How to Factory Reset an Android Phone Before Selling

28 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Before you hand your phone to a buyer, you must erase your data and remove your accounts. If you only press Factory reset without removing your Google account first, the buyer may get stuck at a Google lock screen, called FRP. Then they will come back to you, or worse, think you sold them a locked phone.

Step 1: Back up your data

A reset deletes everything. Back up photos to Google Photos, WhatsApp chats from WhatsApp settings, and contacts to your Google account. Our backup guide shows how.

Step 2: Log out of WhatsApp and other apps

Back up WhatsApp, then move it to your new phone or delete your WhatsApp account from the old one only if you will not use it again. Log out of banking apps, Easypaisa, JazzCash and social media.

Step 3: Remove your Google account

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accounts (or Passwords and accounts, or Users and accounts).
3. Tap your Google account and choose Remove account.
4. Repeat for every Google account on the phone.

This is the step that prevents the FRP lock.

Step 4: Remove the brand account

Many brands add their own lock:

Samsung: remove your Samsung account and turn off Find My Mobile.
Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO: sign out of your Mi account and turn off Find device.
Oppo, Realme: sign out of your HeyTap or Oppo account.
Vivo: sign out of your Vivo account.
Huawei, Honor: sign out of your Huawei or Honor ID.

Step 5: Remove SIM and memory card

Take out your SIM cards and any microSD card. These are easy to forget and contain your personal data.

Step 6: Factory reset

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System, then Reset options (or General management, then Reset on Samsung).
3. Choose Erase all data (factory reset).
4. Confirm with your PIN.

The phone will restart and show the setup screen. That is how a buyer should receive it.

Step 7: Do it in front of the buyer

Many sellers keep their data until the buyer has paid, then remove accounts and reset in front of them. This is safe for you, and it shows the buyer the phone is clean and unlocked. Allow 10 minutes.

What if I forget?

If the buyer reports a Google lock, you can remove the phone from your Google account remotely at myaccount.google.com, under Security, then Your devices. But it is much easier to do it properly the first time.

Selling an iPhone instead? Read how to remove iCloud before selling.