Trading in an iPhone can be intimidating, in no small part because it’s a high ticket item. When you pay that kind of money for something, you want to make sure you don’t just throw your cash away when it’s time to trade it in.
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget the simple things when life gets busy. Every iPhone user gets 5GB of storage for free with their account, and that’s the easiest way to backup your phone. If you need more, you can always buy up to 2TB from Apple on a subscription. Your information will be automatically encrypted, and you can restore it to your new phone easily. iTunes is another backup option, giving you the ability to put your data right on your desktop or Mac.
This is an essential step that’s easy to miss when you’re ready to upgrade your iPhone. You’ll want to go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and slide the bar over to turn it off. You’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password when you do this. Why is this important? iOS can’t be reinstalled with this feature on, so when you sell your iPhone the buyer won’t be able to do anything with it.
Find what Apple accessories you’ve got paired with your iPhone and disconnect them. Think Airpods, Apple Watch, etc. Look in Settings > Bluetooth to find what devices are hanging around that you need to decouple. Though unpairing won’t affect your ability to sell your iPhone, it’ll create a headache when you try to add your accessories to a new device. Save yourself the trouble!
Data is precious, and in the wrong hands it can be a big problem. When you delete your data from your iPhone, you can rest assured that it’s actually gone. A buyer down the line can’t access it. It’s a simple process, and if you’ve backed it all up you have nothing to worry about. Just go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings. Approve all of the prompts, and your phone will be returned to factory settings. Be sure to remove your SIM card as well, as this holds data and your carrier will charge you for a replacement.
Once you’ve gotten your cell phone backed up and cleared, now you’re ready to find a buyer. Find a company like Recell Cellular that offers top prices for used iPhones, who has a long history of helping people with trading in an iPhone. The process is easy, and you’ll get cash back for your iPhone in no time.
Maybe you’re trading in your phone because you’ve got your sights set on that new iPhone 12 model or the iPhone SE. Maybe you’re making the leap to become an Android user and are interested in the latest Samsung Galaxy. Whatever your reason for trading in an iPhone, be sure to give yourself the best chance of getting your money’s worth.