SAFELY SELL YOUR SPARE TECH

CLEAN UP & RESET OLD DEVICES SO THEY'RE % SAFE FOR SALE + SELLING TIPS & TACTICS

If you’re anything like us, you’ve got a slowly growing collection of old computing gear and gadgets.

IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE US, YOU’VE GOT A SLOWLY-GROWING COLLECTION OF OLD COMPUTING GEAR AND GADGETS IN YOUR HOME THAT YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH. LINDSAY HANDMER REVEALS YOUR BEST OPTIONS FOR SELLING OR DONATING IT — AND DOING IT SAFELY.

Buying a shiny new device can be oh so satisfying, but the never-ending upgrade cycle can get expensive. Selling your old devices is a great way to recoup some of your money, but it can be a surprisingly complex process. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide, showing you how to ensure your tech doesn’t contain any personal information and where and how to actually sell it.

GETTING STARTED

These days, our phones and laptops are used to store and access so much sensitive personal data, its vitally important to render them safe before selling. Even after performing a secure wipe, the actual process of selling tech can be very time consuming and open to potential scams. It’s also worth considering other options, such as repurposing old tech, donating it or simply recycling it. Having a solid handle on the selling process before buying new tech is also quite useful. For example, upgrading to the latest smartphone each year isn’t as hard on the wallet, when you know what to expect from selling last year’s model.

BACKUPS AND FINAL CHECKS

It should go without saying, but make sure to back up all your data before wiping or selling a device. Most smartphones and tablets have builtin backup options to the cloud, but it is always worth taking a manual copy of any photos and other files and storing it on a PC or NAS.

Double-check your apps and games — some software products are licenced to a specific computer or device, which can cause problems when selling. Most can be managed online and the sold device deauthorised, but in some cases, you need to handle it before performing a reset. Don’t forget to double-check mobile devices and laptops for any forgotten SD cards or simcards — this is an easy way for data or personal info to sneak through the wiping process.

For the extra security conscious, the tech selling process is a good time to consider your existing passwords and practices. If you have not already, enabling two-factor authentication on any accounts on the device means that, even if the worst happens and somehow a password can be recovered, your security won’t be compromised.

OTHER TECH

While we have focused on computers and mobile devices, some other tech

can still hold data and information that should be removed. Items such as MP3 players, consoles and eBook readers are linked to your accounts, and can have access to saved credit card information and private Wi-Fi networks. Not all devices can be factory reset, or run other secure erasing apps. Always make sure to log out of any account and have devices forget any stored Wi-Fi passwords. That old media player might net a little extra cash when sold, but forgetting to remove your Netflix login could give the buyer access to your account. Even when formatted or erased with in-device controls (for example, in cameras), SD cards can contain recoverable data, such as pictures. Worse, they can often contain metadata, such as GPS coordinates that can reveal information you might not have even thought of.

WIPE YOUR CONSOLE, TOO. Going beyond phone and laptops, other devices such as gaming consoles can hold information such as credit card details, or account access to services like Net ix.

DON’T FORGET THE SD CARDS! Forgotten SD cards are an easy way to leak personal information — and a normal in-device format is not enough to securely erase them.