Selling An Old Phone/Erasing Data.

[arc@css]

Hi,
Just a quick question. I'm selling an old phone, so should wiping everything by way of resetting it to factory default be sufficient?

Thanks.

Btw, where's a good site to buy phone cases from?

 

[BradShort]

Usually an option to erase internal storage too, that should be checked as well when resetting.

 

[413x]

I think a good way is meant to be turning on encryption then wiping

 

[arc@css]

Thanks, guys.

 

[Semple]

As above, encrypt the device, and then reset to factory default. If you only reset to factory default, then your data could be retrieved.

 

[arc@css]

Cheers, will do.

 

[arc@css]

Hmmm...I don't think this phone has the option to encrypt data. It's an Alcatel Pixi 4.

 

[chroniclard]

Seriously though its a phone, whats on there that a factory reset wouldn't remove and who would go to the bother of trying to retrieve someones data from a £20 second hand phone.

 

[Merlin5]

On my S6, there's 'Encrypt Device' under Lock Screen & Security in Settings, and it says 'You can encrypt accounts, settings, downloaded apps and their data, media, and other files. Encryption takes an hour or more. Connect your device to a charger'. So after doing that and formatting, no one could retrieve anything from the internal storage?

It's actually my S7 Edge I'd like to do that with but it doesn't have the Encrypt Device screen as my S6. It only has an Encrypt SD Card option. Is my S7 encrypted by default so I can just go ahead and factory reset and nothing is retrievable?

 

[mark43]

I'm not 100% sure but I thought they started enabling it by default at some point. I couldn't find an option on my S7 edge when I sold it recently.

 

[arc@css]

Seriously though its a phone, whats on there that a factory reset wouldn't remove and who would go to the bother of trying to retrieve someones data from a £20 second hand phone.

True, there isn't much on it to be too concerned about. I suppose I wouldn't mind educating myself and learning a little about these steps, though.

 

[DXP55]

Years ago I inherited a mates Samsung slider - I went through it and found two pictures of his wife starkers on the bed. She was very fit and shaven.

 

[darael]

If you can't find any secure erase options, then just remove any memory and SIM cards then set it to record video of a plain wall while on charge, until it fills up it's internal memory. Delete the video then factory reset - that should make retrieval of any personal data harder. Repeat and rinse until you feel it's enough, but once ought to do it.

 

[413x]

Seriously though its a phone, whats on there that a factory reset wouldn't remove and who would go to the bother of trying to retrieve someones data from a £20 second hand phone.

Bitcoin wallets for one

 

[Thekwango]

Years ago I inherited a mates Samsung slider - I went through it and found two pictures of his wife starkers on the bed. She was very fit and shaven.

If you wanted to forward them on to me so I can confirm the level of fitness I’d be ok with that.

 

[arc@css]

Years ago I inherited a mates Samsung slider - I went through it and found two pictures of his wife starkers on the bed. She was very fit and shaven.

 

[arc@css]

If you can't find any secure erase options, then just remove any memory and SIM cards then set it to record video of a plain wall while on charge, until it fills up it's internal memory. Delete the video then factory reset - that should make retrieval of any personal data harder. Repeat and rinse until you feel it's enough, but once ought to do it.

Cheers, I'll bear that in mind.

 

[Merlin5]

s then set it to record video of a plain wall while on charge, until it fills up it's internal memory.

Or a wife starkers on the bed.