Account removal and data erasure are related but separate. A phone can look empty and still be locked to the previous owner. Remove the accounts that control activation before completing the reset.
Apple devices
Follow Apple’s current sell-or-trade guidance: back up, unpair an Apple Watch where applicable, sign out of the Apple Account, erase the device and remove it from trusted devices. If Find My and Activation Lock remain active, the next owner may be unable to use the phone.
Android devices
Remove every Google account shown in Settings, then remove Samsung, Xiaomi or other manufacturer accounts used by that device. Disable device-management profiles that you are authorised to remove. A work- or school-managed phone may need the organisation’s administrator and may not be yours to sell.
Services people commonly forget
- Apple Watch or other paired wearable and its mobile plan.
- eSIM service, which may require network action rather than merely erasing the phone.
- Payment cards, transport passes and device-bound banking credentials.
- Passwordless sign-in, passkeys and authenticator apps.
- Family or parental-control management.
- Manufacturer anti-theft services in addition to Apple or Google.
If you no longer have the phone
Use the manufacturer’s official account tools to protect the account and, where supported, erase the device remotely. Be careful when removing a device from an account: on some platforms that action can affect Activation Lock. Follow the current official instructions rather than clicking “remove” simply to make the device disappear from a list.
Check before handover
The phone should start at its initial setup screen. It should not open into your home screen, request your screen code during normal setup, or ask the buyer to enter your Apple or Google credentials. Do not give the buyer your account password to fix a preparation mistake; regain control of the phone and complete the process yourself.
Continue with the separate guide to wiping the phone before selling once account removal is complete.
Related guidance: For neighbouring questions, go back to Selling and Recycling. The Selling and Trade-In Guide explains how this issue fits into the complete decision.
Sources and date checked
Changing terms and operational details were checked on 25 July 2026. Recheck the current provider, marketplace, courier or recycling terms before acting.
