There are few feelings better than unboxing a brand-new smartphone, but that excitement can turn to frustration quickly if your trade-in gets rejected weeks later.
While most people remember to wipe their photos and messages, many overlook the invisible ‘digital locks’—like Factory Reset Protection—that can render a phone useless to a recycler and instantly drop your trade-in value to zero.
Before you seal that shipping box or head to the store, you need to do more than just a quick reset; you need to ensure your Android phone is completely unlocked, secure, and legitimately ready for its next owner.
The Pros and Cons of Trading in your old Android phone
The main benefit of trading in an old smartphone is that you get money for it. This is especially useful if you don’t need the old device anymore. Sometimes, merchants pay you extra when you trade in a device, even if the device is not worth as much anymore.
The downside is that you are giving away a device that you used in the past. Unless you are careful, it may be possible to access personal data or accounts.
Another issue is that you need to make sure that the device is not protected from being reset by the processing company or the new owner. If the trade-in company realizes that the phone is locked, it will reject it.
Here is a quick overview of the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Convenience and safety | “Bill Credit” Trap |
| Inflated prices (sometimes) | Low value without special promotions |
| Instant discounts | Grading may sometimes disagree with your assessment |
| Environmental responsible | Delayed gratification |
Note that I assume that you have moved the data from the old device to the new already. A good option for that is to connect both devices via an USB cable and start the transfer process this way.
The mandatory steps before sending the old device in
First, make sure that you back up all important data. This includes photos and videos, files, and anything else. It is a good idea to create a full phone backup, but you can also use internal features to create this backup. This ensures that you can restore the data, if the need arises.
Go to Settings > Google > Backup on the device. Note that this backs up essentials, such as contacts or device settings. The location may be different depending on the device manufacturer. Samsung device owners go to Settings > Accounts and backup, and select “back up data” there.
Backing up photos and videos is another story. You could back them up in the cloud, and Google is very pushy about this, or, and this is what I prefer, store them on a local computer instead.
Second, removing the Google account is essential. If you do not, you won’t disable Factory Reset Protection. This is designed to prevent the theft of devices, as the new owner needs the password of the previous owner to start using it.
Go to Settings > Passwords & accounts (or Users & accounts, or Manage accounts). Locate the Google account there and select the remove option. I suggest you do the same for any other account on the device, as this removes them all. The accounts on the new device are not affected by this.
Third, run a factory reset. This restores the original state of the Android device and removes all personal data from it. Go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase all Data. On Samsung, you find the setting under Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
Finally, remove any SIM-cards, eSIMs, or SD cards from the device.
Recommended Steps (good practice, but not mandatory for trading in)
Here is a quick list of tasks that you might want to consider as well:
- Unpair any Bluetooth devices.
- Remove any network connections.
- De-register from chat services.
- Save the phone’s IMEI number (dial *#06# to see it on the screen).
- Charge the battery to at least 50 percent.
- Document the phone’s condition with photos or video, also write down the information).
Ultimately, the difference between a successful trade-in and a rejected one often comes down to these few minutes of preparation. By ensuring your data is backed up and your Google account is fully removed, you’re not just protecting your privacy—you’re securing your payout.