Somewhere in most homes there is a drawer containing three old phones, a tablet with a cracked screen, and a laptop that has not been opened since 2019. Here is what to actually do with them, in an order that protects your data, your wallet, and the environment.
Step 1: decide its next life first
Old devices have four sensible fates:
- Keep using it: an old tablet makes a great kitchen recipe screen or digital photo frame. An old phone becomes a dedicated baby monitor, car music player, or emergency backup phone.
- Pass it on: family hand-me-downs, especially phones and tablets going to kids or less technical relatives.
- Sell or trade it: devices under about five years old still have real value.
- Recycle it properly: genuinely dead or ancient devices should never go in the bin (batteries and electronics are landfill hazards, and council rules apply).
Step 2: back up before anything leaves
Before a device changes hands, make sure everything you want is off it: photos, contacts, documents, saved passwords. Check it is actually in your cloud backup or copied somewhere, not just “probably synced.”
Step 3: wipe it properly (this matters)
Simply deleting files or a quick reset is not always enough; data can linger. Do it right:
- iPhone/iPad: sign out of iCloud first (Settings > your name > Sign Out), turn off Find My, then Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Signing out of iCloud first is crucial or the device stays locked to your account forever.
- Android: remove your Google account (Settings > Accounts), then factory reset through Settings > System > Reset.
- Windows: Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC > Remove everything, and choose the clean-data option if offered.
- Mac: sign out of iCloud and iMessage first, then use Erase All Content and Settings (newer Macs) or erase and reinstall macOS.
Old hard drives: if you are disposing of a computer or drive with anything sensitive on it, we can wipe it to a standard where recovery is not practical, or physically destroy the drive. And if you are upgrading rather than disposing, tools like AOMEI, which we use in the workshop, clone your whole drive across so nothing gets left behind. Peace of mind costs little.
Step 4: remove it from your accounts
After wiping, check your accounts: remove the device from your Apple ID or Google account device list, deregister it from any services that list your devices (like streaming services that limit how many can be attached).
Where to sell, pass on, or recycle
- Selling: manufacturer trade-in programs, eBay, Facebook Marketplace (meet safely, payment in cash or instant transfer only).
- Passing on: do the wipe-and-setup properly so they start clean, not with your old data haunting them.
- Recycling: MobileMuster accepts phones for free at post offices and council collection points; council e-waste options handle computers and peripherals. Officeworks accepts a range of e-waste too.
The exception: keep one emergency phone
One charged old phone in the house is genuinely useful. Any phone that powers on can call 000 in Australia, even without a SIM. Label it, keep it charged, and it is free emergency backup.
