HELP: What to do before selling iPhone?

Just do one last sync with your iTunes and it will complete a back up and then once it is completed on the handset just go to settings>general>erase all data and settings. That takes it back to screen prompting for connect to iTunes to activate. I think thats right order in settings, can't check cause syncing my new white iPhone atm.

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I'd prefer to just select "Restore" from the iTunes menu.

Also, Apple won't transfer over your information - you'll have to do that through a sync.

Do a clean restore and remove the SIM (if a GSM iPhone).

Yeah, don't do the erase all settings from inside the phone, use iTunes to restore it. It's faster cause you're just gonna have to restore anyway considering that erasing all content and settings makes the iPhone go into restore mode ("connect to iTunes" screen).

awadeee said:

Yeah, don't do the erase all settings from inside the phone, use iTunes to restore it. It's faster cause you're just gonna have to restore anyway considering that erasing all content and settings makes the iPhone go into restore mode ("connect to iTunes" screen).

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So what? It's not faster at all. There is no reason to restore it. That's the way to sell it anyway. As a new phone.

That's such bad advice and not just for JB/unlocked phones. If it's an in person buy, the buyer won't be able to tell if the phone is working until they get it home. While I don't think the OP is a cheat, there's plenty of unscrupulous sellers out there.

kaibex said:

just go to settings>general>erase all data and settings. That takes it back to screen prompting for connect to iTunes to activate.

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Givmeabrek said:

So what? It's not faster at all. There is no reason to restore it. That's the way to sell it anyway. As a new phone.

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Are you high? If you restore it through Settings > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings, it'll erase the phone and put it in restore state. Not the "insert SIM card to activate" screen, but the "iPhone is useless, must restore" screen. The buyer is going to think it doesn't work. Hence why you would just restore with iTunes to factory defaults. So yes, going straight to restore with iTunes rather than doing it through the phone and THEN going to iTunes IS faster.

GeneticFreak84 said:

Okay, just to confirm:
(1) Sync IP4 Black to iTunes
(2) Purchase white IP4; resync to iTunes to retrieve apps
(3) Do a clean restore on IP4 Black via iTunes

I'll be selling my IP4 black tomorrow after I purchase the white one tonight. How can I show the buyer it's a legit, working phone if the SIM would be in my new white phone. Can I take it out and insert it into the black phone and make a call from it?

Thanks for all your help.

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Yes you can.

I was under the impression that restoring it and pulling the plug once you see the connect to itunes screen was best as well.

Isn't it true that once you restore "as new" the phone is now associated with your itunes account? So basically the buyer would have to restore the phone anyway if you gave it to them "as new" just so they could download apps.

If you buy a phone in the store doesn't it come with a connect to itunes message?

I am trying to remember how I got my service replacement from the apple store and failing.

MaxBurn said:

I was under the impression that restoring it and pulling the plug once you see the connect to itunes screen was best as well.

Isn't it true that once you restore "as new" the phone is now associated with your itunes account? So basically the buyer would have to restore the phone anyway if you gave it to them "as new" just so they could download apps.

If you buy a phone in the store doesn't it come with a connect to itunes message?

I am trying to remember how I got my service replacement from the apple store and failing.

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If you restore and set up as new and don't import anything you should be good to go. It shouldn't be associated with anything.

Well this settles it. Seeing as I have a 3Gs here to just play with while I wait for it to sell I restored it (custom IPSW) and set it up "as new", I unchecked everything for sync options and named the phone 3Gs. The first thing itunes does after doing that is sync the phone for a second then it is ready to go. After that I added a wifi connection and went to itunes to download something, it asked for the password for my itunes account with my email address as the account name. That isn't the condition I want to hand it over to a buyer in.

I would likely still do that if it was an in person sale, with the understanding they would be restoring it as soon as they got home. But if shipping it is just easier for the buyer to connect, associate with their itunes account and be all ready to go.

MaxBurn said:

I was under the impression that restoring it and pulling the plug once you see the connect to itunes screen was best as well.

Isn't it true that once you restore "as new" the phone is now associated with your itunes account? So basically the buyer would have to restore the phone anyway if you gave it to them "as new" just so they could download apps.

If you buy a phone in the store doesn't it come with a connect to itunes message?

I am trying to remember how I got my service replacement from the apple store and failing.

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The bolded section is correct. I just restored an iPad that was going to a friend of mine; did the "setup as new" routine and sure enough, when I opened iTunes to check, it still showed my login. If you open the app store or iTunes from the device though after a restore, click on Featured, then scroll to the bottom, you can see if an account is logged in. If it is, just click on the account name and sign out. Then a new user can input their own Apple ID.

This way, I was sure the iPad worked when it left my hands, and when my friend got it, all she had to do was input her own info. It's probably best from a security perspective to have it at the plug into iTunes screen, but this way I knew without question it was in working order after the wipe and reinstall, and my extremely non tech friend didn't have to worry about finishing the restore before she could play with her new toy.

when you buy a new phone do you need to get a new contract with it or can you transfer your current one if yours isn't about to expire? does it depend on if you get it from Apple or ATT/Verizon?

in general would it depend more on the phone or the carrier?

IrishVixen said:

If you open the app store or iTunes from the device though after a restore, click on Featured, then scroll to the bottom, you can see if an account is logged in. If it is, just click on the account name and sign out. Then a new user can input their own Apple ID.

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Interesting, I didn't know you could sign out.

MaxBurn said:

Interesting, I didn't know you could sign out.

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I didn't either--found an article through some Google search or other that went through steps to ready an iPhone for resale, or I wouldn't have thought to even check it.

Actually it raises a bunch of questions, can you load apps and music from two or more accounts? What happens when you sync? Could you transfer an app purchase this way? I dont see much of that happening, must be missing something.

Short answer is yes. Long answer is that my husband and I have done it before, typically through iTunes via sharing on the computer while plugged in. If an update for a shared app comes through on the device, it will ask for the purchaser's password in order to update, not yours. Sometimes it will ask to confirm the credit card holder's info as well--that seems to happen most often right after a firmware update, but I can't confirm a pattern for certain. Either way, you can't update the app without the other user's password.

It's a bit of a nuisance. Either you have to give the other person your password--meaning it's someone you trust--or you have to physically hand them the device so they can enter it themselves. DH and I both have ridiculously long passwords, it's usually easier just to hand the damn thing over.

It wouldn't be necessary at all if Apple would allow you to combine accounts, but since they don't, it's a reasonably viable solution for households to share purchases.

is restoring and removing the sim card all you'll have to do before selling?

GeneticFreak84 said:

I'll be selling my iPhone 4 [black] to purchase the white iPhone 4

What are some things I should do before selling the phone? I plan to purchase the white iPhone 4 tonight so I can have Apple transfer my phone book, pictures, and apps to the new phone, correct?

What do I need to do to my black IP4? Should I delete all the numbers, pictures, and apps?

Please advise.

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clean the food off of it