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Before you switch to a new device or give away your current BlackBerry device, you should wipe it. A security wipe is designed to permanently delete all of the data on your device so it can't be recovered.
Jan 4, 2022 · Blackberry might not have been able to beat the iPhone or Android, but its biggest failing was a failure to recognize a serious competitor, a mistake that likely won’t be repeated anytime soon.
- Step One: Backup and Delete Your Data
- Step Two: Harvest (Or Destroy) Parts
- Cleaning Up
- Where to Donate and Recycle
- The Best Tech Newsletter Around
No matter what you're passing on---a phone, a tablet, a laptop, a game console, pretty much any kind of modern electronics---you want to make sure that your personal data gets off of it first. Not only is this a privacy issue, but it's also a matter of security: With even seemingly innocuous data like your name and phone number, an identity thief can begin a targeted harvest.
Michael Crider / Review Geek
Thankfully, pretty much all of those devices include an option to reset the machine, removing all of your personal data, along with stored files and programs. This takes a few minutes, but it's fairly reliable and very easy.
Related: Now's the Time to Sell Your Old Tech---Here's How to Get Started
First, back up any important data---on a phone or tablet, this is easy, as most of it's already synced with your Apple, Google, or Amazon account. You'll want to make sure photos, videos, music, and text messages are saved. Computers can be more complicated, as you'll want to get a large amount of data---possibly all of it---off of the storage drive.
Our sister site How-To Geek has easy backup instructions for this process on all the most common platforms:
When you're ready to get rid of your gadget, be sure to remove every physical piece of it that comes out, too. For phones, this means SIM cards and MicroSD cards (if your phone supports them). On laptops and desktops, that means CDs, DVDs, camera cards, and of course, anything plugged into your USB ports. On game consoles, check for game discs, game cartridges, and storage cards.
Computers have an even more secure option: You can remove the storage drive. This is more complicated, and it will also remove the operating system, so you need to note that it isn't functional if you're selling or donating it. But removing the hard drive or SSD, and either destroying it yourself or simply disposing of it separately, greatly reduces the chance of anyone recovering any data from it.
Michael Crider / Review Geek
Getting the storage drive out of a desktop computer is generally easy (though it can be tricky on small computers like the Mac Mini or the iMac). Getting it out of a laptop is much more difficult, and may not be possible with standard tools if it's a newer ultra-thin model with the storage soldered to the motherboard. Do some Google searching in either case to see if you can handle it.
You might be able to use other removable parts in a computer, too, especially graphics cards from gaming desktops. But odds are that if you're ready to sell or recycle a computer, there's not much in it that will be useful in a new one. If you're sending the computer on to a new user---either donating it or giving it to a friend---make sure to give it to them in a condition that's useful.
So if you're donating a computer somewhere, leave the storage and the OS there after you've got your data off, unless you know that the organization can repair computers itself. If you're giving a computer to someone less tech-savvy, you'll probably want to leave it in working order, too. If someone's just looking for the parts, or has the parts and the know-how to fix it, feel free to harvest those pieces.
If you're passing something on to a new user or donating it, the polite thing to do is make sure it's in the best condition possible. You've done that in terms of software, now it's time to look after the hardware.
Progressman/Shutterstock.com
Ready to get rid of some stuff? There are plenty of places to donate items, and many electronics stores like Best Buy will collect electronics for recycling for free. Your local municipal waste or recycling service may also offer free electronics recycling---they make a small amount of money by passing on e-waste to industrial recycling companies.
If your gadget is in a fully working order, consider donating it to organizations that can distribute electronics to those who need them. There are tons of these, at least one of which is almost certainly near you: schools, churches and other religious organizations, or homeless and needy programs. Even senior centers and retirement homes often have a need for electronics of all kinds---tablets and laptops in particular.
If you're unsure if the place you're going is accepting your item, just call and ask---someone will tell you if they can use it, and if not, probably direct you on where to go instead. If all else fails, organizations like the Red Cross, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army will usually take almost anything that's working and made within the last decade or so.
Those who prefer to donate to non-religious organizations may have some very curtailed options. You should search for charities looking for donations in the nearest large city; pressing needs for donations are often covered in the local newspaper, or shared on social hubs like Facebook and Nextdoor.
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- Michael Crider
Sep 19, 2024 · Whether you’re looking to buy a new iPhone or have your eye on one of the best Android phones, you must wipe your old phone before you can sell it or pass it on.
Jan 31, 2024 · Before you sell, give away, or trade in your device, you should first transfer information to your new device, then, if applicable, remove your personal information from your old device.
Mar 30, 2020 · An iTunes Restore or a hard reset. Depending on how you perform this, it’ll generally install the latest version of iOS available. It’ll also delete all of your locally stored data and apps. Setting up an iPhone without restoring from a backup. Sure, you may lose some things. But in this case, you’ll get that “new phone” feeling.
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Dec 22, 2023 · Clearing your iPhone before selling it is important, but you don’t want to lose all its data. So if you haven’t already transferred it to a new iPhone, it’s worth backing everything up.
