How to save your photos and erase your iPhone before selling or trading it in

Do not delete your photos by hand first

It feels logical to clear the photo library before handing a phone over. Apple warns against it: when you are signed in to iCloud with your Apple Account, manually deleting items such as contacts, calendars, reminders, documents and photos permanently removes them from iCloud servers and all your connected devices.

The right order is to copy what you want, then use Apple’s sign-out and erase steps. According to Apple’s page, erasing the device does not delete your content from iCloud, which is what you want when the photos are meant to live on.

Make sure the photos exist somewhere else

Before anything is erased, check that the photos you care about exist independently. Apple’s guide recommends transferring your information to the new device and says a backup lets you copy and save what is on the iPhone. With Quick Start on iOS 11 or later, information can transfer automatically to the new device.

Open a few photos on the new phone or backup and confirm they look right. If you use iCloud Photos, check the sync status in Photos, under Collections, so that no uploads are still in progress. Our guide on backing up before deleting explains why a synced copy is not the same as an independent one.

1. Check Photos, then Collections, and confirm iCloud is not showing a paused or full warning.
2. Transfer your data to the new device, for example with Quick Start.
3. Open several photos on the new device to confirm they arrived.
4. Keep the old iPhone until you are certain everything you need is there.

Sign out, then erase

Apple’s checklist for a device you still have includes: unpair a paired Apple Watch, cancel or transfer an AppleCare plan if you have one, sign out of iCloud and the App Store, and then go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings. If you are switching to a non-Apple phone, deregister iMessage as well.

Apple notes that Erase All Content and Settings completely erases the device, including cards added for Apple Pay, photos, contacts, music and apps, and that Find My and Activation Lock turn off when you erase. You may be asked for your Apple Account password, so know it beforehand. If your phone uses an eSIM, Apple’s erase page says you choose whether to erase it, and that erasing it means contacting your carrier to reactivate a plan.

Trade-in details that catch people out

Apple’s page says to check Parts and Service History: if a part shows Finish Repair, you need to finish that repair before you can trade in. It also says to remove the old device from your list of trusted devices once you have erased it.

If you trade in at an Apple Store, Apple notes you might need your Apple Account password. If you no longer have the phone, Apple suggests asking the new owner to erase it, changing your Apple Account password and removing the device from your trusted devices.

Use the handover as a reason to sort

A new phone is a good moment to carry over only what you want. If you have time before the switch, sort the library first and move a cleaner collection. Our guide on transferring photos and sorting first describes that routine.

GallerySort can help with the sorting step: swipe to keep or delete and tap an album to file the keepers. Do that before you erase, and remember it is a sorting tool, not a backup or a way to wipe a device.