You’ll want to reset your iPhone if you’re trading it in, selling it or passing it down to another family member. There’s a right way and a wrong way to do it.
If you don’t fully reset the phone, it’ll still be locked to your Apple Account — and the phone will be effectively useless to anyone who tries to use it.
Follow along to make sure you reset your iPhone the right way.
How to reset iPhone before trading it in, selling it or passing it down
You can’t just delete your apps, messages and photos to give your phone to someone else. Your iPhone is tied to your Apple Account, which authorizes purchases on the App Store and syncs data in iCloud. It’s also activation-locked on Find My, which tracks your phone in case it’s lost or stolen.
Luckily, there’s an easy setting that factory resets your iPhone. It deletes everything, reinstalls its software from scratch, and removes the device from your account. Here’s where to find it.
Table of contents: How to reset your iPhone
- Check to make sure you have an iCloud backup
- Factory reset your iPhone
- Now you’re ready to sell, trade in or give away your iPhone
1. Check to make sure you have an iCloud backup
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
First, make sure you have a recent backup of your device. Check this in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Right under the button that says Back Up Now, you should see small text that says, “Last successful backup.” If you have it set up properly, it’ll probably say it last backed up overnight.
If not, you need to make a backup. To do so, tap Back Up Now.
If you don’t back up over iCloud, you can back up your phone by plugging it into a Mac or PC.
2. Factory reset your iPhone
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
After you have a backup and after you’ve moved to your new iPhone, you should erase the old one.
If you haven’t transferred your phone yet, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone (at the bottom) and tap Get Started. This will help you transfer your eSIM from your old iPhone to your new one, which can save you a long, annoying call with the tech support of your cell carrier.
If you’re ready to reset your old phone, tap Erase All Content and Settings. Tap Continue.
You’ll be asked to enter your Apple Account and passcode to remove the iPhone from Find My. If you don’t remember your Apple Account password, these instructions from Apple Support can help you.
Next, your iPhone will take a few minutes to sign out of everything and reset.
If your phone reboots to an animated screen that says “Hello,” you’re all done! Turn off the phone, give it a good wiping down and pass it along.
Now you’re ready to sell, trade in or give away your iPhone
After you go through those steps, you can sell your iPhone to a stranger, trade it in to Apple or another retailer, or give it away to a friend or family member.
If you want an easy way to sell your phone, consider Cult of Mac’s buyback program. We buy all kinds of used Apple gear, from iPhones to AirPods. Get your quote now.
We originally published this post on how to reset an iPhone on September 22, 2023. We updated the information on November 6, 2025.
D. Griffin Jones is a writer, podcaster and video producer for Cult of Mac. Griffin has been a passionate computer enthusiast since 2002, when he got his first PC — but since getting a Mac in 2008, he hasn’t turned back. His skills in graphic and web design, along with video and podcast editing, are self-taught over 20+ years. Griffin has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and has written several (unpublished) apps for Mac and iOS. His collection of old computers is made up of 40+ desktops, laptops, PDAs and devices, dating back to the early ’80s. He brings all of these creative and technical skills, along with a deep knowledge of Apple history, into his work for Cult of Mac.
