HOW TO FACTORY RESET YOUR DEVICES
THE FIRST STEP IN SELLING OLD GEAR IS TO MAKE SURE IT’S NOT A THREAT TO YOUR SECURITY.
Most fairly recent tech has a range of built-in options to restore it back to factory settings. This removes any apps, personal data, passwords and linked accounts. In most cases, this process makes it safe to sell or otherwise dispose of any tech without worrying that any of your data can be recovered. It’s worth repeating, though — make sure everything is backed up. For battery devices, make sure you plug in the power adaptor before getting started, to avoid running out of juice mid-process.
WINDOWS
Both Windows 8 and 10 have built-in options to perform a factory reset of your PC or laptop. The simplest way to nd the option is to type “reset” into the search bar. Otherwise, head to ‘Updates and Security Settings’, then ‘Recovery’. There are two options provided — select ‘Remove Everything’. This securely wipes everything on your PC and returns it to factory settings, whereas the ‘Keep My Files’ option does not delete any personal data. Older versions of Windows (including 7) don’t have a factory reset option, so third-party software will be needed instead.
MAC OS X
Before performing a reset, make sure to sign out of iCloud, and deauthorise your iTunes account. The next step is to reboot the Mac into recovery mode — hold down both the Command and R keys during the boot-up process to access OSX Utilities. From there, select ‘Disk Utility’ and then select the drive to unmount, then erase. Quit Disk Utility and select ‘Reinstall OS X’, then follow the prompts to end up with a fresh copy of the OS.
ANDROID
The process varies slightly for di erent Android versions and skins, but is generally very similar. Simply navigate to Settings, then select ‘Backup and Reset’, then ‘Reset Phone’. On some devices, the reset option may be buried in another sub-menu — typically ‘Privacy’. If you have Google’s free Android Device Manage set up, you can also remotely perform a factory reset by selecting ‘Erase’. You can also select to erase data on an SD card. Button combinations vary to enter recovery mode to perform a hard reset and wipe (for non-booting phones), so check with your manufacturer or online.
IOS
Head to ‘Settings > General > Rest’ and select ‘Erase all content and settings’. You will need to enter your passcode, and the phone will be wiped back to factory settings. It is also possible to perform the wipe remotely, via iCloud. For non-booting devices, iTunes and a computer can be used to reinstall the OS. With the device o , connect it via USB cable to a computer running iTunes. Press and hold the home button until you see a lighting connector with an arrow pointing at an iTunes logo. From there, the iTunes will automatically detect the device and give an option to restore it.
WINDOWS PHONE
Navigate to ‘Settings > About’ and select ‘Reset your phone’ and tap ‘Yes’ (twice). You can also select an option to erase your SD card at the same time. Using Microsoft’s Find My Phone, it is also possible to perform a reset remotely. For (some) nonbooting Windows Phones, it is possible to perform a reset only using hardware buttons. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons until it vibrates (10–15 seconds), followed by release both buttons, then pressing Volume Down until a large exclamation mark is displayed. Then press (but don’t hold) Volume Up, Volume Down, Power and Volume Down in sequence.