The cash that comes from selling an Android phone is nice to have, but there can be risks involved when you surrender something with so much personal data. If you have an unwanted Android, here’s how to safely sell it without compromising your information.
Step 1: Clear Your Android Phone of All Personal Data
First and foremost, clear your Android phone of all personal data. Doing so is a multistep process, but it’s one that can be easily navigated with some guidance. To clear your data:
- Unpair Devices: Unpair all connected devices. Computers, other phones, smart devices and speakers may be paired via Bluetooth.
- Remove Apps: Remove all apps that you downloaded and/or that have personal login information. These include service apps (e.g. Netflix, Spotify, ESPN), social media apps (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp) and other apps (e.g. Weather, Google Maps). To be safe, remove each one of these individually.
- Delete Credentials: If any apps can’t be individually removed, delete your login credentials. These primarily include usernames and passwords, but a few apps might store other details.
- Reset Android: Reset the Android phone to factory settings. Settings > System > Advanced > Reset Options > Erase All Data (Factory Reset. You’ll have to enter a PIN if the phone has one set up, and then confirm Erase Everything. Be aware that this process can’t be undone once confirmed.
The other reset options (Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth; Rest App Preferences) will do only a partial reset, and not erase all personal data. Performing the full factory reset should remove everything, but the previous steps act as an extra safety net. - Check Reset: Once the factory reset is complete, turn on the phone to make sure that everything is removed. You should see a setup screen. Don’t go through the process or enter any information.
If for some reason you don’t have the initial setup/greeting screen, double-check that these steps were completed correctly. The most likely issue would be that you simply forgot to confirm the factory reset.
With these steps completed, all personal information is fully wiped and you can safely surrender the Android phone to a buyer.
Step 2: Find a Reputable Android Phone Buyer
Although your phone is cleared of all data at this point, you still don’t want to sell the Android phone to just anyone. Someone with malicious intentions could still try to hack the phone. There’s no reason to take such a risk even if the attempt will almost certainly be unsuccessful.
In order to prevent such a risk, find a reputable buyer for your Android phone. You have three main choices of buyers, two of which will be well-known:
- Online Android Cell Phone Buyer: A reputable online Android phone buyer like MLG Cash will also clear your phone of all personal data, just as any cell carrier would. You’ll also get that third level of safety.
When choosing a reputable online buyer, look for a companies like MLG Cash that have a strong track record, clear Android selling process and good reviews. A buyer that meets all three of these criteria will take care of your phone properly and treat you well.
Compared to cell carriers, we aim to pay more for Android phones.
Sell Your Android Phone to MLG Cash
At MLG Cash, we have one of the most streamlined Android buying processes and pay high prices for used Android smartphones.
The selling process involves answering a few questions, receiving a quote of what we’ll pay, and taking your phone to a UPS Store dropoff point (of which there are over 5,000 nationwide). The UPS store employee will confirm your described condition, and you’ll receive instant payment via Paypal or Walmart Cash Pickup. We also pay as much as 30 percent higher than most other online Android phone buyers, and well above what carriers will typically offer.
To find out what we can offer for your old Android phone and learn more about the process, get started with our quick online form. We can have money to you in however long it takes to go to one of the UPS Store dropoff points.