Submitted by Fred Straker on
Selling an iPhone on eBay or Craigslist can be a good way to make extra money. Often selling directly to a new owner can net more cash than a trade-in. In order to make sure your personal information is safe, and the iPhone does not have an Activation Lock enabled, its important to follow a few steps to prepare the device for sale. Once the iPhone has been removed from your Apple ID and erased, the new owner can jump right in.
Follow these steps to prepare your used iPhone for sale:
1. If you have an Apple Watch, unpair it from the iPhone
2. Backup your iPhone with iTunes or iCloud
3. Navigate to Settings -> iCloud -> Sign Out4. Choose Sign Out again, then select Delete from My iPhone
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5. Enter your password
6. Navigate to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings
7. Enter your Apple ID and password if prompted
8. Enter your iOS passcode or Restrictions passcode if prompted
9. Choose Erase iPhone
10. If your iPhone has a SIM card, remove it
Now that the used iPhone has been wiped of personal information and removed from your Apple ID, the new owner will be free to activate and use the iPhone after purchase. Without these steps, the iPhone may still have an Activation Lock, making the device useless for the next owner and impossible to sell.