How to trade in or sell your Android phone

Selling or trading in a used Android phone is a smart way to safely dispose of your old devices and hopefully earn some extra cash that you can spend on your next upgrade. But there are a few things to do before you dump your old phone, including backing up and deleting your data, cleaning it up, and finding the right seller or trade-in offer.

It sounds simple enough, but the variety of Android “flavors” makes this process more complicated than it is. for iPhone users. As such, the names and locations of the settings we cover in this guide may differ on your phone or version of Android, but the general guidelines are the same. If you can’t find something, use your phone’s search bar to search for the right settings, and if that doesn’t work, look for online guides specific to your device.

1. Back up your Android The data

The first step is to back up your data including your contacts, texts, app data, photos, and other files stored on your phone. The process involves pretty much the same steps as in our video guide on backup personal data on Android (and iOS), so feel free to check it out, also.

There are many ways to backup Android phone, but Android’s built-in backup tool is the easiest; this uploads your data to your Google Drive (or other apps) so you can import it to your new phone later.

Many users will have automatic backups enabled, but you can manually create a backup under Settings> System> Backup. This menu also displays the most recent backup made and the types of data that are included. Make sure to toggle all options under “Backup details” to make sure nothing is forgotten, then select “Save now” to save your data.

Note that you might not have enough space to save everything on your phone for free, at least if you are using Google Drive or Google One Drive. Anything you back up counts toward the free 15GB allocated to each Google Account, but purchasing the additional space is inexpensive.

That said, if you want to keep things free but struggle with the 15GB limit, the best option is to back up your phone’s photos and videos elsewhere. Google Photos will automatically back up your phone’s images, but the app now counts the additional cloud uploads over your Google Account’s storage limit, and photos and videos are probably the biggest chunk of data on your. telephone. Instead, find a alternative cloud service or manually move your photos to your PC via USB.

2. Delete your Google account (and other accounts)

The next step is to delete your Google account from the phone. Make sure you do this step after back up your data because you won’t be able to sync your files to the cloud after deleting an account. Fortunately, the removal process is quite straightforward:

1. Go to Settings> Accounts.
2. Select your Google account from the list.
3. Faucet “Delete account.”
4. Repeat for all additional accounts synchronized with the phone.

3. Perform a factory reset on your Android

With your data backed up and your Google Account unlinked from your phone, you can now perform a factory reset. This will erase your data, files and installed apps from the phone’s internal storage memory and restore all settings to their defaults. You can perform a factory reset even if your phone screen is totally destroyed, but we’ll show you how to do this assuming the device is still in perfect working order.

1. Go to Settings> Advanced> Reset options
2. To select “Erase all data (factory reset).”
3. The next screen will show you everything that will be deleted. This is your last chance to back up persistent data.
4. Faucet “Clear all data” to start the process.

4. Clean it

Once you’ve cleaned the inside of your phone, now is the time to take care of its external parts.

It’s pretty straightforward. First, remove all cases, screen covers, and other accessories attached to your phone, then remove the SIM card. The steps for this differ from device to device, but most require a small key to open the SIM card slot. These small tools are usually shipped in the original box, but you can also purchase them online; or go to an approved repair center, technical support offices in stores like Best Buy, or the store closest to your telephone company. Oh, and don’t forget to remove all micro SD expansion cards if you have a phone that supports extended storage options.

Now is the time to clean the phone. Our guide to the safe disinfection of electronic devices can help if you are unsure of what to do, but the general rule is to avoid liquid cleaners as moisture damages electronics and chemicals like alcohol. , bleach and ammonia can affect plastic and glass. A simple wipe with a microfiber cloth will remove thumbprints and smudges, and a dry cotton swab can help remove dust or dirt.

It is also a good opportunity to assess the quality of the device. Note any dents, cracks, or scratches ahead of time to get an accurate assessment in the next step. You should also confirm that you still have the original packaging for the phone and any accessories it came with, such as chargers or headphones. These are not necessary to sell the phone, but including them can increase the final trade-in value.

5. Find a trade-in offer or a reseller

Your phone is now ready to be traded, but the question is: twhere? There are a few different options, and some may get a better deal than others, but it ultimately depends on what you plan to do with the trade-in value.

If you plan to use the value of the old phone as credit for a new phone, check with your service provider’s trade-in programs. T-Mobile / Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Google fi, American cellphone, and others let you trade in old phones and use the value towards your next purchase. However, only certain models may be eligible and only if they are in good condition.

For those who buy directly from a manufacturer, you can resell older versions of the company’s phone on credit. For example, Samsung allows you swap your galaxy phones, and Google accepts pixel exchanges. Although, again, there may be restrictions.

Likewise, retailers like Amazon, Best buy, GameStop, and Walmart have exchange programs, as well, and you can use the credit from your gift card to purchase anything from their websites.

If you want to sell for cash rather than store credit, there are plenty of third-party resellers that you can use as well, including:

These companies will buy your old phones for cash. Payment is based on your phone’s condition and current market value.

The last option is to sell the phone yourself directly to someone else. Sometimes a direct sale can be a better deal because you set the price yourself, but there is no guarantee that you will make a sale.

There are many websites that make it easy to sell online safely, such as Swappa, eBay, Facebook market, or even Amazon and Back to Market if you are a professional renovator. These websites normally offer some form of fraud protection and transaction guarantees.

You can also take the riskier route and post to Craigslist, or online forums, subtitles, Telegram channels and Discord servers dedicated to aftermarket resale. And if all else fails, post it on social media and see if your followers are interested. However, there is always a possibility of scams, frauds and other abuses when using websites and services like these, so be careful if you go this route.

6. Ship it

Regardless of who you sell or trade your phone to, the last step is to get the phone ready and ship it, unless you trade the phone in person, in which case you can just walk into the store.

Manufacturers, service providers, and third-party resellers will provide you with shipping instructions and often free labels that you can print at home. As for selling it to someone on Craigslist or eBay, you will have to take care of the shipping yourself. Your local post office or companies like UPS and FedEx can help you pack and ship everything. Just know that you will pay for the shipping yourself.

Once the package has been posted, all you have to do is wait for the person to whom you sent it to receive it.