- Create backup
You should back up all data and files that you want to keep from your old devices – such as images, videos and documents, but also messages, contacts and settings. In many cases, backups are already done by Apple’s iCloud on iPhones and Google Drive on Android smartphones. The backups already contain contacts, notes, calendar entries and settings, with iCloud even messages and documents. For Android, you need an additional tool such as SMS Backup & Restore to also backup SMS.
Photos and videos are mostly too large on both iOS and Android for the free versions of iCloud and Google Drive. One way of securing is, therefore, to increase the cloud storage for a fee. If you are not afraid to upload pictures and videos to the Google cloud, you can use Google Photos on both Android and iOS. Google Photos offers unlimited storage for pictures and videos that are compressed by a clever algorithm. Although photos reduce the resolution of images to 12 megapixels and videos to Full HD, there is almost no loss of quality compared to the originals.
If you don’t want to store your personal photos and videos in the cloud, you can choose the traditional method and transfer the files to a computer. This is relatively easy with a Windows computer, because the file folders of Android smartphones and iPhones should be recognized directly in Explorer. In Android, the connection type still has to be set to “File Transfer” in the notification bar. With Mac this is a little more difficult. Although images can be easily transferred from the iPhone to the photo gallery on the Mac, the official “Android File Transfer” application is required for Android. You can find the download page here: https://www.android.com/filetransfer/.
Not all apps synchronize data via iCloud or Google Drive. That is why you have to check on an individual basis whether you can move the data to a new device.
- Transfer data to new device
Once you have backed up your old smartphone, you can restore it to the new device. However, this does not work from iPhone to Android and vice versa, but only from iPhone to iPhone and from Android to Android. When setting up the new device, you will be asked whether you want to restore a backup from another device. Simply log in with your Apple ID or Gmail address and follow the instructions.
Android smartphones also have another option for getting the data onto the new device. Because many newer models also support the direct transmission of data via cable. You do not have to do anything else when setting up the new smartphone this option is shown as an alternative to restoring a backup. In order for direct transmission to work, a USB-C adapter is often included in the package, which you plug into the new device and connect to the old device via the charging cable.
- Remove and reset Google account or Apple ID
After everything has been transferred and you are sure that no data is missing, it is about removing your account from the smartphone. Both iPhones and Android devices now have locks that prevent stolen and found smartphones from being easily reset and set up again. It is therefore important to delete your own accounts from your smartphone before reselling them. On the iPhone, you can do this easily using the account settings. Go to your profile in the settings (your own name or an alias) and scroll to the bottom of the page to “Log out”. On Android, you can delete the Google and other accounts under Settings> Accounts by selecting the respective account and clicking on Remove account.
Once the important accounts have been removed, the only thing left to do is to reset the smartphone to the factory settings. To do this, go to Settings> General> Reset on iPhone and select Reset all content & settings. On an Android smartphone, this option can be found at many manufacturers under Settings> System> Reset options. There you must also select Delete all data (delivery status). If you do not find this option straight away, you can simply search for “Reset” in the search bar in the Android settings.
- Remove the SIM and MicroSD card
Since the smartphone has now been reset to the delivery state in terms of software from the point of view of the software, the aim is to create a good condition visually.
First, any SIM and memory cards inserted in the device should be removed. The SIM card goes without saying, but many forget that at some point they have inserted a memory card into their smartphone. Alternatively, this can of course also be deleted and declared as a bonus for the sale.
- Clean thoroughly
It is now important to clean the device from all sides with a soft microfiber cloth. Kitchen rolls should not be used, as wood residues can lead to small scratches in the glass. It is also not advisable to use glasses wipes because they can attack the coating on the glass surfaces.
Sensitive displays can be cleaned again with a lint-free cloth
Openings such as the charging socket and the audio jack – if available – can be removed from the coarsest lint deposits with a cotton swab.
If you have followed all the steps, nothing will stand in the way of selling or passing on your old smartphone.
