiping a Laptop

Windows PC:

  1. Back up important files to an external drive or cloud storage.
  2. Sign out of Microsoft account: Settings → Accounts → Your info → Sign in with a local account instead.
  3. Sign out of other services (browser accounts, cloud drives).
  4. Reset the PC: Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Remove everything. Choose "Clean the drive" for a more thorough wipe (takes longer but more secure).

Mac:

  1. Back up important files to Time Machine or another backup.
  2. Sign out of iMessage, iCloud, and iTunes/Music: on each service, choose Sign Out from the menu.
  3. Deauthorize the Mac in iTunes/Music if applicable.
  4. Restart into Recovery Mode (hold Command+R on Intel Macs; hold power button on Apple Silicon Macs).
  5. Open Disk Utility, select the internal drive, and Erase.
  6. Reinstall macOS from the Recovery menu. When it reaches the initial setup screen, shut it down — don't create a new account.

What About Older Phones and Tablets?

For iPhones running iOS 15 or earlier and older Android versions, the steps are similar but the menus differ slightly. Apple's support pages and Google's support pages have version-specific instructions. When in doubt, follow the manufacturer's official guide.

What If the Device Won't Turn On?

If the device is dead, unrecoverable, or you've forgotten the passcode:

If you can't wipe the device yourself, mention this when donating. Refurbishment partners have processes for secure disposal of unwipeable devices — the data doesn't go anywhere unsafe.

Ready to Donate Your Wiped Device?

Once your device is wiped and signed out of all accounts, you're clear to donate. Send it in through Cell Phones for Soldiers, the veteran-benefit electronics donation partner. See What Devices Can I Donate? for what's accepted and How Phone Donations Help Veterans for the impact. Or explore other donation options.

Donate Your Device →