How to wipe an Android phone before selling it

October 20, 2026

To wipe an Android phone before selling it, back up what you want to keep, remove your Google account, take out the SIM and SD card, then run the factory reset from Settings. The order matters: the account comes off before the reset, or the buyer may be locked out. Here is the short checklist.

1. Back up, including what backups skip

Google says a factory data reset erases your data from the phone. Data stored in your Google account can come back, but apps and their data are uninstalled. Make sure your data is in the account first. (Google: Reset your Android device)

Check the things that usually stay behind:

Locked Folder in Google Photos. Items you did not back up are stored only on that device. Google says a factory reset deletes them when backup is off, and they do not move in a device-to-device transfer. Turn on Locked Folder backup, or back up the items by hand. (Google: Locked Folder)
Secure Folder on Samsung. Move its contents out, or use Smart Switch to a new phone. See how to hide photos on Samsung.
Photo vault apps. Their files live inside the app, so a reset deletes them too. See Google Photos Locked Folder backup for what is and is not copied.

2. Remove your Google account

Google’s device protection (also called Factory Reset Protection) asks the next person for the old screen lock or Google account password after a reset. If they cannot give it, Google says they will not be able to use the device at all. To turn it off, remove your Google account from the phone before resetting. (Google: Prevent others from using your device)

On a Samsung, also sign out of your Samsung account. It needs an internet connection, and the reset asks for the account password if you are still signed in.

3. Remove the SIM and SD card

Take out the SIM. Samsung says a factory reset does not delete data on an SD card, so the card has to leave the phone with you, or be wiped separately. If the card is encrypted, Samsung says to decrypt it before resetting. (Samsung: Factory reset)

4. Run the factory reset

Charge the phone above 70 percent and connect it to Wi-Fi, as Google advises. The reset can take up to an hour.

Pixel and stock Android: Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset), then enter your PIN if asked. (Google: Pixel factory reset)
Samsung Galaxy: Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset > Reset > Delete all.

Menu names vary by brand and version.

Is a factory reset enough?

On a modern phone, a normal reset is the standard route. Android’s own documentation says every device launched with Android 10 or later must use file-based encryption, so the storage is encrypted from the first boot. Google’s pages do not spell out how a reset destroys the keys, so this is the reasoning behind the advice, not a quote from Google. Phones upgraded from Android 9 or older may differ. (Android: File-based encryption)

5. Check after the reset

The phone restarts at the welcome screen, not your home screen.
Start setup and stop at the Wi-Fi step. If it asks for a Google account you no longer use, the account was not removed.

Export your vault backup first

If you use a vault app, remember that a reset deletes it. In VaultIt, the vault is encrypted on the device with AES-256-GCM, and uninstalling or clearing data deletes it. Only a backup kept off the phone survives. Export the encrypted backup file and save it somewhere other than this phone before you reset. On the new phone, restore from that file. Nobody can reset your pattern, so keep the 12-word recovery phrase too.

Sources

Quick answers

How do I wipe my Android phone before selling it? Back up, remove your Google account, take out the SIM and SD card, then use the factory reset in Settings.

Do I need to remove my Google account first? Yes. Otherwise device protection can lock the buyer out after the reset.

Does a factory reset delete everything? It erases the phone’s storage, but not an SD card. Remove the card and keep or wipe it yourself.

Will my hidden photos survive a reset? Only if they were backed up. Locked Folder items without backup are deleted, and so is any vault stored on the phone.