What to do BEFORE selling cellphone

[bajaj151]

I am selling my cell phone.

Please tell me how to delete all stuff so that it can't be recovered?


What else should I do?


(Android phone)

 

[ithehappy]

Is it rooted? If yes then go to recovery and wipe everything, internal storage, data, system.

If not rooted then I think the only thing you can do is to use that built in software reset option which is found under Settings option, and then manually check if there's still any personal data left on the phone.

 

[SaiyanGoku]

+1 to factory reset

 

[nighthawkx]

Is it rooted? If yes then go to recovery and wipe everything, internal storage, data, system.

If not rooted then I think the only thing you can do is to use that built in software reset option which is found under Settings option, and then manually check if there's still any personal data left on the phone.

Wiping the system and rebooting without installing ROM will brick the phone.

Reinstall ROM after wipe

 

[ankush28]

Use any data shredder program and do factory reset from recovery or settings. Reboot once. Normal factory reset should be enough in most cases but shred data to be on safer side
Why do it? Think you deleted your dirty little secrets? Before you sell your Android smartphone... | Computerworld

 

[$hadow]

Just full wipe the system or do a factory reset as per your case

 

[ithehappy]

Wiping the system and rebooting without installing ROM will brick the phone.

Reinstall ROM after wipe

I thought that was common sense!

 

[nighthawkx]

I thought that was common sense!

Yet you didn't mention it!

 

[Vyom]

Lol. Don't think OP's phone is rooted, since not everyone just "roots" their phone.

So in case it's not rooted, you can still reset the phone from settings. And format/remove the SD card if you phone had any.

 

[Inceptionist]

Reset phone, fill it with junk files and then delete them. No chance of data recovery.