How to sell your phone safely in the UK — the complete guide

Selling your phone safely — what most people get wrong

Millions of phones are sold in the UK every year and the vast majority go smoothly. But the ones that go wrong tend to go very wrong — stolen data, scam buyers, revised offers, or phones lost in the post uninsured.

This guide covers everything you need to do to sell safely.

Step 1: Back up everything first

Before you do anything else, back up your phone. Once you factory reset it, everything is gone.

iPhone backup:

• iCloud: Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now
• Mac: connect your iPhone, open Finder, select your device, click Back Up Now

Android backup:

• Settings → Google → Backup → Back up now
• Samsung: Settings → Accounts and backup → Samsung Cloud → Back up data

Check the backup has completed before moving on.

Step 2: Remove your accounts and sign out

This is the most critical step — and the one most people rush.

iPhone — do all three:

1. Sign out of iCloud: Settings → your name → Sign Out. This disables Activation Lock — if you skip this, the new owner cannot use the phone
2. Sign out of the App Store and iTunes
3. Unpair any Apple Watch connected to this iPhone

Android / Samsung — do all three:

1. Remove your Google account: Settings → Accounts → Google → Remove account
2. Remove your Samsung account: Settings → Accounts and backup → Manage accounts → Samsung account → Sign out
3. Disable any screen lock PIN or fingerprint before resetting

Skipping account removal is the number one reason for revised or cancelled offers from recyclers. A Google-locked or iCloud-locked phone is worthless to a recycler.

Step 3: Factory reset

iPhone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings

Samsung: Settings → General Management → Reset → Factory Data Reset

Google Pixel: Settings → System → Reset Options → Erase All Data

After the reset the phone should boot to the setup screen as if brand new.

Step 4: Remove the SIM card

Remove your SIM before posting or handing over the phone. Keep it — you will need it for your next phone or a SIM only deal.

Step 5: Choose where to sell

Phone recyclers — the safest and simplest option. Guaranteed price upfront, free insured postage, payment within days. No buyer negotiations, no meetups, no risk.

Marketplace sites (eBay, Facebook Marketplace) — potentially higher prices but significantly more effort and risk of scam buyers.

Part exchange — convenient but prices are almost always lower than selling independently.

For most people, a recycler is the right call.

Compare all UK recycler prices →

Avoiding revised offers

Be conservative when grading your own phone. If there are any scratches, choose Good rather than Excellent. A small drop in quoted price beats a surprise revised offer after you have posted the phone.

Posting safely

• Use the prepaid label provided by the recycler — it includes tracking and insurance
• Use a padded envelope or small box with bubble wrap
• Keep the proof of postage until you are paid
• Never use standard Royal Mail letter post — no tracking, no insurance

Compare phone recycler prices →

How to factory reset iPhone before selling →

How much is my iPhone worth? →