Before you sell, give away or bin a device

Deleted is not erased

Moving files to the bin, or even a quick format, only marks the space as free. The data stays on the disk until something overwrites it, and free tools recover it.

Phones, laptops and tablets are the obvious cases. Printers, routers, smart TVs, cameras and cars also remember accounts, Wi-Fi passwords, documents and contacts.

The order that works

First make a backup and check that it opens. Then sign out of your accounts on the device and remove it from the list of trusted devices in each account. Take out the SIM card and any memory card.

Only then run the full factory reset from the settings. If the storage was encrypted, as it is on current phones and on a laptop with disk encryption switched on, the reset destroys the key and the old data becomes unreadable.

When the device no longer starts

A broken laptop still has a working disk inside. Remove the disk and keep it, or hand the device to a recycler that destroys storage and confirms it in writing.

At work, never dispose of equipment yourself. Return it to IT, including old flash drives and phones from a drawer.