How To Securely Dispose of Your Mobile Device

Smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets, everyone seems to have at least one of these, if not all of them. From banking and bills to social media and email, these devices can do it all. Because these smart devices do a lot for us, there is a lot of personal data stored within them. When it’s time for you to upgrade, it is essential that you securely dispose of your mobile device to ensure none of your personal information can be accessed.

Whether you donate, exchange it for a new one, sell it, give it to a friend or family member, or even throw it away, make sure you erase all sensitive and personal information. Deleting the data is not enough, as it can be recovered using tools on the Internet. Instead of just deleting the information, you need to wipe it to erase the data securely. Wiping the data overwrites the information stored on the device, and the data is not recoverable. Be sure to backup your device so that you can quickly rebuild your new one with the same settings and information you previously had.

Securely Dispose of Your Mobile Device with Factory Reset

The best and easiest way to permanently wipe all information from your device is by using the factory reset function. The factory reset reverts the device to the condition that it was in when it was first purchased.

Each device has specific factory reset procedures. Your owner’s manual will have the instructions. We’ve provided the steps for the two most popular devices below.

• Apple iOs: Settings | General | Reset | Erase All Content and Settings
• Android Devices: Settings | Privacy | Factory Data Reset

Author: Tony O.