Sign Out Before You Wipe a Phone for Trade-In

To wipe a phone for trade-in, back it up, sign out of every account on it, unpair your watch, and only then factory reset it from the Settings app. Google’s store sends back trade-ins that are not unlocked and factory reset, and Samsung says it cannot accept a phone that still has its locks. Signing out comes before the erase, not after.

If the phone is going to a friend rather than a store, the same steps apply, and the hand-me-down phone that will not switch on is what happens to the person on the other end when they are skipped.

The three makers, side by side

Step	iPhone (Apple)	Pixel (Google)	Galaxy (Samsung)
Before anything	Back up; check Parts and Service History for “Finish Repair”	Know your Google Account password; charge to 70%	Back up what you want to keep
Watch	Unpair Apple Watch	Back up, then Disconnect & reset on the Pixel Watch, erasing its eSIM	Back up and reset the Galaxy Watch
Accounts and lock	Settings › your name › Sign Out	Remove the Google Account; remove the phone from Find My Device	Accounts and backup › Manage accounts › remove Samsung and Google accounts
SIM	Erase the eSIM with the phone	Erase downloaded SIMs; remove the SIM card, leave the tray	Remove SIM and memory cards
Erase	General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings	System › Reset options › Erase all data (factory reset)	General management › Reset › Factory data reset › Delete all

Menu names are from each maker’s US help pages as read on 13 October 2026; Samsung says screens vary by carrier and software version.

Before you erase anything

1. Back up, and confirm it on the new phone. The old phone is your safety net until the new one has your photos and messages. For an iPhone, an encrypted computer backup keeps your saved passwords and Health data; an unencrypted one does not.
2. Know your passwords. Google says to confirm the Google Account password by signing in on another device, and to wait 24 hours after changing it before a factory reset. Apple says you may need your Apple Account password to trade in at an Apple Store.
3. iPhone only: check for an unfinished repair. Apple says that if a part shows “Finish Repair” in Parts and Service History, you need to finish that repair before you can trade the device in.
4. Charge it. Google says a factory reset can take up to an hour, and asks for at least 70% charge and a Wi-Fi or mobile connection.
5. Keep your number reachable. If your phone number is changing, Apple says to add trusted phone numbers to your Apple Account first, so you do not lose access to it.

Sign out and unpair

iPhone. Unpair your Apple Watch first, since Apple lists it as its own step. Then open Settings, tap your name, scroll down and tap Sign Out. On iOS 26 and later you are asked to choose Erase this iPhone or Sign Out But Don’t Erase. If you are leaving for Android, Apple says to deregister iMessage too, and WhatsApp chats need their own transfer between iPhone and Android before the old phone is wiped. If you have AppleCare, Apple says you can cancel it or transfer it to the new owner.

Pixel. Google says removing your Google Account is how you turn off device protection, the lock that otherwise demands your account after a reset. Its trade-in page also asks you to remove the phone from Find My Device. A Pixel Watch is reset on the watch: Settings, System, Disconnect & reset, Erase eSIM, Confirm. Google warns its backup can take a few days, so start it early.

Galaxy. In Settings, go to Accounts and backup, then Manage accounts, and remove your Samsung account (you will need its password) and your Google account. Samsung’s trade-in FAQ asks you to log out of 3 accounts before resetting: Samsung, Google and iCloud, and its trade-in terms require Reactivation Lock and Google Factory Reset Protection to be off. Samsung notes that removing a Samsung account does not unregister the phone from it; that is a separate step.

Erase from Settings, not the buttons

Use the reset in the Settings app. Samsung says Google’s Factory Reset Protection is triggered when a Galaxy is reset any other way, such as with its buttons, after which setup may ask for the previous Google account. Google’s own page says a button reset asks for the old PIN or account too.

• iPhone: Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings, then enter your passcode. If it uses an eSIM, Apple says to choose the option that erases both the phone and the eSIM. Apple states that erasing turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
• Pixel: Settings, System, Reset options, Erase all data (factory reset), enter your PIN, then Erase all data.
• Galaxy: Settings, General management, Reset, Factory data reset, Reset, then Delete all. You will be asked for your screen lock, and for your Samsung account password if one is still signed in.

Then take out any physical SIM. Google asks you to leave the empty tray in the phone; Samsung says it cannot return SIM or memory cards sent with a trade-in. What changes when your SIM is an eSIM covers moving your number to the new phone.

Check it worked before it leaves your hands

Turn the phone on once. Google says a completed factory reset leaves a device that asks for no password, and if it asks for one, the reset is incomplete. A setup screen asking for your own Apple, Google or Samsung account means the lock is still on: sign in, remove the account, and erase again.

If the phone has already gone, Apple says to remove it from your trusted devices, change your Apple Account password, and remove your Apple Pay cards and passes. It also says you can ask the new owner to erase it.

Questions people ask

How do I wipe my phone before trading it in?

Back it up, sign out of your accounts, unpair your watch, then factory reset from the Settings app. On an iPhone that is General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings. On a Pixel it is System, Reset options, Erase all data. On a Galaxy it is General management, Reset, Factory data reset.

Do I need to remove my Google account before factory reset?

For a trade-in, yes. Google says removing the Google Account is how you turn off device protection, and Samsung’s trade-in FAQ asks you to log out of Samsung, Google and iCloud before resetting. Google Store returns trade-ins that are not unlocked and reset.

Does erasing an iPhone turn off Activation Lock?

Yes, according to Apple: erasing an iPhone turns off Find My and Activation Lock, and you may be asked for your Apple Account password to do it. Apple still lists signing out of iCloud as its own step before the erase.

Should I remove the eSIM before trading in my phone?

Apple says to choose the option that erases both the iPhone and its eSIM when you sell it. Google Store asks you to erase any downloaded SIMs and take out a physical SIM card, leaving the tray. Samsung asks you to remove SIM and memory cards, which it cannot return.

How do I know the factory reset worked?

Turn the phone on once after the reset. Google says a completed reset leaves a device that asks for no password; if it wants one, the reset is incomplete and you should try again. A setup screen asking for your own account means the lock is still on.

Can Apple refuse my iPhone trade-in?

Apple says that if a part shows Finish Repair in Settings’ Parts and Service History, you need to finish that repair before you can trade the iPhone in. Check it before you erase, while you can still open Settings.