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We seem to get through phones so quickly these days. That means we get rid of a lot of old phones, here’s what you should do before getting rid of yours.
Wipe the Phone
You don’t know who is going to have your phone after you once it’s sold, so you want to make sure that all the data and information on the phone has been completely wiped. You don’t want some stranger looking at the drunk picture you took with your friends 3 years ago, so remember this!
It’s pretty easy to restore your phone to its factory settings, so do this before you hand it over to its new owner. But this alone might not be enough. Someone, if they had the inclination, could still access your old data if they tried. So, take the phone to a professional data company and have it completely wiped.
Take Away What You Need
Nowadays, our smartphones come with all sorts of extras that you need to take away before get rid of the phone. You’ll be surprised at the number of people who see their phone without remembering to take off the extras that they paid for. Firstly, take the case off! You might be able to use it again in future, or you could sell it separately and make more money.
There’s also the sim card to think about. This is probably where all your contacts are stored. It makes the process of getting a new phone much easier if you can just slip in your old sim card. It means you don’t have to contact all your friends and family members and ask them for their phone number. If you’ve added any extra storage cars, remove these too.
Clean It
This step is vital if you’re going to try to sell your phone to someone. Who would want to buy a smartphone if it looks dirty and badly looked after? When you’re cleaning the phone, start by taking the battery out. You don’t want to damage it in the cleaning process. If the battery can’t be removed, turning it off will have to suffice.
You can buy cleaning solution that is made specifically for cleaning electronic screens. This is the best stuff to use. But if you don’t want to buy that stuff, you can create a solution using half distilled water and half white vinegar. Put the solution in a spray bottle and spray it on the screen, wiping it gently and being carefully not to press down too hard on the screen.
Decide What You Want to Do With It
Ideally, you will want to get as much money as you can for your phone, but there are all sorts of options out there. You could sell it online and have the buyer pick it up or post it to them. If you do this though, make sure you don’t get ripped off. Get the money before you send the phone to the buyer.
You might be able to part exchange your phone with a retailer. This will allow you to get some money off the price of your new phone. But if the phone is too damaged for you to sell it or trade it in, you should contact a company that offers mobile recycling services. All the above advice still applies though.
No matter what you do with your old smartphone, make sure you follow each of these steps.