Why "deleting photos" isn't enough
Individually deleted photos don't vanish immediately: they move to the trash (usually recoverable for 30 days on iPhone and in Google Photos) — and even after that, data on unencrypted devices can partly be reconstructed with recovery software. Before a sale, deleting individual images is thus the most deceptive method. The safe route is different — and starts not with deleting, but with backing up.
Step 1: back up first, everything else after
Before anything is deleted, your photos must be safe elsewhere — otherwise memories are lost irretrievably. Let the cloud backup run and additionally copy locally to a computer or hard drive. Only once two copies exist do you continue.
Step 2: sign out of all accounts
The step most people forget — and without which the reset fails:
- iPhone: Settings → [your name] → at the very bottom "Sign Out" (Apple ID). This disables the activation lock. "Find My" is released in the process.
- Android: Settings → Accounts → remove Google account. This bypasses Factory Reset Protection, which would otherwise lock the device for the buyer.
- Both: sign out of messengers, banking, and password apps; for two-factor apps, transfer the codes to the new device first.
Reset first and then notice the account is still linked, and you have a locked device and an unhappy buyer.
Step 3: factory reset
Now — and only now — completely reset the device:
- iPhone: Settings → General → "Transfer or Reset iPhone" → "Erase All Content and Settings".
- Android: Settings → System → "Reset" → "Factory data reset" (the menu path varies slightly by manufacturer).
Why it's safe: current smartphones are encrypted by default. The reset discards the encryption key — the remaining data is then useless gibberish without that key, even if remnants physically sit in storage. That's why encrypted devices need no multiple overwriting.
Step 4: the forgotten storage locations
- SD card (Android): often not wiped by the reset — remove it or securely erase it separately.
- SIM card: may contain contacts/SMS — remove it.
- Cloud photos: after the sale your images stay in your cloud — that's intended. Just check that the device no longer has access (step 2 handles that).
The short order to remember
- Back up (two copies).
- Sign out of all accounts (release the activation lock).
- Factory reset.
- Remove the SD and SIM cards or erase them separately.
In this order nothing private falls into strangers' hands — and the buyer gets a device that sets up cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
Is deleting the photos before selling enough?
No. Individually deleted photos first land in the trash (recoverable for 30 days) and can partly be reconstructed even after that. Only a full factory reset is safe — after signing out of your accounts first and, on encrypted devices, by discarding the key.
Why must I sign out of iCloud/Google before resetting?
Because otherwise the activation lock (iPhone: 'Find My'/Activation Lock, Android: Factory Reset Protection) kicks in and the buyer can't set up the device — and because your account otherwise stays linked to the device. Sign out first, then reset.
Are photos really gone after a factory reset?
With current device encryption, yes: the reset discards the key, without which the encrypted data is useless. iPhones have been encrypted by default for years, current Android devices too. On very old, unencrypted devices, additional overwriting can make sense.
What about the memory card in an Android phone?
It isn't necessarily wiped by the factory reset. Remove the SD card beforehand or format it separately — ideally with encryption or overwriting, since card data is easily recoverable.
Sources
Apple — Erase iPhone before selling · Google — Reset Android to factory settings.