Hidy VaultHow to wipe iPhone data before trade-in
Back up the iPhone, sign out of your Apple Account, then use Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Apple says this removes all content and settings, including photos, contacts, apps and Apple Pay cards.
- Back up first: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
- Sign out: Settings > [your name] > Sign Out.
- Erase: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
Why back up before you erase?
Erase All Content and Settings removes everything on the iPhone. Apple says to back up first so you can move your data to the next phone. The backup is your only copy of anything that is not already in iCloud.
To back up now: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. Apple notes that iCloud backup storage may be temporarily increased when you are preparing to move to a new iPhone.
If you keep photos in iCloud Photos, they are already in iCloud. If you do not, the daily iCloud Backup may include your photos and videos. Either way, check that the backup finished before you erase.
Do you need to sign out of your Apple Account?
Apple's instructions say to sign out before erasing. Go to Settings > [your name], scroll down, tap Sign Out, enter your Apple Account password, then tap Turn Off.
Signing out turns off iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Game Center and other services on that iPhone. It also helps make sure the next owner does not see your account.
Hidy Vault keeps photos, videos and documents in encrypted vaults that open only with a pattern you draw. No account, no Hidy server. Free for 3 vaults.
How do you erase the iPhone?
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- If prompted, enter your iPhone passcode or Apple Account password, then tap Continue.
Apple says this removes all content and settings. That includes Apple Pay cards, photos, contacts, music and apps. It also turns off iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Game Center and other services.
What about the eSIM?
If the iPhone uses an eSIM, you are asked whether to erase it during the reset. Choose based on whether you are keeping the number.
If you erase the eSIM, contact your carrier to get a new plan later.
Does erasing remove Activation Lock?
Yes, when Find My was previously enabled. Apple says erasing the iPhone removes Activation Lock and makes the device ready for a new owner.
If Find My was never on, there is no Activation Lock to remove. Either way, the erase is the step that prepares the phone for someone else.
Is one erase enough? What about overwriting?
Apple's documented procedure is Erase All Content and Settings. The support instructions specify no number of erase passes, overwrite count or separate wipe limit.
Do not look for a "secure wipe" or "overwrite" setting in iOS. It is not part of the documented steps. If you want more assurance, ask the trade-in program what it does with devices it receives.
What the erase does not do
- It does not delete your iCloud data. Apple says erasing the iPhone does not delete data stored in iCloud. Your iCloud Photos, backups and synced data stay in your account.
What if you have private photos in a vault app?
Erase All Content and Settings removes apps and their data from the iPhone. If you use Hidy Vault, the vaults on that iPhone go with the erase.
Hidy keeps encrypted backups in your own iCloud if you set them up. Those backups need the vault's 12-word recovery phrase to open. Keep the phrase somewhere separate from the phone you are trading in.
Do not uninstall Hidy to troubleshoot before a trade-in. Hidy's own guidance says local vaults and the Keychain secret can be lost that way. Use the erase, not a delete, when you are done with the phone.
If you are moving to a new iPhone, see transfer a photo vault to a new iPhone before you wipe the old one.
Limits and honest notes
This guide covers Apple's documented steps only. It does not promise that a trade-in partner cannot recover anything. It does not describe forensic tools or what they can do.
Apple's instructions do not say how the erase handles encrypted files on the storage chip. They describe the steps and what is removed, not the internals.
If the iPhone is damaged and will not start, the on-device erase may not be possible. In that case, contact Apple or the trade-in program for options.
For the wider checklist, see before you sell or trade in your iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Does Erase All Content and Settings remove Activation Lock?
Apple says erasing the iPhone removes Activation Lock when Find My was previously enabled, so the device is ready for a new owner.
How many times does the iPhone overwrite data during an erase?
Apple's documented procedure is Erase All Content and Settings. The support instructions specify no number of erase passes or overwrite count.
What happens to my eSIM when I erase?
If the iPhone uses an eSIM, you are asked whether to erase it. If you erase the eSIM, contact your carrier for a new plan later.
Does erasing delete my iCloud data?
No. Apple says erasing the iPhone does not delete data stored in iCloud. Your iCloud Photos, backups and other synced data stay in your account.
