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Permanently Erasing Data Before Selling Your Phone

Guide Overview

Selling or donating your old phone without proper data erasure puts your personal information at risk. A factory reset isn't enough data recovery tools can still retrieve photos, messages, and accounts. Aiseesoft FoneEraser uses military-grade overwriting to ensure data can never be recovered.

This guide outlines the best practices for completely wiping your iPhone or Android device before handing it over to a new owner, using FoneEraser's secure erasure technology.

Step-by-Step Erasure Process

1

Backup All Important Data

Before erasing, ensure you've saved all data you want to keep:

  • Photos and videos: Use cloud services (iCloud/Google Photos) or computer transfer
  • Contacts: Sync with cloud (iCloud/Google Contacts) or export as VCF
  • Messages: Use built-in backup features or third-party tools
  • Apps: Note purchased apps for reinstallation on your new device
  • Files: Transfer documents, music, and other files to your computer or cloud

Verify your backup before proceeding once erased, data cannot be recovered!

2

Disable Activation Locks and Accounts

Remove security locks that could prevent the new owner from using the device:

  • For iPhone:
    • Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out
    • Enter your Apple ID password and tap "Turn Off"
    • Disable Find My iPhone: Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone
  • For Android:
    • Go to Settings > Accounts > Remove Google account
    • Disable Find My Device: Settings > Security > Find My Device
    • Remove Samsung/Manufacturer accounts if applicable

3

Install and Launch FoneEraser

Download Aiseesoft FoneEraser and install it on your computer. Launch the program.

Connect your phone to the computer using its USB cable. For first-time connections:

  • iPhone: Unlock and tap "Trust This Computer" when prompted
  • Android: Enable USB debugging and select "Transfer Files" mode

4

Select Erasure Security Level

Choose the appropriate security level based on your needs:

Low Security (Fast)

Overwrites data once with zeros. Takes 30-60 minutes. Suitable for devices with no sensitive data.

Medium Security (Balanced)

Overwrites data three times. Takes 1-2 hours. Recommended for most personal devices.

High Security (Military Grade)

Overwrites seven times (DoD 5220.22-M standard). Takes 2-4 hours. Required for devices with sensitive data (banking info, personal records).

5

Initiate Full Device Erasure

Select "Full Erase" (not selective) to ensure complete data removal. The software will display a warning about permanent data loss.

Enter "0000" in the confirmation box and click "Erase" to start the process.

Critical Process Notes

  • Keep your device connected to power and computer at all times
  • Do not interrupt the process (restarting may brick your device)
  • Your device will restart multiple times during erasure
  • Screen may go black or show progress indicators this is normal
6

Verify Erasure and Generate Report

Once the process completes:

  • The device will reset to factory settings and display the initial setup screen
  • Click "Generate Report" in FoneEraser to save a verification document
  • Manually check the device to confirm no personal data remains

Your device is now safe to sell or donate data cannot be recovered by any means.

Related Tool

Aiseesoft FoneEraser

Military-grade data erasure tool that permanently deletes data from iOS and Android devices, preventing all recovery attempts.

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